Kerkyra, Corfu town or little Venezia

As countess Flamburiari put it “Corfu town is Venice and Naples a thought of France more than a dash of England, apart of course from being Greek”.

Kerkyra or Corfu town in English is a real labirinth of narrow streets also called kantounia (those who have seen Venice will notice this aspect), only that instead of water, the streets here are paved with marble or stone slabs.The town is a delight for any visitor who will find a multitude of traditional shops, tavern or cafés which create the feeling than you are more in Italy than in Greece. These picturesque sites will certainly remain deeply etched in the memory of the visitor, the famous Liston café being a case in point.

As far as tourist spots are concerned, in this town, which in 2007 was declared Kastropolis and included in the Unesco heritage list, we find one of the most important religious and historical monuments, the Church of St. Spiridon, who is also the patron saint of the city. Due to its special history Kerkyra or the Little Venice is a unique city, the most visible influence being that left by the Venetians and its nobility.

In 1732 Corfu saw the setting up of the Ionian Academy, the first Academy of the modern Greece. In the Venetian period a Spianada, a pedestrian area was built in Corfu, where only the noblemen whose names were written in the City’s Golden Book were allowed to stroll.

Other tourist objectives worth visiting are the two fortified cities, the old and the new one, the Mon Repos Palace, The Mayor’s Palace, the Former Nobile Teatro di San Giacomo di Corfu, the St. Michael and George Palace, dating back to the British period and former residence of the British governor and the island’s senate, Liston, the circular tomb of Menecrates, the Roman baths, the Palaiopolis’ ruins, the Vlaherna Church close to the Pontiaconisi Island and the airport boasting one of the shortest and narrowest runway in Europe.

Nine kilometers away, in the Gastouri village, tourists can visit the Palace of the Austrian empress Elizabeth also dubbed Sissy.

Also worth visiting are the Byzantine Museum, the Serbian Army Museum, the History Museum, the ruins of the bridge built by Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm ll and ironically razed to the ground by German warplanes in 1943, the Archaeology Museum if you are a history enthusiast, as well as many other objectives which may require several days to visit.

*Corfu' celebrities

Greek poet Homer made referernces to Corfu in his works. Aristotle settled in Corfu after he had fallen into disgrace in Athens.

Alexander the Great stopped here for while before the conflict he had had with his father, Philip ll of Macedonia.

The world’s famous lover Giaccomo Casanova served in the army in Corfu, in the ancient and mediaeval port of Kassiopi in the north of the island.
Lord Byron wrote poetry in Corfu.

Austrian general Johann Mathias von der Schulenburg, who successfully defeated the island against the Ottoman attack in 1716 became a Corfiot (like many other foreigners).

Antonio Vivaldi composed music here after 1716.

Greek national poet Dionisyos Solomos wrote the lyrics of the national anthem in Corfu.

Famous photographer of the 19th century Felice Beato was born on the island.

The Kapodistrias family who gave numerous political leaders, such as Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first governor of modern Greece, have their origins in Corfu.

Singer and film star, Angela Gerekou was born in Corfu.

Former Greek Prime Minister Georgios Theotokis was also born on the island.

Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark was born in Corfu.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was also born in Corfu.

Composer Nikolaos Mantzaros, who composed Greece’s national anthem was born on this island.

Empress Elizabeth of Austria, also known as Sissy, in 1890 built the Achillion Palace as a summer retreat.

German Kaiser Wilhelm ll bought the Achillion Palace in 1907.

Sakis Rouvas, singer, TV star, former athlete and model, who represented Greece at the Eurovision 2009 was also a native of Corfu and the list can go on and on…

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