What should i see in corfu

Star in your own movie in film-set perfect villages. Chlomos village, Corfu. Lakones Corfu village, Ionian Islands, Greece. Get active … from water sports to paragliding. Horse riding is available in Gouvia and Avlaki. Be charmed by the Venetian grace of Corfu Old Town.

Walking in the old town of Corfu you can admire different buildings interesting from an historical, cultural and architectural point of view. Corfu town, especially for its oldest part, is one of the most charming and romantic places of all the Greece.

Next to the Old Fortress are the Garden of the People, perfect for a beautiful stroll with views of the fortress Tamara Bellis. Corfu is a city with old tall buildings, separated by slopes and narrow streets which are called Kantounia. Discover an island overflowing with history.

Take your pick of museums and other cultural attractions. Local olive oil, wine, olives and cheese. Gigantes dish, Corfu island. Kolokithokeftedes dish,Corfu island. Drink up the coffee and bar culture, day and night. Corfu is especially popular in July and August, but there is plenty of accommodation around the island so you can find quieter spots.

However, it is worth coming in the months either side of peak summer when the weather is still great for swimming but there are fewer people on the island. Corfu is also a very green and hilly island, perfect for nature activities, especially in spring and autumn.

Easter is a very special time to visit Corfu. What are the top sites in Corfu? The Old and New Fortresses are landmarks of Corfu, but the entire Old Town is like an open-air museum, with churches, squares and Venetian-era buildings. What are the best beaches in Corfu? What makes Easter in Corfu different?

Corfu has a special way of celebrating Easter, making it one of the best times of the year to visit. The highlight is the dropping of the colourful botides clay pots from balconies in the Old Town on Saturday morning, a tradition that happens nowhere else.

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Pick your dates. Check-out date. The second-largest Ionian Island has seen the Byzantines, Venetians, French and British come and go over the last 1, years, and all these cultures have left something behind. If you need a place to begin, try the World Heritage Old Town of Corfu City, which is guarded by two mighty Venetian fortresses that withstood everything that the Ottoman Empire could throw at them. Allow plenty of time to see every corner and little square, and check out the Archaeological Museum and Casa Parlante, a quirky 19th-century mansion with period interiors and animatronic figures.

Defended by insurmountable ramparts, both the New Fortress to the west and Old Fortress to the east deserve your time. The latter goes back to the 6th century and is separated from the city by a ditch and canal crossed by a bridge. Between the Old Town and the old fortress is the esplanade, a long green square that is a remnant of the Venetian fortifications in the 17th century. During the French occupation of Corfu at the turn of the 19th century the esplanade was planted with trees, while the cricket pitch is a holdover from the British period that followed.

Also dating to that time is the Maitland Monument, a Neoclassical peristyle, with 20 Ionic columns around a rotunda, commemorating the Lord High Commissioner Thomas Maitland. Hosting the relics of St Spyridon, brought to Corfu City from Constantinople in the 15th century, the church moved to this location after its predecessor was demolished to make way for the citadel.

The marble iconostasis catches the eye for its classical lines, with a pediment and Corinthian columns bordering the paintings. The ceiling is also stunning, with gilded stuccowork around paintings that were first composed by Panagiotis Doxaras in the 18th century, but had to be repainted after deterioration.

In Elisabeth of Bavaria, Empress of Austria, commissioned a summer residence at this elevated setting about 10 kilometres south of Corfu City. This Neoclassical palace was designed by the Italian architect Raffaele Caritto with the hero Achilles as its central theme. Corfu Airport lies five kilometers south of Corfu Town. Plan your visit with our list of the top attractions on Corfu Island.

Note: Some businesses may be temporarily closed due to recent global health and safety issues. Corfu Town. The island's lovely capital, Corfu Town , is a warren of cobbled alleys and elegant Venetian-era buildings, many of which now host informal seafood tavernas and souvenir shops at ground level. Centering on the Esplanade , an expansive green square, the UNESCO-listed old town is guarded by two imposing 16th-century fortresses and also includes a number of churches, like the Church of St.

Spyridon, which is easily recognized by its red-domed bell tower. The waterfront incorporates a port, with regular ferries to Igoumenitsa on the Greek mainland, and daily excursion boats to neighboring Albania.

Accommodation: Where to Stay on Corfu Island. The Achilleion. Just outside the village of Gastouri, 10 kilometers southwest of Corfu Town, this white Neoclassical villa was the summer escape of Sisi, Empress Elisabeth of Austria A lover of beauty, Sisi immersed herself in Greece's mythical history and lush nature.

You can see inside the grandiose villa and explore the gardens, which are filled with towering palm trees and Neoclassical statues to give you some idea of the idyllic world Sisi was seeking. In the northeast of the island, 36 kilometers north of Corfu Town , this traditional fishing village has retained its character despite its popularity. Calm and unhurried, it is especially noted for its numerous small coves with white pebble beaches and amazing turquoise blue sea.

The best way to explore this stretch of coast is to hire a small boat. For amazing views hike up to the ruined Byzantine castle on the hillside behind the village. On the west coast, 25 kilometers northwest of Corfu Town , Paleokastritsa encompasses a glorious stretch of indented coast, with six deep, curving bays sheltering lovely beaches, both of sand and pebble, extending to a crystal-clear, blue sea. It's popular with day trippers, so it does get busy in peak season.

In the hills rising above the coast, you'll find another attraction — a 13th-century monastery with a courtyard garden, church, and small museum. Glyfada Beach. Considered by many to be the very best beach on the island, Glyfada also lies on Corfu's west coast, 26 kilometers west of Corfu Town and two kilometers south of the village of Pelekas. A blissful, long stretch of fine golden sand beach, it's lined with sunbeds and umbrellas and backed by hillsides covered with pine woods and olive groves.

Facing west, it has amazing sunsets but does get very busy in summer, especially in August. Aerial view of Canal d'Amour. On Corfu's northwestern tip, about a minute walk from the equally intriguing small village of Sidari , the Canal d'Amour is one of Corfu's top natural wonders.

It boasts impressive sandstone rock formations that create a natural passage from its small beach into the Ionian Sea's sparkling blue waters.

You can jump off rocks into the warm, salty sea and then swim through tunnels and caves for awesome, fishy underwater explorations — snorkeling equipment can be rented at the beach where there are also sun-loungers and umbrellas for hire. Leaping off the diving board at La Grotta Beach. La Grotta Beach in Paleokastrttsa is on Corfu's west coast and is another one of the island's most stunning beaches.