Corfu Travel Essentials

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"Emerald Island of Greece"

Corfu Tourism

Located in Northwest of Greece, Corfu lies close to the Albanian coastline. It is known for its beautiful pebble-sand beaches with crystal clear waters, luscious green landscapes, and rich history and cultural heritage. Corfu is not a destination for an authentic Greek experience but it is a popular vacation destination for families.

With its stunning mountains, easy connections to Albania and Italy, and crazy nightlife, Corfu has been popular, especially among the British, for a long time. The island is especially popular for diving as it has many stunning underwater caves, ancient shipwrecks and beautiful reefs. Besides hiking up the Corfu trail, water skiing, boating, parasailing, sailing, and taking an olive oil tasting tour are also famous here. Some of the other interesting things to do in Corfu include visiting Sidari for its amazing beaches, Angelokastro castle for its views, Vlacherna Monastery, and Corfu Archaeological and Banknote Museums.

The largest town on Corfu Island is Corfu town, a small city with an airport and port. The north part of Corfu town, also called the Old Town, comprises historical sites and is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, whereas the southern part is new, modern and commercial. The Old Town of Corfu is considered an open-air museum housing stunning archaeological sites, from Venetian fortresses and stately palaces to British mansions and French esplanades. The streets in the old town are called cantounia, as the wind passes through the town and leads to the palace, squares, churches and art galleries.

The northern part of Corfu island is mountainous and boasts a fair number of pebble beaches, while its southern part is home to some of the famous sandy beaches and resorts. Traditional villages of Benitses, Kynopiastes, Lefkimmi and Kavos lie on the southern part of the island. The beach resorts of Arillas and Kassiopi, the village resort of Roda, Heritage protected village of Old Perithia, and the villages of Kalami, Lakone (Paleokastritsa) and Nymphes are located on the Northern side of the island. Corfu is also a popular starting point for the tour of the western Greek islands and has easy connections to Albania and Italy.

Must Know Before You Travel to Corfu

  • Getting Around: Rent a scooter or an ATV (costing 15 and 35 Euros per day), rent a bicycle (costing 10 Euros per day), or rent a car (costing 25 Euros per day)
  • Bus: Getting around the town by bus is also reasonable (the cost varies from 1.10 to 4.40 Euros depending on the distance). An unlimited day pass for bus travel is an economical purchase(Costs 5 Euros).
  • Corfu City Pass: Get a Corfu City pass starting from 50 Euros to get the full benefits of visiting major attractions and doing fun activities.
  • Apart from visiting bustling Corfu town, exploring Kassiopi, Paleokastritsa, and Nymphes is recommended for a more relaxed stay.
  • Where to Stay: Stay in Corfu Old Town to discover local history and culture. For a calm and serene experience, stay in ​​Paleokastritsa, Koloura, and Kalami villages. 
  • What to Eat: For a reasonable meal trying street foods like gyros, costing under 5 euros, is wise. Pastitsada is Corfu’s signature dish and is worth trying. 
  • Most restaurants charge extra for entry and bread, which is about 15 Euros and 0.50-1.5 Euros, respectively.
  • Toilets usually do not have locks in Corfu.
  • Beaches are open to all and have free showers but no toilets.
  • Tourist shops are open daily from morning till late at night. Other shops like grocery stores, utility stores, and other services are open six days a week until 9 at night with a break from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Operating hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are 9 AM to 3 PM.

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Shopping in Corfu

There are numerous shops in Corfu that sell jewellery, ceramics, leather goods, and olive wood items along with several souvenirs. The island is a nice blend of modern and old shops. There are several boutique shops in Kerkira that sell affordable branded clothes as well as souvenirs. Items from local producers are available in the old town where you can get goods in a fine bargain. Some of the exciting things that can be purchased are gold, silver, gemstones jewellery, leather jackets, olive oil, kumquat liqueur or jams and marmalades.

Nightlife in Corfu

Corfu is one the most cosmopolitan Greek islands. Corfu old town has abundant places from traditional taverns to loud clubs. There are lounge bars all around the town but for loud music and night clubs, head to Emporiko, near the port. There are numerous clubs around Kavos where the majority of brits can be cited. Many resorts in Sidari, Paleokastritsa, Acharavi, Dasia, and Benitses have bars and clubs. One can enjoy all kinds of loud music here and stay open until dawn. To have long peaceful dinners, there are several restaurants around Corfu.

History of Corfu

Some Archaeological proofs are evidence of islands being inhabited since the Paleolithic era. It was an important commercial centre during the rule of the Phoenicians. Corfu emerged as a strong naval power and a significant colonial town known as Paleopolis. Corfu, in a one-year alliance with Athens, defended itself against Corinth until the Macedonians started their rule on Corfu in 338 BC.

Subsequently, Corfu was ruled by Spartans, Illyrians, and Romans between 229 BC to 337 BC. During Roman rule, the construction of roads and public buildings, including bathhouses, was done on the island. In 40 AD, Corfu was introduced to christianity which led to the construction of its first church. In the Medieval era, many towers were built to defend Corfu from attacks from pirates, Barbarians, Goths or Saracens. Corfu was then ruled by the Venetians, and the English occupied the island in 1815, giving Corfu an opportunity to be prosperous again. During the 20th century, Corfu suffered great losses due to its participation in World War II.

Suggested Itinerary for Corfu

Visit Achilleion Palace till the afternoon or alternatively drive towards Agios Spiridon Beach to have a nice swim. Then, head to Corfu town and wander around to witness old town architecture. There are several churches. You can visit them or check out shops and cafes here. In the evening, hit any bar or club to enjoy Corfu nightlife at its fullest.

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