Corfu & Corfu Old Town

Corfu is sometimes called “the jewel of Greece”

The island of Corfu – and its eponymous capital city Corfu (“Kérkyra”) – 
is also the seat of government of all seven islands in the Ionian Sea.

For centuries, Corfu Old Town (“Kérkyra”) was completely surrounded by an enormous fortress that was never conquered. This is referred to in the city’s second name “Castropolis”, which is unique in Greece.

Corfu Old Town (“Kérkyra”) – named UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 –
Is lively, colourful and incredibly varied. There’s a reason why it is considered one of the three most beautiful coastal cities in the entire Mediterranean region.

You can expect to find:

  • a network of romantic winding streets, arcades and steps
  • beautiful orthodox churches and chapels
  • countless tavernas, cafés and bars – under shady trees and parasols
  • a colourful shopping paradise and a dream for “shopaholics”
  • a trendy and very music-centric nightlife


Corfu map
Please click on the image and make it larger.

Good to know

Information:
The following facts are taken from various sources.
However, they all reflect the island of Corfu exactly as I (Simona) have known it for almost 20 years. 

  • Tools found on Corfu date back to around 50,000 BC. From 10,000-2,500 BC, the island was already well inhabited.
  • For hobby historians, interesting traces of European cultural development over the past 2,800 years can be found all over the island!
  • However, it’s only in more recent history that things really got going on Corfu:
    From 1257 to 1386, Corfu belonged to Naples. From 1385 to 1796, the flag of the Republic of Venice was hoisted. Corfu then became a Russian protectorate for a few years (1798-1807) before, with Napoléon Bonaparte, all the Ionian Islands came under French rule (1807-1814). After the fall of Napoleon, the British (1814-1864) took power over the “United States of the Ionian Islands”. Corfu and the other Ionian Islands only came under Greece’s ownership from 1864.
    Largely, however, it was the 400 years of Venetian rule that had the greatest impact. Corfu Old Town is a replica of Venice (minus the canals).
  • Empress Sisi (1837-1898) spent her holidays on Corfu and built her dream palace “Achilleion” (now a museum) on this lush island with its colourful flowers.
  • The eccentric English Durrell family and their world-famous son Lawrence Durrell (who was nominated for the Nobel Prize several times) lived on Corfu from 1935 to 1941 and had a great influence on the island’s tourism. (A funny autobiographical TV series about the Durrells was filmed in the original locations in 2017.)
  • However, Corfu was only really discovered as a luscious holiday destination in the 1960s. It was and still is – with the exception of the summer months of July and August – a relaxed and easy-going place.
  • The old English nobility and discreet celebrities from all over the world – people who do not want to draw attention to their assets – have “secret summer residences” across Corfu. But the super yachts that anchor here show that Corfu is very much “in vogue”.
  • Corfu as a holiday island is loved by the British.
    According to statistics from 2022, Corfu is mainly visited by the English (14,000 English people also have permanent residency here), followed by the Russians (for historical reasons as well as the shared “Orthodox religion”). The Germans, French, Italians, Swiss, Dutch and Czechs are also very fond of this island.
  • For many years, the English royal family has frequently spent their summer holidays in Corfu. Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022, was born here in the “Mon Repos” palace.
  • Corfu and all the other Ionian islands have thousands of years of rich history – probably the most important fact of all is that this region is also the “origin of European culture”.
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Some more useful facts:

  • Around four million olive trees grow on Corfu!
    Some olive groves are more than 1,000 years old. This is one of the reasons why Corfu is known as the greenest island of all 3,054 Greek islands.
  • Corfu blooms almost all year round.
    Among others, more than 30 different orchids thrive here.
  • Corfu enjoys the most balanced climate in Europe!
  • The two small neighbouring islands of “Paxos and Antipaxos”, with their turquoise bays, are among the most beautiful places in the world (2021 ranking: 3rd place)
  • Further south, the island of Zakynthos is home to the endangered sea turtle “Caretta Caretta”.
  • Corfu is a paradise – especially for nature lovers and hikers (“Corfu Trail” / 220 km).
  • It is thought that the biggest lemons in the world grow on Corfu!
  • The tiny orange-like kumquat is also a traditional fruit of Corfu. Freshly picked, it can be eaten whole, including the peel, or alternatively processed into liqueur, jam and candied fruit. Kumquat is an essential to take home; pack it in your suitcase along with dried spices (oregano, thyme and rosemary), the award-winnig Corfiot olive oil and the award-winning Corfiot honey!
  • On Corfu, the name day of the island’s saint “St. Spyridon” (December 12) is a great celebration. (Disrespectful remarks are considered insulting; at the same time, every 7th Corfiot is called “Spyros”).
  • In 1814, the French built the beautiful Liston arcade.
  • The English introduced “ginger beer” and “cricket”.

Holidays on Corfu

Stay on if you can!
Plan in a few more holiday days before or after your sailing trip.
After all, you’re coming to this beautiful island anyway.

The following website has information on a wide range of activities that you can do during your extended stay on Corfu... spending it all on the beach is of course also totally to be recommended.

You can choose from: City and island tours, Jeep safaris, Speed boat excursions, Yoga, Hiking, Diving and much more. You will also find a list of selected hotels/apartments (from over 2,000 addresses across the island.)

www.holiday-in-corfu.com 

Good to know:
The new website above will be launching in spring 2025!
I (Simona, owner of PELEGRIN) have been researching, clarifying, fact-checking and continually updating for months so that I can share all the highlights of the beautiful, tropical-greeen island of Corfu with you. 

* Please also visit my other Corfu website: www.apollo-animal.ch