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Corfu is located in the north
west corner of Greece. In Greek it is called Kerkira. It is the
second largest Ionian Island in the group known as Eptanisa
(Seven Islands). The capital of Corfu Island is Corfu Town.
There are many things to do in Corfu, ranging from visiting the
old town, to visiting the great beaches and exploring the
island. The island caters for all ages! If your between 18-30,
perhaps Kavos might interest you!
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Corfu Facts
Population: 110,000
Length: 65 km (35 miles)
Width 18 km (11 miles)
Highest Point: 915 metres
Time Zone: GMT +2
Electricity: 220 volt
Area: 570 sq. km (229 sq. miles)
Highest Point: 906 m.
Hottest months: July / August
Coldest months: January / February |
About Corfu Island
Corfu, Greece is an island in the Ionian Sea with
a population of over 110,000. It is the largest Ionian island in terms of
population. The coastline and its beaches is about 217 km which includes capes
and points. Mt. Pantokratoras
is the
highest mountain
(915 metres) and is located on the northern side of the Island. Corfu
is linked by two highways: GR-24 in the
west and GR-25 in the south. The airport is located near Corfu Town.
Corfu Island depends mainly
on the tourism industry. Olive oil
is the chief product of the island. The island also grows cumquat which is made
into a sweet or a liqueur.
Only a small part of the economy is related to
agriculture.
There is so much to do and see
on the island. There is something to do for all ages from swimming, going to
bars, discos, restaurants, buying
souvenirs, visiting cultural sites, Liston to enjoying the summer night.
Corfu was the first island
in Greece to open itself to tourism and is a major tourist destination in
Greece, however,
it still has managed to retain its beauty and
charm.
Climate
Corfu Island is the the
greenest place in Greece and the most northern island of Greece. It has a unique
mild climate year around with lots of rainfall in winter.
Summers are hot and sunny. The hottest times are
usually in July and August. It can get humid at times.
During spring wild flowers cover the country side.
The tourist season for Corfu is from the beginning
of May to the end of October.
| |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
High Temp (Cel) |
14 |
15 |
16 |
19 |
23 |
28 |
31 |
32 |
28 |
23 |
19 |
16 |
|
Low Temp (Cel)
|
13 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
18 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
23 |
21 |
17 |
14 |
|
Total Sunshine Days |
4 |
5 |
7 |
7 |
9 |
10 |
12 |
11 |
9 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
|
Days with Rainfall |
13 |
11 |
9 |
7 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
9 |
12 |
15 |
Things to
do
The best was to see Corfu is
to hire a car. Travelling by bus can be time consuming. If you are staying in
the countryside and want to spend the evening in Corfu Town and have a few
drinks, you can catch a bus in and return by taxi. There are no trains on Corfu.
The are a
variety of beaches: sandy, shingle or with pebbles and many are ideal for
swimming and water sports. Beautiful
beaches worth visiting are: Sidari (north), Glyfada (near town), Avlaki (north)
Myrtiotissa Beach (west),
and Agios Georgios (North west).
The scenery on
the island varies from the
spectacular mountains in the north to the
flat central areas.
If you are planning to drive in the north west of the island, please note some
of the roads seem steep. In the centre of the island will see some of the
villages which will give you an idea of how the Greeks live.
There are many beautiful
villages in Corfu especially in the mountainous. Advisable to hire a car
because travelling around the island by bus would take too long.
Places
Recommended Visiting
Paleokastritsa, Messongi,
Benitses,
Psaras, Moraitika, Pontikonisi (Mouse
Island), Kavos (party town), Liston, Old Corfu Castle.
Achillion
Achillion is a public house which is located near
the village of Gastouri and is definitely worth a visit. It was built from 1888
to 1891 by the Italian architect Kardilo on behalf of Elisabeth, Empress of
Austria. The castle is called Achillion in honour of Achilles whom the Empress
admired.
Cuisine
Cuisine in Corfu is based on olive oil,
vegetables, pasta, fish and pulses. The restaurants offer famous Greek dishes
such as Moussaka. Some of the most popular local dishes include:
Sofrito: Beef stewed with wine, garlic and
parsley and served with potatoes or rice.
