Corfu

Today is Wednesday 22, May 2013. Have a nice day!

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10 Must - see & things to do in Corfu Town

Welcome to Corfu island and Corfu town information page of Bella Vista hotel at Benitses beach.

Here you will find useful information about Corfu island and Corfu town. Corfu town sightseeing, things to do, Corfu town hotels and restaurants and useful tips about the town life. Corfu offers a good choice of the traditional Corfiot cuisine with tastes that tend to remind one of Old Venetian times.

Corfu offers things to do, cultural activities, parades and an environment full of culture, charm, friendliness and cozy atmosphere. Corfu town's historic center has a lot of architectural interest. The Corfu historic center is full of cozy narrow roads, historically important buildings, small squares as well as Espiannade square, museums, churches and plenty of things to see, visit, taste and explore. There is an opportunity to go shopping in the character-full streets of the Corfu Town town, just by Saint Spyridon church or in the new part of the town. A visit to Saint Spyridon Patron of the island church, shopping in the bric-a-brack shops in old Corfu Town center and a coffee on the famous Liston.

As a result of narrow roads Corfu town car parking can be frustrating, especially under the Greek sun! Corfu parking restrictions and noise have driven visitors to find accommodation in villages near Corfu town historic center which they use as base to discover the island. Benitses is located just 12kms south of Corfu town with regular public transport to the town center. Benitses hotels and restaurants offer a variety of quality accommodation and traditional Corfu food. 

More information about Benitses.

Anthea, Corfu

A Brief History of Corfu

Corfu Island is 593 square kilometers (229 square miles) in area, with a population of 110,000 people of whom 45,000 live in Corfu town.

Corfu, the emerald island is part of Ionian islands the seven islands that extend in parallel line along the coast of mainland Greece. Shades of blue and green are the colours of Corfu. The endless olive tree landscape astonishes visitors.

Corfu history is rich and dates back to Homer. Corfu stands between East and West and has always been the bridge between the two different worlds of Western and the Eastern culture. In the middle ages Corfu was occupied by the Venetians, French and the English. The 1864 reunification with Greece is celebrated on 21 May each year with parades and bands marching around Corfu island, a date to not be missed in Corfu. Today, Corfu offers a variety of amenities. Its natural beauty, the green landscapes, the endless beaches, the history, folklore and culture are the main attractions for visitors who enjoy Corfu during the holidays.

Corfu Town Information

The City Hall is located at the Michael Theotoki Sq. It is a 17th century building, one of the most characteristic examples of Venetian architecture. Its construction began in 1663 and finished 1693. The unknown architect chose local stone from Sinies and gave a splendid renaissance style to the building.

The visitor who wanders around the city of Corfu, the suburbs, the communities and the greater area of the Municipality of Corfu, will have the chance to discover the 'dowry' that nature and man gave to Corfu.

The 'Old City' recalls past ages; the European influences are visible everywhere and harmoniously coexist, giving to the city a special colour. There are no mosques and minarets in Corfu. No stamp of Asiatic / Turkish occupation can be found on the island. Here Europe meets Greece and the nature ungrudgingly spreads hundreds the shades of green and blue, the Corfiot Civilization developed with significant particularities that make it stand apart.

Maybe, in the high summer, the narrow streets of the city, named cantunia, are crowded, but for the visitor there is always a quiet place in the narrow alleys or under the shaded squares to enjoy a chilled ginger beer.

The Corfiot housewives hang their laundry over the streets and underneath, lost in the labyrinth of the alleys, the visitor discovers the workshops of silversmiths and woodcarvers.

Some parts of the city and the greater area of the Municipality of Corfu are modern, but everywhere Venetian, French and British traces can be found to remind us that the Turks never conquered Corfu.

Palaces, fortresses, museums, libraries, galleries, churches, interesting public buildings and private mansions, public, private and archaeological sites, sites of natural and special interest, traditional houses, verdant olive groves, picturesque ports and clear blue waters make an unexpected puzzle on the area of the Municipality of Corfu, that leaves even the most demanding visitor speechless.

After the tour the visitor can taste the local cuisine in one of the many picturesque taverns of the city; he can buy, if he wants, a characteristic souvenir of the island, the shops stay open until late at night during the summer months. The tour may end with a visit to the famous bars and discotheques of Corfu, for an all-night party.

Liston, between Kapodistriou and Eleftherias Streets (early 19th c.)     
Liston description: Residential building complex on the Espiannade, which was begun under the French empire and forms the main testimony to the French presence on Corfu. The rhythmical repetition of features on the main facade, especially the elegant arcade, reflects the monumental concept of urban design of the Napoleonic period in straight, identical layouts like that of the Rue des Rivoli. The ground floor was from the beginning given over to recreation rooms. The design and to some extent the supervision of the construction were by the Corfu military engineer Ioannis Parmesan.

Corfu town museums
 

• Archaeological museum, Tel +30 26610 30680 8.30-3.00 
• Museum of Asiatic Art, (Palace of St Michael and St George) Tel. +30 26610 30443 8.30-3.30
• Antivouniotissa Museum, Corfu town 8.30-2.30 2 euro
• Solomos Museum Corfu town + 30 26610 30674 8.30-3.00
• Numismatic Museum, +30 26610 41552 8.30-3.00
• Ceramic Art (British Barracks, New Fortress) Tel +30 26610 27370 8.30-3.00
• Mon Repo Palace Museum at Kanoni (Prince Michael's Birth Place) 8.30-7.30

Corfu Town attractions

Old Fortress, Old Corfu Town
New Fortress, Old Corfu Port

Corfu Town churches and monasteries
 

• St Spyridon church (Patron Saint of Corfu) - Contact tel. +30 26610 39779/ 33059
• Corfu Cathedral (St Theodora remains)
• Platytera monastery (Kapodistrias resting place)
• Duomo - the catholic church at Old Corfu town

Benitses churches
 

• Saint Nicolas Benitses - a church dated back in 1680
• St Marina Church (17 July celebration day)
• Saint Paraskevi monastery
• St Elias at Pantokrator - Aggii Deka village

Corfu famous Monasteries 
 

• Paleokastritsa Monastery
• Mount Pantokrator Monastery

Corfu Town Restaurants

Traditional Corfu soft drink is Ginger beer (British empire influence), koum - kouat liqueur in various flavours, and mantolato.
 

• Pitharchio: Greek cuisine served meze style
• Bekios: Corfu traditional Grill room
• Five Sisters: Traditional Corfu Grill-room food
• Sfina: Fish specialties and Corfu Traditional food
• Mouragia: Corfu and Greek Traditional food
• La Famiglia: Corfu and Italian cuisine
• La Cuccina: Corfu and Italian cuisine
• El Ninio: Spanish and Mexican cuisine

Corfu Town Ferry

Ferries and Excursions

Rental cars in Corfu

Cars in Corfu