What are the key facts of Corfu Island?
The total land surface area of Corfu island is 588 sq. km. The coastline stretches for about 217 km and has some of the most beautiful beaches of Greece, with sandy shores and clean water. Corfu also has some rocky coastlines, particularly on the northern side.
What is the modern day name of Corfu?
Corfu, Modern Greek Kérkyra, ancient (Latin) Corcyra, island in the Ionian Sea (Modern Greek: Ióvio Pélagos), with adjacent small islands making up the dímos (municipality) and pereferiakí enótita (regional unit) of Kérkyra (also called Corfu), Ionian Islands (Iónia Nisiá) periféreia (region), western Greece.
How long is the coastline of Corfu Greece?
The coastline stretches for about 217 km and has some of the most beautiful beaches of Greece, with sandy shores and clean water. Corfu also has some rocky coastlines, particularly on the northern side.
Where are the satellite islands of Corfu?
Map of Corfu. Its satellite islands of Ereikoussa, Othoni and Mathraki counterclockwise NW, WNW and W respectively (with respect to the northern part of the island at the top of the map) and Paxos and Antipaxos on the SE side, are visible.
See more
How many miles long is Corfu?
39 milesThe island of Corfu is located off the West coast of Greece. Its relative size is 597km² (230sq miles) approximately 63km (39 miles) Long and 28km (17 miles at widest point) Wide. Corfu's highest mountain, Mount Pantokratoras is 906m high.
How long does it take to drive the length of Corfu?
2-4 daysHow long does it take to drive around Corfu? The total length of Corfu island is 64km/39 miles, making it super easy to see the Islands highlights in a small amount of time. For a more relaxed Corfu Road Trip, take 2-4 days to drink in everything Charming Corfu has to offer.
What is the perimeter of Corfu?
Corfu's coastline spans 217 kilometres (135 mi) including capes; its highest point is Mount Pantokrator (911 metres (2,989 ft)); and the second Stravoskiadi, at 849 m (2,785 ft).
How wide is Corfu?
The length of the island, in a straight line, from north to south is not more than 61 km(40 miles) and the greatest width is 27 km (17 miles). The beautiful and beaches-rich coastline has a total length of 217 km(135 miles).
Do you need a car on Corfu?
The best way to get around Corfu is by bus or on foot. Renting a car is also an option if you're itching to explore the island and want more flexiblility. If you just plan on lounging by the beach your whole vacation or are staying central to Corfu Town, your own two feet should suffice.
How much money do you need in Corfu?
How much money will you need for your trip to Corfu? You should plan to spend around €90 ($94) per day on your vacation in Corfu, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, €25 ($26) on meals for one day and €44 ($46) on local transportation.
Is there a bridge to Corfu?
Corfu Kaiser Bridge Named Kaiser's bridge after its owner, the bridge made reaching the beach easier, which otherwise required traveling through the main connecting road on the island.
Is Corfu boring?
The Old Town of Corfu might be a UNESCO World Heritage site but don't let that fool you into thinking it is quiet and boring. Corfu's town is brimming with life and activity, from its cobbled streets all the way down to the sparkling ocean.
Is it difficult to drive in Corfu?
It's fairly easy, provided that you drive carefully. Roads are generally winding and narrow, so extra caution is needed, especially when driving up the hills. Since summer season has not peaked yet, traffic will be light. Be sure to buy a reliable map of Corfu.
Is Corfu a large island?
Corfu (593 km2)[SEE MAP] Of the seven Ionian Islands, Corfu is the second largest. Not only is it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece, but it's also one of the most historically significant.
Are there sharks in Corfu?
There are only a few large predatory species and even they are very few and far between. The last confirmed fatal shark attack was all the way back in 1969. The waters around Corfu are also a vibrant shade of blue and crystal clear, calm and with very few currents; perfect for diving.
Why is Corfu famous?
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.
Is it difficult to drive in Corfu?
It's fairly easy, provided that you drive carefully. Roads are generally winding and narrow, so extra caution is needed, especially when driving up the hills. Since summer season has not peaked yet, traffic will be light. Be sure to buy a reliable map of Corfu.
What are roads like in Corfu?
Generally the roads there are single track and usually twisty so speeds are quite slow. It would take a real loss of attention or bad driving to go off the road. I would say give it a go and you will get the best out of your Corfu visit !
How many days do you need in Corfu?
Two days on the island of Corfu is just enough time to get a taste of what makes the island special: culture, history, a dramatic landscape, stunning beaches and Corfiot cuisine. Here is Culture Trip's recommended itinerary to get the most out of the Greek island.
What side of the road does Corfu?
right-handDrive on the right-hand side of the road You are recommended to be informed about the Greek driving laws and signs existing on Corfu. Furthermore, you can find Corfu on map in order to find routes leading to famous attractions, areas and beaches of Corfu.
