A class act in the Ionian that adores the spotlight
Corfu
One of the most popular holiday destinations in Greece, Corfu is an island in the Ionian Sea known for its cosmopolitan Old Town, spectacular sandy beaches and beautiful landscapes.
Corfu has a rich history that weaves a bewildering number of influences, with the Venetians, English, French and Russians all flourishing here and leaving their mark on the island.
In the Old Town, you’ll feel like an aristocrat walking along Liston Arcade and Spianada Square and gazing up at the Venetian forts and churches. And you’ll adore the romance of the labyrinth-like alleyways of Campiello (the medieval quarter of the Old Town) as well as the beat of the marching bands, particularly on festival days.
Holidays on Corfu are also famous for the food – with the many cultural influences expressed in dishes that show off Italian touches and the island’s delicious Mediterranean produce.
And don’t forget the beaches and swimming spots dotted around the island – not least the Canal d’Amour, where legend has it you’ll find your soulmate. Corfu island (or Kerkyra as it’s known in Greek) certainly knows how to seduce you.
Things to do on Corfu
Feel like a classic film star in the Old Town
Unesco has declared Corfu’s Old Town a world heritage site. Who couldn’t be impressed by the stately buildings, with neoclassical influences, or fail to be moved by the likes of the Palace of St Michael and St George, Liston Arcade, Reading Society, the Catholic Cathedral, Maitland Rotunda, Ionian Parliament and the Kapodistrias family’s mansion? In the famous alleyways of Campiello, you will feel like a star in a period movie.
Admire the Venetian forts and towers
On the eastern side of town, the rocky shore crowned by two low peaks gave the name Koryfo (or peak) to the island. You enter the Old Fort (Palio Frourio), built in the 13th century, via a bridge over a seawater moat. It includes the Porta Sopranza, the British barracks, two winged lions of St Mark, the Madonna del Carmine, the Savorgnan Bastion, the Tower of Sea and the Tower of the Land (Castel del Mar, Castel della Terra) and the British-built church of St George resembling a Doric temple.
Corfu’s Old Town is often characterised as an open-air museum and each sight is a journey through time. Towering above the northwest border of the capital, the other guardian, the Neo Frourio (New Fort), is a masterpiece of military architecture built by the Venetians between 1572 and 1645. It is a fortress with planes and angles reminiscent of Picasso and Braque’s Cubist periods.
Get your camera ready for Cannon and Mouse islands
Two trademark views on Corfu are actually other islands – the diminutive Pontikonisi, which translates as Mouse Island, just large enough to hold the Pantokrator Monastery, and right next to it, the famous Vlacherna islet, with its 17th-century monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary, connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway. Mass is held here on Easter Monday.
Go for a swim with a difference at Canal d'Amour and Sidari
Corfu is known for its beaches but you can’t miss the Canal d’Amour, where a natural passage created by the smooth rocks forms a tunnel to swim down. Let us know if you find your soulmate at the end of it, as legend promises. Meanwhile, at Sidari you’ll enjoy spectacular sandy beaches with sandstone formations.
Discover more sandy beaches with amazing waters
Glyfada, Dasia, Ermones, Paleokastritsa, Sidari, Kavos (famous for loud parties), Kontokali, Benitses, Halikounas… The list of beaches is endless, from secluded picturesque coves to large, vibrant stretches of sand with beach bars, tavernas, shops and water sports.
Delve deeper into the many attractions of Corfu
By the village of Paleokastritsa, a lush blanket of green drapes across six rocky coves, with some scholars maintaining that this is the site of the mythical palace of King Alkinoos, where Odysseus stayed. Another highlight is the Monastery of Panagias, founded here in 1225. It reaches as far as the famous Angelokastro, built early in the 12th century, with its church of Agia Kyriaki hidden in a small cave.
Celebrate one of Greece’s most iconic Easter celebrations
Easter celebrations on Corfu are like no other. The island’s Philharmonic Society accompanies the procession of Christ’s epitaph on Good Friday and crowds follow the remains of the island’s patron, St Spyridon, the following morning. And then, on Holy Saturday, it rains botides – clay jars dropped into the streets from people’s balconies. Just make sure you keep looking up!
Feel like an aristocrat in Empress Elizabeth’s Achillion Palace
Corfu’s imperial past is one of the reasons it is considered one of the most glamorous destinations in Greece. Empress Elizabeth of Austria-Hungary, the legendary Sissi, chose the island to build her palace, a place where she found consolation after her son Rudolph’s suicide. It is an elegant Pompeian-style building with luxurious, neoclassical living rooms. In the beautiful gardens, you’ll admire the famous statue of Achilles in his death throes.
Tour Mon Repos, the aristocrat’s choice
British High Commissioner Frederick Adam built this summer residence for his Corfiot wife, Nina Palatianou. Situated in a landscape of rare beauty, it occupies the site of ancient Corcyra, as the city was then called. The villa houses the Palaiopolis Museum and botanical gardens with more than 2,000 plant species that came from the British colonies.
