Corfu. The beautiful Ionian island, offered for endless dolce vita
The mythical island of Faiaki today is one of the most popular Greek destinations worldwide, an island full of refined finesse and cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Cultural richness, incredible musical tradition and a capital with Venetian culture, compose a setting, drawn from a film of another era.
Impressive fortresses, Venetian buildings, music pouring through the cantons, dreamy countryside with monuments - sights of indescribable beauty, between green hills and wooded slopes and seas with endless shores, bathed in bright and transparent light, full of transparent sceneries. And close to all this, the inhabitants of the island themselves, simple, happy, kind, with mental culture and warm heart, enjoy their island and welcome, hospitably, every visitor. For all these reasons, Corfu, like a real lord of the Ionian Sea, fascinates every visitor and guarantees a travel experience, synonymous with dolce vita.
So, if you are in Corfu, make sure you enjoy it with all your senses. It is worth discovering the special charm and beauty of an island, through the richness of its natural beauty and its rich historical and cultural heritage. Let us choose together the main points of interest of the island and let us enjoy this wonderful trip.
Walks in the sights of the city
The island undoubtedly has a royal glory. Roman, Byzantine, Venetian, English and French conquerors left their mark on the beautiful place. Among the many attractions, the old Venetian buildings stand out, which form the residential core of the old town of Corfu. The point of reference is Spianada Square, the largest in Corfu and the entire Balkans. Impressive in size and highly historic, this square is a point of reference and meeting of all the people of Corfu and impresses, with its architectural design, which refers to the large royal gardens of Europe. A place of concerts and cultural events, today, the Spianada is a lung of greenery and recreation and is surrounded by monuments of special importance. At its northern end dominate the Palace of Saints Michael and George, which houses the Museum of Asian Art and the Municipal Gallery, while on the northwest side is Liston, the most famous pedestrian street in the city. The impressive building complex, with its ground floor arched galleries, which the locals call walks, is the most cosmopolitan part of Corfu and is full of life, during winter and summer, as it emerges as one of the most recognizable monuments of the island. Next to Liston is Campiello, the city's oldest neighborhood. Here, in the maze cantons of the old town, with the beautiful squares, arches, old churches and Venetian apartment buildings with the characteristic laundry, unfolds a magnificent route to the medieval past of the city. The old and the new Fortress of Corfu are suitable for a romantic walk, while the view to the city, from the top of the fortress, will compensate for all the senses. The walk ends at Panagia Vlacherna, on the homonymous island and overlooking the famous Pontikonisi, which, as it floats in the calm waters of the Halikiopoulou lagoon, is reminiscent of a canvas painted by a great artist.
Achillion
The country palace of Empress Elizabeth is a jewel of architecture and one of the most famous monuments - sights of Corfu. In a natural landscape of incomparable beauty, at the top of the village Gastouri, the visitor immediately realizes the reason why the Empress of Austria-Hungary was seduced by the beauty of the place and built in it, in 1891, her country palace, which, to this day, it is an anthem to the ancient Greek spirit and becomes a historical emblem of the whole region. Walking around the magnificent gardens, it is impossible not to feel the aristocratic atmosphere and the air of the imperial luxury of a bygone era. The peristyle of the Muses, the statue of the dying Achilles, the bronze statue of "Achilles Nikon" and many other sculptures, inspired by Greek history and mythology, combined with a feast of exotic species of trees and flowers, adorn the gardens and balconies of the imposing palace. The interior frescoes and the exhibition of the personal belongings of the empress, in the halls of the palace, come to justify the high traffic of the monument and its emergence as a place of historical and cultural mysticism.
In Benitses
From the wonderful coastal settlements, Benitses holds a special place. The former fishing village, perched in the green, of the olive and cypress trees, mountains of the area, has developed, today, into a popular tourist center, with developed hotel infrastructure and intense nightlife, while the marina, is a wonderful refuge for the boats safely moored in the calm waters of the bay. Although a world-famous tourist resort and a pole of attraction for thousands of tourists, Benitses still retains, unchanged over time, their special physiognomy, an element that ranks them in the list of the most popular destinations on the island of Faiakes. The relaxing walks in the narrow cobbled alleys and the neighborhoods with the flowered courtyards, is a special experience, while the organized beach is temptingly offered for endless hours of relaxation. Finally, the lively atmosphere in the Beach bars and the intense entertainment rhythms, which prevail at night in the area, are a guarantee for dolce vita, without stopping.
In Paleokastritsa
Apart from the beautiful sights, Corfu has a number of wonderful beaches, which win the impressions, with their crystal clear waters and their golden sandy beaches. The real jewel of the beaches in Corfu is none other than Paleokastritsa, one of the most famous areas of the island, which impresses with the beauty of its waters and its rocky shore. Along the lacy coastline, Paleokastritsa stretches across two peninsulas, surrounded by small and picturesque coves, while the deep green of the pines, the gold of the sand and the turquoise waters of the sea, refresh the eyes and senses and justify the title of Paleokastritsa, as one of the most famous areas of Corfu for recreation. If you want to avoid the crowds, which is observed in the area, you are given the opportunity to charter a boat and open to the surrounding magical sea caves, which surround Paleokastritsa and with their intense turquoise waters lead everyone to a unique natural feast. The coves in Alypa, Agia Triada, Agios Petros and Ambelaki, among others, compose the pieces of an earthly paradise, which will lead all the senses to their inevitable climax.
The Traditional Settlements of Corfu
If you are looking for something alternative and an experience that goes beyond the ordinary ones, for as long as you are in Corfu, you can always visit the inland of the island and discover a cluster of traditional settlements, which offer great thrills and surprises. Settlements such as Stavros, Gastouri, Varypatades and Kastellani Mesis are located in the heart of the island, almost untouched by time and built next to each other, literally perched in the peaceful plains with thalli trees or on the green slopes of hills. Pieces of the exuberant Corfiot nature, these villages evoke the scents of a quiet life and the aura of a past, lost in the centuries. The strolls through the cobbled streets, among fragrant orchards, Corfiot mansions, squares and monuments of another era, reveal the most authentic part of the island and uniquely complete the travel collage of the "sweet life" that Corfu promises to offer to everyone.