Where is Corfu in Greece?
Corfu is one of the most popular of the Ionian Islands, the island chain off the west coast of mainland Greece in the Ionian Sea. It is the norther...
Does Corfu island have an airport?
Yes, Corfu has an airport with seasonal international flights and domestic flights from Athens throughout the year. The airport is found 2.5km outs...
How do you get to Corfu by ferry?
There are daily ferries to Corfu from the port of Igoumenitsa, in north-western Greece, about 485km (5hrs30mins) from Athens and 325km (3hrs45mins)...
What are the top sites in Corfu?
The entire Old Town of Corfu is a UNESCO World Heritage Centre, filled with monuments (Venetian, British, French) and museums, such as the Archaeol...
Where is the island of Corfu?
The southeast side of the island lies off the coast of Thesprotia, Greece. Its shape resembles a sickle ( drepanē, δρεπάνι ), to which it was compared by the ancients: the concave side, with the city and harbour of Corfu in the centre, lies toward the Albanian coast.
What is the name of the Greek island in Corfu?
Corfu ( / kɔːrˈf ( j) uː /, US also / ˈkɔːrf ( j) uː /) or Kerkyra ( Greek: Κέρκυρα, romanized : Kérkyra, pronounced [ˈcercira] ( listen)) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece.
What was the name of the French colony that occupied Corfu?
By the 1797 Treaty of Campo Formio, Corfu was ceded to the French, who occupied it for two years as the département of Corcyre, until they were expelled by a joint Russian -Ottoman squadron under Admiral Ushakov. For a short time it became the capital of a self-governing federation of the Heptanesos ("Seven Islands"), under Ottoman suzerainty; in 1807 after the Treaty of Tilsit its faction-ridden government was again replaced by a French administration under governor François-Xavier Donzelot, and in 1809 it was besieged in vain by a British Royal Navy fleet, which had captured all the other Ionian islands.
What is the island of Corfu called?
Corfu's nickname is the island of the Phaeacians . The name Corfù, an Italian version of the Byzantine Κορυφώ (Koryphō), meaning "city of the peaks", derives from the Byzantine Greek Κορυφαί (Koryphai) (crests or peaks), denoting the two peaks of Palaio Frourio.
What are the mammals that live in Corfu?
Around 40 species of mammals live on the island and in the sea around it. Fin whales, sperm whales, Cuvier's beaked whales, common bottlenose dolphins, short-beaked common dolphins, striped dolphins and Risso's dolphins are the regularly present cet aceans. Monk seals appear from time to time without breeding here any more. Eurasian otters still survive in the lagoons and streams of Corfu. The golden jackal was very common till the 1960s but after persecution it became extinct, with the last individuals observed in the first half of the 1990s. Wild boar were exterminated after 2000 after farmers complained about crop damage. Red foxes, beech martens, least weasels, European hares, northern white-breasted hedgehogs are quite easy to see as some of the smaller mammals as well as the bats. Coypus, fallow deer, Indian crested porcupines, Siberian chipmunks have been observed recently but they are escapees and only the coypu has viable population.
What are the plants that Homer describes in Corfu?
Homer identifies six plants that adorn the garden of Alcinous: wild olive, pear, pomegranate, apple, fig and grape vine. Of these the apple and the pear are very inferior in Corfu; the others thrive, together with all the fruit trees known in southern Europe, with addition of the kumquat, loquat and prickly pear and, in some spots, the banana. Olive trees dominate and their combination with cypress trees compose the typical Corfiot landscape. When undisturbed by cultivation, the high maquis is the major natural vegetation type followed by deciduous oak forests and to a lesser extent, pine forests. In total more than 1800 plant species have been recorded.
Where are the Diapontia Islands?
The Diapontia Islands (Greek: Διαπόντια νησιά) are located in the northwest of Corfu, (6 km away) and about 40 km from the Italian coast. The main islands are Othonoi, Ereikoussa and Mathraki .
Why is Corfu considered a popular destination in Greece?
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.
What is Corfu known for?
The island of Corfu is known for its spectacular beaches and the Venetian aura of its Old Town. It has a unique cuisine that is a product of its many cultural influences, particularly Italian.
What is the food that is served in Corfu?
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.
What is the Easter celebration in Corfu?
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 thrown into the streets from people’s balconies. Just make sure you keep looking up!
When is the best time to visit Corfu?
Most travellers prefer to visit Corfu in the summer but spring months, such as April and May, and early and late summer and autumn months (June and September-October) are also popular when it is not as hot, prices are lower and there are fewer tourists.
Is Corfu a Mouse Island?
