Corfu

Corfu: A garden full of music and aroma of rare flowers
Cosmopolitan Corfu is perhaps the most famous island of the Ionian Islands and one of the most popular in the Mediterranean. A pole of attraction for hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, but also a source of inspiration for all the fine arts, with a huge cultural heritage, has a special glamor, which, combined with natural beauty, wonderful climate, beaches and interesting attractions, makes it one of the most attractive destinations for Greeks and foreign travelers.

The homonymous capital of the island is a city-museum; a place with a great artistic tradition and many European influences is the most successful example of a combination of Greek and Western architecture. It is no coincidence that its well-preserved historic center has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first Greek university was founded in Corfu, the Ionian Academy, the first philharmonic and the first school of Fine Arts in Greece.

Discover every beautiful corner of the city and wander:

• in the old town (the “Xopoli”, as the locals call it, between the old and the new fortress) with the perimeter walls, which did not allow it to spread ∙ has a special architectural construction, with high-rise houses, narrow alleys (cantonments) with spread laundry and small squares ∙
• in the suburbs, Manduki in the northwest, Saroko between the hills of Avrami and Sotiros, and Garitsa, which starts from the Douglas column on the south beach ∙
• in Spianada Square, the largest and most impressive in the country, where most of the events take place, such as music concerts, processions, parades, as well as cricket matches (on the lawn of the square). Here is Liston, a complex of buildings of French architecture with characteristic arches, intended exclusively for the walk of the city’s aristocrats!

The impressive past of Corfu is embossed in the important sights of the city that the visitor faces wherever he turns his gaze:
(1) the Old and the New Fortress, rare examples of fortress architecture ∙
(2) the majestic Palace of Saints Michael and George D.
(3) in numerous and imposing churches, among them the church of Agios Spyridon, a religious reference point of Corfu, with the tallest bell tower of the city, marble iconostasis, frescoes, relics and votive offerings. The relics of the Saint are kept in a gilded shrine adorned with precious stones and on the morning of Palm Sunday he walks around the city. The procession is accompanied by all 20 Corfu Philharmonic Orchestras!

Take time for the excellent museums that the city of Corfu has, starting from:

• Museum of Asian Art (housed in the Palace of Saints Michael and George) with 10,000 exhibits from the Far East and a collection of sculptures of Gandara Greek-Buddhist art ∙
• the Archaeological Museum with the impressive gable of Gorgos from the Doric temple of Artemis Gorgos ∙
• the Byzantine Museum (in the church of Panagia Antivouniotissa) ∙
• the only Banknote Museum in Greece (in the Ionian Bank building))
• the Museum of Dionysios Solomos.

Five additional attractions that you should definitely visit:

1. Mon Repo • a visit to the beautiful estate is a must. Admire the summer residence of the English commissioner, a masterpiece of neoclassical architecture of the 19th century
2. The famous Cannon. From here take a boat to Pontikonisi, the small island that is the trademark of the island ∙ according to mythology, was a ship of the Phaeacians that turned to stone.
3. Paleopolis, ancient city of Corfu. Here look for the temple of Artemis Gorgos, one of the oldest stone Doric temples in the Greek world (6th century BC); the well-preserved, large altar of porous limestone impresses.
4. A short distance from the city of Corfu, in Gastouri, is the “Achillion”, the famous palace of the Austrian Empress Elizabeth (known as “Sissy”) which now functions as a museum. The peristyles and gardens of the palace with the exceptional view adorn magnificent statues (such as the Dying Achilles, the Satyr with Dionysus on his shoulders, etc.), while inside the visitor can admire exquisite frescoes and paintings inspired by Greek mythology.

Events throughout the year enrich the stay in Corfu, whether it is a vacation or a short getaway. International music festivals, religious festivals and gastronomy festivals, carnival events with influences from the Italian Commedia dell’Arte and of course the most famous Easter in Greece keep the pulse alive