Corfu

Corfu is the second largest of the Ionian Islands and is located on the west coast of Greece. Certainly, Corfu is the greenest island in Greece and is a mixture of stunning beaches, charming picturesque villages, and hospitable people. The island is part of the Corfu Prefecture and includes twelve of the sixteen municipalities or communes in the prefecture and communities of Ereikoussa, Mathraki, Othonoi, and Municipality of Paxoi, which are all separate islands.

Geography

Corfu is mountainous with the highest peak Pantokrator (906 meters). There are several flat areas, the largest being the Ropa Valley. There are two lakes, Korission (south) and Antinioti (north), and four small rivers often dry in summer. Those are at Potamos (centre of the island), Sidari (north), Messogi and Lefkimmi (south).

Historical moments

• The island is connected to the history of Greece from the beginning of Greek mythology. Its Greek name, Kerkyra or Korkyra, is related to two powerful water symbols: Poseidon, god of the sea, and Asopos, an important Greek mainland river.
   
• Ancient Times: In 585 BC, the island recovered its independence from Corinth. It contributed 60 triremes to Persian War battles.
   
• The First Era of Venetian Rule. In 1204, the Venetians laid claim to Corfu (Kerkyra) after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire by the 4th Crusade.
   
• In 1214, the island was recaptured by Michael I Aggelos Komninos, Despot of Epirus, who restored the old privileges of the inhabitants.
   
• The Second Era of Venetian Rule. In the second half of the 14th century, the island once more sought the protection of Venice, which bought the island from Naples and undertook to defend it for the next 412 years.
   
• In 1537, the island was besieged by Turkish forces.
   
• The First French Rule. In 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte took over the administration of Corfu (Kerkyra) along with the other Ionian Islands. French occupation brought with it the ideas of the French Revolution.
   
• The British Rule. In 1814 the French surrendered Corfu to the British. In 1815 the Congress of Vienna recognized the Ionian Islands as an independent state under the protection of Great Britain.
   
• In 1864: Unification with modern Greece from 1864 made the island's history one with that of the mainland, with no further foreign intervention.
   
• In September 1943, the Nazis bombarded Corfu, causing considerable damage to the island. The Nazi occupation was terminated on October 9th, 1944.
   
• In 2007, the city's old town was designated for the UNESCO World Heritage List.
   

Shopping and leisure

Corfu town has various shops selling jewelry, leather goods, olive wood objects, lovely ceramics, handmade needlework as well as mandoles, mandolato and koum-kouat preserves. Moreover, throughout Corfu town there are various shops with contemporary Greek work. Some areas of Corfu (Kerkyra, Korfu) also produce delicious honey, wine and ouzo.
 

Corfu Entertainment

In Corfu Town, the most popular places to go are the cafes on Liston Promenade or the cafes on the north end of Splianada Square. Bars and caf¿s can also be found on the main roads throughout the city.
Throughout the island there are many bars, caf¿s, beach bars and clubs for night-time entertainment. Some of the most popular areas are: Agios Stefanos, Arillas, Benitses, Dassia, Glyfada, Gouvia, Lefkimi, Messonghi, Moraitika, Paleokastritsa and Sidari.
Corfu (Kerkyra) Island is famous for its philharmonic orchestras that are 18 in total. During the summer months, philharmonic orchestra and choir concerts are held at the band kiosk on Splianada Square, in Corfu Town. The experience is utterly unforgettable.
Corfu (Kerkyra) Aqua Park is located in Agios Ioannis and is one of the largest and most impressive aqua parks in Europe, with an abundance of water rides, pools, shops, video game halls, playgrounds, changing facilities and a huge parking area.

Corfu Golf Club

The Corfu Club beautiful course has been praised by many as one of golf best kept secrets in Europe. It was designed by the famous Swiss based architect, Donald Harradine and he has blended the natural resources of the lovely Ropa Valley including the river of Nafsika (Odyseus was rescued by Princess Nafsika at its exit on Ermones beach), with manmade hazards to make the course a good but fair test. It is as enjoyable for the scratch player as it is for the long handicap one.

Places of interest

Kerkyra has always been a cultural centre of distinction, and its museums and libraries are studded with irreplaceable books and artifacts. The most notable of the island's museums are located in the city, and are: 

Museums

• Archaeological Museum
   
• Banknotes museum
   
• Byzantine Museum
   
• Kapodistrias Museum
   

Archaeological- Historical Sites

• Achillion Palace.
   
