Corfu Town Travel Guide: Travel and tourist information, things to do and see in Corfu Town

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Overview

Things to do

Suitability

Country Info (Greece)

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Corfu Town is situated halfway down the E coast of Corfu, facing Greek mainland (5 mls N of Perama, 2 mls N of the airport). It is positioned on promontory projecting into sea and divided into N and S halves. Gently sloping in parts.

A colourful mix of cultural influences and marvellous blend of architecture make Corfu Town a fascinating place to explore, with its spacious squares, French arcade, traditional Venetian mansions, Byzantine church, British-built 19th-century palace and numerous monuments. There is also the old fortress jutting into the sea to the E, cut off from the town by a moat. The town has an atmosphere reminiscent of an Italian town, as shopping streets alternate with narrow alleys and washing hangs from balconies. With a population of 45,000, almost trebled with visitors in the high season, the town bulges with the influx of tourists and traffic jams are frequent ; pedestrian areas provide a welcome escape.

Corfu Town is very much cosmopolitan, appealing to a wide market range, but fairly unsuitable for a beach holiday. Practically anyone holidaying on Corfu would find a day in town, shopping and sightseeing, highly rewarding.

Beachwise, Mon Repos Lido, just under 1½ mls along coast, is a small public man-made shingle beach for which there is a minimal entry charge.

Shopping here is generally sophisticated with chic boutiques. Stylish international imports alongside shops with local leather and crudely printed T-shirts. Popular buys include natural sponges, jewellery, lace and olive-wood articles. Out of town there are bone-china and leather warehouses on the road to Paleokastritsa.

Popular activities in Corfu Town consist of sightseeing, archaeological museum, two fortresses and numerous historic buildings for the culturally inclined. Horse-drawn carriages around town; sightseeing "train", leaving from Liston in the old town; glass-bottomed boat trips. By night there are bouzouki nightclubs, discos, bars and tavernas.

Eating out options are plentiful, from Greek tavernas through fast food to international cuisine. The pedestrianised street, Liston, houses a line of (pricey) pavement cafes and is a popular place to people-watch.

Getting around Corfu Town is very easy as it is the hub of the island system, with buses to all parts. There are two principal bus stations: one for blue buses (local routes) at Sanrocco Square and the other for green buses (island routes) near the waterfront on the W side of the new fortress. Timetables can be obtuse and repay careful study; there are also unmarked stops.

Local excursions consist of half day: scuba diving; folkloric trip to Danila village; flamboyant Achillion Palace; Greek night at village of Korakiana. Full day: boats to islands of Erikoussa, Mathraki and Othoni; hydrofoils and ferries to Paxos and Kefalonia; short classical/traditional boat trips to mainland; organised island tours including Paleokastritsa and picturesque Mouse Island; golfing at Ermones; water park inland at Aghios Ioannis.

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Population: 10.668.400
Languages: Greek 99% (official), English, French
Currency: euro
Currency code: EUR
Local Times:
Greece - Athens

Country Dialling Code: +30
Voltage: 220V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 Parallel circular prongs

2 parallel circular prongs with an earth connector

2 parallel circular prongs with a female earth connector

'Schuko' type with two earth connectors on the sides

Greece appeals to different types of tourist, and very few could fail to find somewhere to suit their taste. From bustling Athens to blindingly bright islands, ancient fragments abound - the belly button of the cosmos at Delphi, fallen columns galore on the sacred island of Delos, frescoed Minoan palaces on Crete and even, quite possibly, the remnants of Atlantis at Santorini. Greeks are fierce guardians of tradition, but that doesn't mean they don't know how to have fun. In addition, hot sun and limpid seas conspire to make Greece a perfect place to relax. Whether you're supping in a beachside taverna , sipping coffee in a shady plateia or disco-dancing till dawn.

Once upon a time, the Olympic Games started here along with democracy and the foundation of philosophy, science and mathematics. Nowadays the country attracts its tourists with simple pleasures: delicious food at reasonable prices, local wine, beautiful beaches, sunshine, quaint villages, a seemingly endless lacework of coastline and little islands full of scenic wonders.

The country exudes traditional charm, particularly on its ever-popular islands, which cling to their stereotypical architecture and way of life despite being often over-run by tourists. Black-clad women still deliver vegetables to island tavernas on panniered donkeys, while bronzed, lined fishermen sit in the sun, drink thick coffee, and play dominoes or dice. The tourist infrastructure has intruded in many respects, but the timeless aspect of whitewashed buildings clustered on hillsides around narrow pebbled alleys has been retained. The myriad islands in the Aegean Sea are easily accessible from Piraeus, the historic harbour of Greece's mainland capital, Athens, by ferry or hydrofoil, offering a unique chance for 'island-hopping'. Many of the larger islands also have airports with connections to Athens or seasonally with major European cities.

In the S of the mainland, the capital Athens suffers from being overcrowded and polluted but nevertheless intrigues and delights visitors and is dominated by its major landmark, the Parthenon. In contrast, Thessaloniki in the N is vibrant and modern with a Byzantine flavour. The remains of Greece's past and wonders are mainly found on the Peloponnese Peninsula, S of Corinth.

Corfu Town Travel Guide

Corfu Town Suitability Profile