Two trademark views on Corfu are actually other islands – the diminutive Pontikon isi, 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.
Is Corfu an open air museum?
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.
What is the size of Corfu?
Corfu Geography. Corfu is the second largest island in the Ionian Sea, after Kefalonia. The total land surface area of Corfu island is 588 sq. km. The coastline stretches for about 217 km and has some of the most beautiful beaches of Greece, with sandy shores and clean water.
What are the rocks and caves of Corfu known for?
The rocks and the caves of Paleokastritsa, strongly connected with the local history and mythology, are known for their abrupt landscape. The topography of Corfu is divided distinctly into three aspects from north to south by Pantokrator range and Saint Decca (Agioi Deka) range.
Which river in Greece has the most rainfall?
These rivers usually dry up in the summer season but they fill in during the winter, as Corfu is the place in Greece with most rainfalls. The soil of Corfu has rich limestone deposits.
What is the name of the island in Corfu?
According to legend, the island was Scheria, home of the Phaeacians in Homeric epic.
What is the name of the ancient town of Corfu?
Venetian fort in Corfu, Greece. The name Corfu is an Italian corruption of the Greek koryphai (“crests”) and is often a more familiar moniker to visitors than the Modern Greek name.
What are the most popular products of Corfu?
Exports include olive oil, fruit, grain, and wine; Corfu’s manufactures include soap and textiles. Britannica Quiz.
Where to visit in Corfu?
The top places to visit in Corfu are Achillion Palace, the former retreat of princess Sissi of Austria, Mon Repos palace, where Phillip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II was born, the iconic Panagia Vlacherna and Pontikonisi island. They will make you fall even deeper in love with Corfu!
Where is the most famous spot in Corfu?
Kanoni and Mouse island. Kanoni is the most famous spot of Corfu Town. From the hill of Kanoni visitors get a wonderful view of Mouse island and the small church of Panagia Vlacherna. Old fortress. The old fortress of the Town is located only few steps from Spianada Square.
What is Corfu Town famous for?
Strongly influenced by the Venetians, the French and the English, Corfu Town is a brilliant base for exploration. Get lost in the narrow cobblestone alleys, the so-called “kandounia”, visit museums, such as the Museum of Asian Art, walk down the famous Liston promenade, stroll around the huge Spianada square….
What is the most romantic island in Greece?
Corfu Greece is one of the most beautiful and romantic islands of the Ionian island group. From lush green hills to noble mansions and from idyllic Corfu beaches, to interesting museums, this island has everything it takes to please any type of traveler.#N#Strongly influenced by the Venetians, the French and the English, Corfu Town is a brilliant base for exploration. Get lost in the narrow cobblestone alleys, the so-called “kandounia”, visit museums, such as the Museum of Asian Art, walk down the famous Liston promenade, stroll around the huge Spianada square… The whole Corfu town squeezes out a nostalgic charm! You’ll see the glorious past of Corfu on imposing palaces, noble mansions, beautiful museums, and charming squares. Moving away from Corfu Town, you’ll discover picturesque seaside villages, tiny verdant islets, luxurious Corfu resorts, and wild natural landscapes. It’s amazing how the different sides of this idyllic island coexist in harmony!#N#If you manage to peel yourself away from the enchanting Corfu Town, move to the coasts of Corfu, where beautiful Corfu beaches are nestled! The beaches in Dassia, Paleokastritsa, Glyfada, Kontokali, and Kavos are must-visits. Nestled in sandy coves, surrounded by green forests and mountains, they are some of the best beaches in Greece!
Where is Agios Gordis Beach?
Agios Gordis beach. Located on the western side of this Ionian island, Agios Gordis is a large sandy beach with amazing waters. It is lined up with many beach accommodations and taverns. Canal d' Amour.
What is the history of Corfu?
General information about Corfu. Corfu is something you can't understand immediately, but you have to discover it slowly, day after day, as “Feaci” did in ancient times. Thousand years ago they landed in Corfu with their legendary boats and little by little they started to discover its colours, its perfumes, its sounds and sensations.
What is the name of the sea between Corfu and Epyrus?
Between Corfù and the near coasts of Epyrus and Albany the sea is known as “Kerkyraiki Sea” and in the Northern part it is called Aghios Stefanos “stretto” (just 2 Km). From a geologic point of view Corfu is similar to the near mainland coast.
How long does a cat's prophylaxis last in Corfu?
The certificate should be valid more than 12 months, more than 6 months for cats and it has to be made at least 6 days before arrival. Health: in Corfu town you can find St. Irini hospital where you can ask for help.
What is the phone number of Greece?
The telephone code to call in Greece is 0030. Money: being as well member of the European Community, the currency in Greece is Euro. The most famous credit cards can be used in Corfu to pay accommodation, restaurants, rentals... and the traveler cheques can be changed in every bank or exchange office.
