Featuring Corfu: 6 Best Things to Do

I can’t remember how many times I’ve featured Greece or its islands here and on my other travel blogs. I could actually be more of a Grecophile than a Japanophile as I have always thought I was. 😀

As I was growing up, the displays at home – mostly miniature statues of Greek gods/goddesses and those, have fascinated me. I always asked my father for stories of his visits to the islands, to which he obliged. It was my dad, after all, who brought me books relating to Greek mythology. He sent me photos of the Parthenon and parts of Athens during his visits. It was he who brought home those displays.

Although there’s anxiety about Greece’s economic conflict, reports of protests and those, don’t let it stop you. It’s not the whole of Greece after all. Strikes and demonstrations are on certain areas and you can always avoid being hassled by going to the other islands that comprise the beauty of the peninsula.

Featuring Corfu

The best islands or the more famous ones in Greece would certainly be Santorini and Mykonos. But Corfu is a nice place for holidays too, especially for the writer in me!

Which would the best travel guide be for Corfu than Lawrence Durell’s Prospero’s Cell? The novelist spent years in the enchanted island and one can actually stay at the White house, a fisherman’s cottage in Kalami, where he wrote the famous write up.

Also, one can relive the stories that Lawrence’s younger brother, Gerald, wrote in his book My Family and Other Animals, and  Birds, Beasts, and Relatives and The Garden of the Gods. 

Here are some more places you can visit, things you can put on your checklist when exploring Corfu, aside from its literary importance.

Beach hopping

Some of the more prominent beaches to enjoy in Corfu are Canal D’Amour, Paleokastritsa, Kalamionas Beach, Arillas and Sidari. Blue and white – the colors of the Grecian flag is reminiscent of all these pristine shores. If you’re looking for a more secluded and less-crowded coast, try Kassiopi. There maybe really isn’t much to do except to drink in the beauty and blueness of the scenery.

Canal D’Amour

Literally Channel of Love. It’s a beautiful, clear blue water path that is said to bring couples to the marriage altar if they swim together through it. I’m not one to believe folklore and I don’t know any couples who ended up married doing this though. The canal can be found in Sidari.

Paleokastritsa

Said to be the to be the place where Odysseus disembarked and met Nausicaa for the first time. ^_^

Kalamionas Beach

If you want to go snorkeling, this beach is the best to go to.

Arillas

A sheltered beach, perfect for a quite vacation – furthest north of the west coast Corfu.

 

Horse trekking (Gouvia)

Go adventurous and see the mountainous side on a horse back! It’s an experience of getting closer to nature atop those mighty, spirited creatures. There are horses for beginners and for the experienced ones. You can see the side of Corfu on a different point of view (literally). Horses are also great therapeutic animals, so it’s double the relaxing factor.

Museum hopping

Visiting the local museum would be best to do to understand a city and its culture – any city. The Archaeological Museum of Corfu would be best recommended. Try the Museum of Asian Art also for a crossover experience.

Enjoy fun parks

Choose from the Pyramid Adventure Park, Aqualand or the Sidari Water Park Fun Park for some fun with the kids. There’s golf, giant water slides and a lot more fun activity for adults and kids.

 

Picnics and Foodtrips

Some of the food you should try while in Corfu are Tzatziki, Tiropitta, Mousaka. Also on the list are Stifado, Kelftiko, Prawn Saganaki, Oxtapothi and the local pittas. I will not describe each, but be assured that they are worth your adventurous palate! Never miss out on Baclava, Chalva and Galactoboureko afterwards… Also, gulp everything down with Metaxa Brandy if you find wine a little monotonous.

Explore The Old Town

As in many other places, the old town of Corfu is a charming, relaxing area to explore. Historically speaking, the Byzantines, Venetians, French, and the British all ruled over Corfu at some point. Their appearance  gave this beautiful island in the Ionian Sea a unique history that can be felt and seen everywhere in the Old Town, thereby declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Corfu is truly one enchanted island as are many in Greece. Again, don’t let the economic turmoil discourage you. There are so many reasons why it is the best time to visit Greece all in all. The scenery, the experience, the history – they’re all different for each of us but for me, it’s walking around aimlessly and breathing in the beauty and culture, and capturing each chunk with my good ol’ camera.