Corfu, in Greece's Ionian islands, is known for its elegant capital, Corfu Town, and its green interior of olive groves and cypresses. Busy with everyone from package holidaymakers to jetsetters throughout summer, it becomes the domain of locals and North European retirees during the winter chill.
The charming Italian-style capital and port, Corfu Town, lies on the east coast, also home to the tourist resorts of Dassia, Ipsos and Benitses. The island's prettiest beaches are Paleokastritsa, a series of small sand-and-pebble coves backed by green hills and a monastery on the west coast, and Sidari famed for its Canal d'Amour (Channel of Love) on the north coast. The brash party resort of Kavos lies on Corfu's southern tip.
Scale Corfu's highest peak, Mt Pantokrator (914m), capped by a monastery and a café affording panoramic views, then, coming down, call at Palia Perithia, a charming village of 16th-century stone cottages. Visit the Achilleion, a late-19th-century villa set in spectacular gardens, or play a round of golf at Corfu Golf Club in the Ropa Valley.
Take a daytrip by boat to the nearby Diapondia islets off the northwest coast, or to Paxos island, off the south coast. Join an organized one-day excursion to Albania, departing by boat from Corfu Town, to see Butrint National Park (a UNESCO world heritage site with Greek and Roman remains) and Saranda, a popular Albanian seaside resort.
Try hiking the length of the island, following the 222 km Corfu Trail, or enjoy mountain biking up Mt Pantokrator, Corfu's highest peak. Charter a yacht for a day of sailing, or explore the depths of the sea on a scuba diving trip. For a bird's eye view over the island, try paragliding off Mt Pantokrator (914m).
Corfiot specialities include bourdheto (fish cooked in tomato, onion and paprika) and pasticada (rooster stewed in tomato, onion, cinnamon and cloves). The island's top restaurants are Etrusco in Kato Korakiana, highlighting the Italian influence on Corfiot cuisine and the Venetian Well in Corfu Town, serving Greek and Middle Eastern dishes.
Nightlife centers on Corfu Town. Take a sedate evening promenade and enjoy a drink at an old-fashioned café on the arcaded Liston, or join young revelers on "bar street" near the New Port. For serious drinking and hard-core partying, try the brash party resort of Kavos on the island's southern tip.
Roam the delightful cobbled streets of Corfu Town to pick up souvenirs including olive oil, bowls and chopping boards made of olive tree wood, olive oil-based soaps, local kumquat liquor and honey.
Corfu