Where to leave a boat in Corfu?
For those who own a boat there are many places where to leave it around the island like Gouvia Marina, North to Corfu town, which is a well organised harbour for small and big boats.
What is the wind direction in Corfu?
Very often there’s a fresh wind called maestros in all Corfu. This wind starts normally in the afternoon and follows a North-South direction.
When is the best time to visit Corfu?
When to come. May: The Summer season starts with hot days and fresh evenings. The island of Corfu is still empty with few tourists and it’s the perfect period to find lonely and relaxing beaches. The sea is mostly flat as there aren't strong winds and Kerkyra has a gorgeous nature full of flowers.
What is the food in Corfu?
This is reflected in the food, so you'll find a wide variety of cuisine for every taste bud. Seafood is a staple, but some of the famous Corfu dishes are “Bourdeto”, which is usually served with scorpion fish cooked in a spicy tomato sauce and potatoes.
How big is Santorini?
To give you perspective, Santorini is about 29 (76 square kilometers) miles total. Crete, a much bigger island is 5,179 (8,336 square kilometers) and Corfu is 225 miles (585.3 km²). So it's a sizeable island, but with a car, it's easy to see the entire island in about a week.
Is Corfu a part of Greece?
Corfu was occupied by the Venetians, unlike mainland Greece, which was occupied by the Ottoman Empire. Corfu is also the one part of Greece never conquered by the Turks.
The beaches
Let’s cut to the chase – most travelers come to Corfu for the beaches, right? Right. Thankfully, there’s such a sheer overload of them here that you could fill weeks and weeks of vacation time and still not visit the same one twice.
The hiking
Corfu’s beaches might steal the limelight but they’re really just one chapter in the book of Mother Nature that describes this island. the vast majority of the inland part of Corfu is dominated by green hills, forest-filled valleys, and soaring peaks. In fact, there are two distinct ranges on the island, one in the north and the other in the south.
Things to do
You know, Corfu holidays aren’t all about lazing around on the sands topping up the tan. Nope, there’s way more to do here than just that, with something on the menu for culture buffs, romantic types, history lovers, and more.
The food
Corfu pulls in the fresh Mediterranean flavors of Greece and combines them with some of the rusticity and heartiness of the Slavic cooking that you get on the Balkan Peninsula. On top of that, there’s a big influence from Italy across the Adriatic, bolstered by the availability of seafood thanks to some of the most able fishing fleets in Ionia.
The history
Corfu has been inhabited since way back when. The ancients called the island Kerkyra and it actually played a pivotal part in the start of the Peloponnesian War (the hardest-fought conflict in ancient Greece) and even in mythical tales such as the quest of the Argonauts and the Homeric epics. Today, you can see some traces of those old days.
The uber-charming towns
Corfu is riddled with enchanting towns and villages. Yes, there are some that have been overwhelmed by the coming of mass tourism. But the sunbeds and the hotels haven’t reached to all four corners of the island. That’s especially true if you delve inland.
The nightlife
Corfu positively pumps with nightlife. Not all quarters of the island, though. Mainly, the after-dark action is anchored on the 18-30s resort of Kavos. It’s located at the very southern tip of Corfu, fronted by a sparkling sand beach that has front-on views of the Greek mainland in the distance. But people don’t come to laze and recuperate.
Overview
Geography
The northeastern edge of Corfu lies off the coast of Sarandë, Albania, separated by straits varying in width from 3 to 23 km (2 to 14 miles). The southeast side of the island lies off the coast of Thesprotia, Greece. Its shape resembles a sickle (drepanē, δρεπάνι), to which it was compared by the ancients: the concave side, with the city and harbour of Corfu in the centre, lies toward the Albanian coast…
Name
The Greek name, Kerkyra or Korkyra, is related to two powerful water deities: Poseidon, god of the sea, and Asopos, an important Greek mainland river. According to myth, Poseidon fell in love with the beautiful nymph Korkyra, daughter of Asopos and river nymph Metope, and abducted her. Poseidon brought Korkyra to the hitherto unnamed island and, in marital bliss, offered her name to the place: Korkyra, which gradually evolved to Kerkyra (Doric). They had a child they called Phaia…
Biodiversity
Homer identifies six plants that adorn the garden of Alcinous: wild olive, pear, pomegranate, apple, fig and grape vine. Of these the apple and the pear are very inferior in Corfu; the others thrive, together with all the fruit trees known in southern Europe, with addition of the kumquat, loquat and prickly pear and, in some spots, the banana. Olive trees dominate and their combination with cypress trees compose the typical Corfiot landscape. When undisturbed by cultivation, the high
History
Architecture
Urban landscape
Archaeology