Corfu – the Garden of the Gods in the Ionian Sea

Corfu is the northernmost of the Ionian Islands – green, mountainous and very different from the dry Aegean islands. It was ruled by Venice for almost four centuries, then by the French and the British, which is why the old town looks more Italian than Greek. Empress Sisi loved it so much she built a palace here. No wonder it’s called the Garden of the Gods.

Corfu Town (Kerkyra)

The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• The Spianada (Esplanade) – one of the largest squares in Greece, with a cricket pitch from British times.
• The Liston – an arcade of cafés built by the French, modelled on Paris’s Rue de Rivoli.
• The Old and New Fortresses – Venetian fortifications with views over the town and sea.
• St Spyridon Church – holding the relics of the island’s patron saint, with a red bell tower that’s the tallest in town.
• Campiello – the oldest quarter, with narrow lanes and washing strung between the houses.
• The Palace of St Michael and St George – home to the Museum of Asian Art.

The island

• The Achilleion – the palace built by Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sisi), dedicated to Achilles, with gardens and a huge statue of the hero.
• Kanoni and Pontikonisi – the little Vlacherna monastery on an islet linked to the shore by a causeway, with “Mouse Island” opposite. Corfu’s most famous postcard view.
• Paleokastritsa – turquoise coves, a monastery on the hill and sea caves you visit by boat.
• Sidari and the Canal d’Amour – sandstone cliffs carved by the sea. Legend says couples who swim through the channel stay together forever.
• Angelokastro – the ruins of a Byzantine castle on a cliff above the sea.

Sample 4-day plan

1. Overnight drive from Sofia to Igoumenitsa (about 8 h), then the ferry to Corfu. Walk the old town, the Liston and St Spyridon.
2. Paleokastritsa, Angelokastro and Sidari with the Canal d’Amour.
3. The Achilleion, Kanoni and Pontikonisi, with the beach in the afternoon.
4. Morning ferry to Igoumenitsa and the drive home.

Getting there

By car or bus – via Thessaloniki and the Egnatia motorway to Igoumenitsa (about 700 km), then the ferry to Corfu (about 1 h 30 min). By air – Corfu airport has many summer flights, including charters.

When to visit

May–June and September–October – warm sea, a green island and fewer crowds. July and August are hot and crowded. Easter on Corfu is spectacular: on Holy Saturday, locals throw clay pots from their balconies.

Practical tips

• Try kumquat – the island’s speciality liqueur and preserves made from the tiny citrus – and pastitsada (beef in tomato sauce).
• Island roads are narrow and winding, so allow extra time.
• Book ferries in advance in August.