Pastitsada: A casserole of beef or chicken, cooked with tomato and lots
of spices and served with thick pasta.
Bourdeto: Fish stew made with lots of red pepper.
How to get to Corfu?
Airport
The airport Eleftherios Venizelos at
Spata is an international airport and is located 3km out of town. There are
flights to Corfu island all through the year. The island can be reached by air
from Athens or Europe.
The following websites maybe useful to book your flights:
Expedia.com,
Expedia.co.uk ,
Hotwire.com ,
Travelselect.com,
Orbitz.com,
Onetravel.com,
Travelocity.com,
Priceline.com
- Airport of Corfu: +30 (26610) 30180
Buses
There are daily bus services to Athens and Thessaloniki via Igoumenitsa. From
Athens the journey time is 11 hours. From Thessalonica journey time is 8 hours.
- Bus station of Corfu: +30 (26610) 39985
Ferries
Ships travel in Greece from
Patras, Igoumenitsa or Sagiada. From Italy the ports include Bari,
Brindisi, Ancona, Otranto, Trieste and Venice. From former Yugoslavia
the ports include Bar, Dubrovnik and Split. There are also day trips
to Albania. There is a limited service to the nearby islets of Paxi.
There is also a small port in Lefkimmi.
- Corfu Port Authority Tel 26630 32655.
Accommodation
There are a variety of hotels on the
island. The following websites maybe useful to book your hotel:
ebookers.com,
All-hotels.com ,
Travelselect.com,
Orbitz.com,
Travelocity.com,
Hotwire.com ,
Expedia.co.uk ,
Expedia.com
Campgrounds are founded in Palaiokastro,
Agrillos, two in the northern part, Pyrgi, Gouvia and Messonghi.
Corfu Town
Corfu
Town is the main town and port of Corfu island and is the largest town in the
Ionian Islands. It is located at the centre of the eastern side of the island of
Corfu. It has a population of 30,000. The buildings have Venetian (Italian),
French, British architectural influences and the old town consists of a with
maze of narrow alleyways, nice squares and many Byzantine churches.
The Spianada (Esplanade) is a large square where people met daily for
socialising and for walks. Visit the Liston with its cafes and restaurants on
the north western side. Relax and enjoy the scenery. Liston is an arcade of
mansions modelled on the famous Rue de Rivoli in Paris. It was built during the
imperial French occupation. The park next to Liston has Greece's only cricket
ground. In September cricket matches are held with the participation of British
teams.
The Museum of Asian Art is worth a visit. It is
the only one of its kind in Greece. It is housed in a former summer palace of
the royal family of Greece.
Useful Info: Telephone Area Code: 26630; Corfu General Hospital : 26630 88200
Greek Easter Event
Corfu is renowned for its Orthodox Easter
celebrations. Spryidon the island's patron saint is paraded through town and
locals break jugs and other pieces of earthenware pottery from their balconies.
Trivia - Did
you know?
* Corfu is one of the most famous places in
Greece. Others include like Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, Athens, Delphi, Halkidiki
and Mykonos.
* According to mythology, the island of Corfu was
named after the nymph Kerkira, daughter of Asopos, with whom Zeus fell in love
and brought to this island.
* The Eptanisa (Seven Islands) are Ithaki,
Kefalonia, Corfu, Kythira, Lefkada, Paxoi, and Zakynthos. Cefalonia is the
largest Ionian Island.
Corfu
Links
The following links are related to
Corfu, Greece.
Corfu
Travel: Travel information about the airports, the flights and the ferries.
Prefecture of Corfu:
Municipality of Corfu: In English
Corfu Travel Guide: an
extensive site helping those planning a holiday or vacation to the Greek island
of Corfu.
A Guide of Corfu
Island: Guide to Corfu Greece with
information about villages, beaches, museums, maps, car rentals, pictures and
more.
kerkyra.net: A
complete holiday and business directory for Corfu island.
Picture Source:
http://www.corfu-greece.biz/corfu-pictures.htm
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You for visiting the
Travel to Corfu
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