Corfu

More on Corfu

Surely one of the prettiest of the Greek islands and one of the most popular as a holiday destination, Corfu nevertheless manages to remain pleasingly unspoilt. From its unique historic heritage and some spectacular countryside, to lots of excellent holiday accommodation, a whole host of delightful towns and resorts and plenty of sunshine, the island provides all the essential ingredients for visitors of all tastes.

The History
According to Greek mythology, Corfu was named after a beautiful nymph called Korkira who was kidnapped by Poseidon, the god of the sea, and brought to the island against her will. There can be few visitors to ‘Kerkyra’ today who show any such reluctance to come here. Indeed, evidence shows that there were people living on Corfu as long as seventy thousand years ago and from the days when Odysseus stopped here on his long journey home to Ithaca, the island has been invaded by delighted visitors from all over the world, from Eretreans, Corinthians and Macedonians, to Spartans, Romans, Normans and all their modern-day decendants. Perhaps as a result of all this foreign occupation over the centuries, Corfu has embraced tourism with open arms and just as its architecture has been influenced by its myriad visitors, so its resorts and accommodation offer an infinite variety of choices. As well as being the largest town in the Ionian islands, Corfu Town must be one of the most impressive and interesting towns in Greece. Built between two fortresses during the island¿s Venetian occupation, this is a lovely town where elegant buildings, mansions, palaces and Byzantine churches line narrow streets and tree-fringed squares. Here there are shops, tavernas and restaurants galore and the island's British rule is still remembered at the local cricket pitch.

The Island
Thanks to its mild Mediterranean climate and lots of rainfall during the winter months, Corfu is the greenest of the Ionian islands, covered with dense vegetation and an abundance of wild plants. Much of the island is mountainous, with craggy Mount Pantokrator towering some nine hundred metres high in the north and wooded valleys running down to central plains crossed by rivers and scattered with lakes.

The Resorts
Despite its deserved reputation as a fabulous holiday destination, Corfu enjoys a relaxed, unhurried atmosphere. The myriad tiny coves of sand or white pebbles which fringe the island's mountainous, tree-scattered shoreline are rarely crowded, picturesque whitewashed villages nestle lazily in the Ionian sunshine and the locals extend a warm, laid-back welcome to their many happy visitors. Many of the most popular holiday resorts are along the north east coast, some bustling little towns combining a pretty bay with a variety of shops and tavernas and a few historic remains to explore and others little more than a few sunbeds on a pebbly white beach, curving arounds an endless blue sea and enclosed by tree-clad cliffs.

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