Hidden gems of Corfu island
Culinary miracles
Pastitsada (beef in a rich tomato sauce with pasta), sofrito (battered beef cooked in olive oil and wine) and bourdeto (fish stew) are among the regional delicacies you can enjoy in kitchens, traditional tavernas and restaurants of Corfu. They will enrich your holidays with the aromas and flavours of the Ionian.
Exploring inland
Get to know Corfu’s rich flora and fauna and old settlements on foot or by bicycle. Among the hidden gems are Pantokratoras, a lovely spot next to the saltwater lake of Korission in the south and the area around the northern saltwater lake of Antinioti.
The Diapontia islands
A favourite destination for sailors, the uninhabited Diapontia islands north of Corfu are ideal for all those who enjoy diving and fishing.
Hanse 458 – 4cab – Oreo
Hanse 458: STYLE – DESIGN – PERFORMANCE The New Hanse 458 is the latest addition to the 8 Series and delivers all that one would expect from the Hanse Yard. Spacious and stylish interiors, coupled with a wealth of innovative and ingenious features promise to make the Hanse 458 the leading contender in her size range.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on get_the_excerpt -->
Hanse 508 – 6cab – Charles
Hanse 508: Smarter, more elegant, and more comfortable than ever. The innovative new Hanse 508 is the perfect yacht for relaxed blue water sailing, with its progressive design and one of the most thrilling performance levels of its class. With a fascinating interior and an exceptionally diverse range of clever customization options. Hanse 508 lives up to the highest standards of flexibility, style, and quality of life. Let yourself be amazed by excellent luxury.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on get_the_excerpt -->
Hanse 508 – 6cab – Andros
Hanse 508: Smarter, more elegant, and more comfortable than ever. The innovative new Hanse 508 is the perfect yacht for relaxed blue water sailing, with its progressive design and one of the most thrilling performance levels of its class. With a fascinating interior and an exceptionally diverse range of clever customization options. Hanse 508 lives up to the highest standards of flexibility, style, and quality of life. Let yourself be amazed by excellent luxury.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on get_the_excerpt -->
SUN ODYSSEY 490 – 5cab – Kalm
The Sun Odyssey 490 benefits from all the advantages of the line: easy flow of movement on board, comfortable cruising, and clever layouts... in short, the ability to combine seaworthy qualities and a high quality of life on board.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on get_the_excerpt -->
Hanse 418 – 3cab – Dolce Vita
Hanse 418: Break the rules "Breaking rules and setting trends" is the motto of Hanse and the 418 most certainly lives up to this promise. With large hull windows offering great views over the water, a glass companionway with complementing glass skylights at either side, the light inside the 418 is breathtaking. The interior is also laid out to maximize the living space within.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on get_the_excerpt -->
Hanse 458 – 4cab – Bellatrix
Hanse 418: Break the rules "Breaking rules and setting trends" is the motto of Hanse and the 418 most certainly lives up to this promise. With large hull windows offering great views over the water, a glass companionway with complementing glass skylights at either side, the light inside the 418 is breathtaking. The interior is also laid out to maximize the living space within.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on get_the_excerpt -->
Hanse 388 – 3cab – Orca
SPORTY SAILING PLEASURE ACROSS THE BOARD. THE HANSE 388 An exceptional yacht that stands for sailing pleasure without compromise, the Hanse 388 provides pleasure in enjoyment, sun, water, and wide views. And in a comfortable life on board with lots of space, in carefree and dynamic sailing. On this innovative yacht, everything is possible. And it looks outrageously gorgeous.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on get_the_excerpt -->
Hanse 418 – 3cab – Mersina
Hanse 418: Break the rules "Breaking rules and setting trends" is the motto of Hanse and the 418 most certainly lives up to this promise. With large hull windows offering great views over the water, a glass companionway with complementing glass skylights at either side, the light inside the 418 is breathtaking. The interior is also laid out to maximize the living space within.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on get_the_excerpt -->
Hanse 458 – 4cab – Avra
Hanse 418: Break the rules "Breaking rules and setting trends" is the motto of Hanse and the 418 most certainly lives up to this promise. With large hull windows offering great views over the water, a glass companionway with complementing glass skylights at either side, the light inside the 418 is breathtaking. The interior is also laid out to maximize the living space within.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on get_the_excerpt -->
Hanse 508 – 6cab – Moby Dick
Hanse 508: Smarter, more elegant, and more comfortable than ever. The innovative new Hanse 508 is the perfect yacht for relaxed blue water sailing, with its progressive design and one of the most thrilling performance levels of its class. With a fascinating interior and an exceptionally diverse range of clever customization options. Hanse 508 lives up to the highest standards of flexibility, style, and quality of life. Let yourself be amazed by excellent luxury.<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on get_the_excerpt -->
Lagoon 42 – 4+2cab – Zoe
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Bali 4.1 – 4+2cab – Micha
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