Corfu’s variety also plays a part in its enduring popularity. With over 200 kms of coastline, the island really can offer ‘something for everyone.’ “Beautiful, flower-filled, washed with soft Ionian light,” Corfu is impossible to describe in a few words.
Groves of tall, silvery-green olive and cypress trees cover the slopes of the central hills. Still among olive trees, netting spread at their feet ready for the harvest, the south levels out with sweeping sandy beaches, particularly on the west coast. Our tiny hideaway of Maltas here combines an untouched countryside, rich in traditional ways, with one of the best sandy beaches on the island.
Go north and you will find a different scene: a rocky, twisting coastline of cliff and ravine, curling round the great mountain called Pantokrator, ‘Lord of Creation’. The north east, with its white-pebble coves, stupendous views and countless walks, is particularly magical.
The Corfiots are the most friendly and generous people, especially the country folk. They work hard on their land and follow traditional lives.
Walkers, botanists and ornithologists will find an inexhaustible source of interest in Corfu. To quote from ‘Landscapes of Corfu’, “Walking on Corfu is sheer bliss. You will be spoilt by a kaleidoscope of landscapes, and you needn’t be an intrepid hiker to find these beauty spots. The walks lead to some of the most beautiful beaches you will ever see.”
Corfu Town is different again, and different too from all other Greek towns, having a rich architectural and cultural history, the result of long successive years of Venetian, French and British rule. By reason of its two massively strong forts it never yielded to the Turks. The mazey streets of the Old Town contrast with the Venetian and French elegance of the centre – and very English cricket is played on the Esplanade green! Sophisticated shops, art exhibitions, orchestras, bands and bouzouki enliven the scene: there is a lot to see and do.
So don’t miss out on Corfu. As any one of its regular visitors will tell you, to know this particular island is to be captivated by it.
Corfu Recommended Reading
Island Information Pack
Friends of the Ionian are offering an Island Information Pack. The Pack includes an “At a Glance Guide”, an island map, a self-guided trail and general information and costs £3.95. See the FOI website for details >
• Corfu: In The Windrush Island Guide Series
• The Corfu Book of Walks
• Prospero’s Cell by Lawrence Durrell
• My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
Landscapes of Corfu
For walkers and explorers, this pocket-sized guide contains walks of all grades, car tours and picnic suggestions, plus bus timetables and large scale walking maps. It is intended to be used in addition to a standard guidebook and cost £12 per book incl. p&p from:
Sunflower Books (dept. SV), P.O. Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU.
