About the area

Welcome to Corfu town Greece

The main town of Corfu is one of the most interesting cities in Greece due to the heavy influence of the Venetians who for centuries controlled the island. Like the other Ionian islands Corfu was never occupied by the Turks, which gives it a character very different from the rest of Greece. But Corfu town has seen other influences as well including the British, the Normans, the French, and the Greeks and Romans whose ancient buildings are still in evidence in several archaeology sites and the excellent archaeological museum.
The population of the town of Corfu is about 30.000 and is quite cosmopolitan compared to the other Greek islands. It is an interesting mixture of old tavern’s, new cafes, discos, clubs and shops of all types plus an amazing old city that sits in a protected area between the two fortresses. The Theatre of San Giacomo

Constructed entirely of stone in the style of the Italian Renaissance had it's foundations first laid in1663 and is just one example of then many historical buildings that make walking the streets of this city a pleasure. The town really resembles an Italian city though their are other influences such as the Liston, the building which borders the main esplanade or Spianada, built by the French, which houses some of the finest cafes and restaurants in Corfu. On the esplanade itself the men compete in weekend cricket matches, the only place in Greece where the sport is played.

If you can't have baseball then watching a visiting British team in a cricket match, drinking the local ginger beer or a gin and tonic is the next best thing. The French were the ones who turned the Spianada into a public square. Before the nineteenth century it was a large empty lot that was used for defensive purposes.

The French planted trees and created one of the most attractive town squares in all of Greece. Bordering the south side of the Spaniada is the Ionian Academy the first University in Greece, founded by Ioanis Capodistrias in 1808. The academy had a library and a botanical garden and classes were taught in Italian. It was almost completely destroyed by German bombs in 1943.

On the south side of the Spianada is the Palace of Saint Michael and George built by the British in 1824 and used as the official residence of the high commissioner, the seat of the Ionian Senate and the headquarters of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, created for the purpose of awarding medals to residents of Malta and the Ionian islands who had performed important service for the Great Britain. There are several interesting museums in town and two major fortresses as well as numerous small squares and fountains. The town itself was built so that it could be defended. The buildings in the old city remain intact and wandering through the narrow streets is like a lesson in history and architecture. Even though some buildings were destroyed in the German bombings of the second world war, the town of Corfu contains a large number of buildings which have survived the centuries and is on the list of Europe's most historic cities.

KASSIOPI Corfu (Kerkyra)

Kassiopi is a village located in the Northeast region of Kerkyra (Corfu). Kassiopi's history is quite long and it dates back to Before Christ. There are two views concerning the inhabitants of Kassiopi. The first one is that the first inhabitants were from a village with the same name from across the mainland, who came to Kassiopi during the years 227-160 B.C. They came across because living conditions were made difficult by barbaric invasion. The other view is that the King of Epirus, with the intention of creating a strategic shelter decided to increase the population of Corfu and so he conquered in 281 B.C. with an organised transfer of inhabitants who were set up in Kassiopi.

Since then Kassiopi started to bloom and became an important hide-away and significant port. This is proved by the fact that it has been visited by many famous personalities, such us Neronas - the King of Rome who set up the baths of Kassiopi.Many authors, with admiration refer to the history of Kassiopi in the work. The fact that Kassiopi had its own workshop that made its own currency is more evidence of power.The first inhabitants of Kassiopi worshiped the Ancient Greek God- Cassio Dia and built a church in his honour, which was the most adorable church of its time.

The church, which is in Kassiopi today, is built upon the ruins of that church.Kassiopi was destroyed by the Venetians during the Roman Empire and completely deserted by the Turkish during the invasion of 1537. In 1604 priests from Epirus established themselves in Kassiopi so as to once again turn Kassiopi into a powerful state.

So Kassiopi has completed over 2200 years of existence and is one of the few cities of antiquity, which is inhabited and built upon in the same area. Today Kassiopi is tourist resorts with panoramic landscapes, clear, blue beaches and of course its significant history!
It’s easy to reach every Kassiopi beach, all of which are clean and safe. You will find EU blue flags here and at nearby Kalamionas beach. Children in Kassiopi will enjoy the flat main beach which is safely away from traffic. Other beaches and secluded coves with fewer facilities are found around the beautiful headland. Most beaches are pebbly but there are plenty of them and they can be charmingly small and secluded, but it’s easy to walk to other longer beaches and bays like Avlaki, Imerolia and Kalamionas. There are water sports like waterskiing and paragliding, as well as a diving centre, tennis courts and swimming pools.