• Pontikonissi 
   
• Church of St. Spyridon
   
• The Old Fortress (Palaio Frourio)
   
• Temple of Artemis Gorgous
   

Public Transportation

Local (Blue) Buses
All these buses leave from San Rocco Square in Corfu Town.

Country and Long Distance (Green) Buses.
All these services leave from the Bus Station which is close to the New Port in Corfu Town.

Buses to the main places on the island run about six times a day between the town center and Glyfada, Sidari, Pleokastritsa, Roda and Acharavi, Lefkimmi, Lefkimmi and Piri. City buses run through the city to the Achilleon, Gouvia, Afra, Pelekas and some other places of interest.
Tickets must be purchased before boarding the bus. They can be bought from the bus company kiosk in the square or from kiosks and village shops.
Taxi’s ranks are available in the island of Corfu: on the old port, the other on San Rocco Square and on G. Theotoki Road. Rates are fixed for popular destinations or calculated with a meter for others.

Airport

Located 3 kilometres to the south of Corfu Town, in the area of Kanoni, the airport of Corfu offers all the facilities and services that one can find in all the international airports. Corfu (CFU) (Kerkira) is 3km (2 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: Regular coach, taxi and local bus services are available to and from the airport.Facilities: Duty-free shop, cafe, bar and car hire. Corfu Airport is connected by charter flights to most European cities.

Climate

The climate is mild without being bitterly cold in winter, and summers are quite humid. Corfu is an island suitable for holidays at most times of the year and the west coast has a more moderate climate than the east. During summer, daytime temperatures are on average around 31° C, whilst in the spring andautumn temperatures are around 20° C.
 

Average Hours of Sunshine
APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT
7	9	11	1	13	9	6

Average Daily Temperature in Celsius
JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
10,0	10,4	12,1	15,3	19,6	24,0	26,7	26,6	22,9	18,8	15,0	11,7

Facts and figures

Island Chain: Ionian Islands
Capital: Corfu (city)
Population: 107,879 (as of 2001)
Language: Greek is the official language. However, English, German Italian as well as French are spoken in various tourist locations.
Religion: Greek Orthodox
Currency and Banking:  there are several ATM's or Cash machines on the Island of Corfu.Euro exchange facilities are available at various locations on the island. Major credit cards are widely accepted.
Local time: GMT + 2

Holidays

Gastronomy: The Corfiot cuisine has the typical Mediterranean characteristics. Some of the most popular local dishes of Corfu are:

• “pastitsada” (beef or cock in red sauce)
• “sofrito” (beef strips with a white garlic and wine sauce)
   
•  the koum-kouat fruit (made into preserves and beverages)
   
•  “mandoles” (roasted and caramelized almond bars)
   
• “mandolato” (sweet bars made of sesame, almonds, honey, sugar and rosewater)
   

Sports

Corfu Sports & Beach Activities
Swimming
Water sports
Golfing
Scuba Diving
Horseback Riding
Yachting
Paragliding – Parasailing
Mountain Biking
Cricket
Tennis
Trekking-Mountain Climbing

Beaches

Agios Georgios
Agios Stefanos
Agios Gordios
Paleokastritsa
Myrtiotissa
Barbati
Ermones
Glyfada
Roda
Kalami
Almyros
Bataria- Kassiopi

Shopping hours

Tuesday / Thursday and Friday:  09.00 to 14.00 - 17.30 to 21.00.
Monday / Wednesday and Saturday: 09.00 to 14.00.
Supermarkets out of town are generally open all day until late, Tourist shops too are usually open till late.
Local shops in the villages outside of Chania are basically "open all hours" a bit like our corner shops.

Driving in Corfu

A national driving license is acceptable for EU nationals. EU nationals taking their own cars to Greece are advised to obtain a Green Card. Nationals of non-EU countries may need an International Driving Permit. It should be taken into consideration that several country and mountain roads remain narrow and winding. In particular, guests staying in rural or mountain accommodation should be quite careful.
Traffic signs throughout Greece are generally in Greek and English, and Greece uses internationally recognized traffic control and stop signs.

 

Passports

Passport required by all except:  EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.

 

General Information

• It is generally advised not to drink tap water but to buy bottled water for consumption.
   
• The sun in Corfu is very intense, and the chances of getting sunburn are quite high even on the cloudiest of days.
   
• Mosquitoes: All supermarkets and mini-markets in Corfu stock a wide range of mosquito repellents ranging from pump sprays to aerosols.
   
• There is a very good cable network throughout the island operating by OTE (Organisation of Telecommunications of Hellas). Internet is also available via dial up connections and ADSL. Mobile telephony covers even the most inaccessible part of the island.