Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Our Summer Vacation in Corfu


 
 
Well, it's been a while since we returned from our family vacation in Corfu, and we still haven't sorted all the photos or videos. The following travelogue, which I promise will be short in wording, is a snippet of what impressed us the most and our recommendation of what you shouldn't miss if you visit Corfu.
 
We travelled by our car and if you want a complete experience of the island, we recommend you come by car, or if that is impossible or not doable, the vehicle renting business is extremely well developed in Corfu so you can rent a car, a scooter (bikes, motorbikes, etc.) at fair prices.
 
We were accommodated at a little town called Acharavi (it's  upper central on the map below), which proved to have the most amazing beaches on the island(along with the coast of Paleokastritsa). Ours was a couple of alleys away from the house.
 
The red arrow shows what part of the island we travelled / visited.
 

 
Corfu
 
Corfu, an island off Greece’s northwest coast in the Ionian Sea, is defined by rugged mountains and a resort-studded shoreline. Its cultural heritage reflects years spent under Venetian, French and British rule before it was united with Greece in 1864. Corfu Town, flanked by 2 imposing Venetian fortresses, features winding medieval lanes, a French-style arcade and the grand Palace of St. Michael and St. George.
 
The city magnificently shows its history of rule in its architecture and you'll be seduced by its warm Mediterranean charm.

 

 


Things to see: The Old & New Fortress, the Palace of St. Michael and St. George, the promenade - Liston, St.Spyridon Church, the Spianada, the shopping district which is a real gem and you can get lost there for hours on end.
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Kassiopi
 
 
 
A small village and a famous resort in the northeast of the island. Worth visiting for its amazing turquoise beaches, small family run restaurants with amazing food, lots of unique artisan shops and adorable bars and cafes with bewitching views.
 
 



 
 
Sidari
 
Located in the north part of the island it is most famous for the coastal sandstone cliffs that have eroded over the aeons by wind and water into otherworldly shapes - more particularly by Canal d'Amour that has its own legend that says if swimming the length of the channel here, lovelorn women would gain the object of their affections.
 
The whole coast is strewn with amazing beaches, caves dented into the cliffs and as all across the island - wonderful restaurants, bars and cafes.
 
 

 
 
 
Paleokastritsa
It is a village with a famous bay that attracts tourists in swarms. The bay was said to be the place where Odysseus disembarked and met Nausicaa for the first time.
 
We rented a speed boat to explore the coast along Paleokastritsa which couldn't be otherwise accessed. It was a unique experience and we highly recommend it. Along the coast you can find the clearest, bluest, transparent water you have ever seen. The beaches are mostly sandy, with the tiniest sand that sifts through your hands like the finest powder.  We were mesmerized.
 




 
 

 
If you want to see more of these places, although not overflowing with photos, check out my instagram.
 
There will be two more posts related to Corfu, but I promise they wouldn't be boring!

Last year we visited Zakynthos, if you want to read some more.

12 comments:

Atelier Marie-Lucienne said...

Sigh... So many wonderful pictures... They do make me wanna leave dreary and wet Germany and go for a very long holiday (with plenty of yarn)...

Divya N said...

Corfu sounds (and looks) fantastic. Just the other day I was teaching about the ancient costumes of Crete and other Islands of Greece. It is fascinating to see the current pictures and the evolution that has happened.

Maya Kuzman said...

Glad you enoyed the pictures Marjan!

Maya Kuzman said...

Well, you got me confused here Divya. Evolution?

Mia said...

Maya, I am so happy that you visited my country, Greece! Corfu is a beautiful island and I am glad that you had a nice time. Kisses, my friend.

Anonymous said...

Last year we visited Crete, but Corfu looks so special on your pictures! Especially the 2 last pictures are my favourites.
You must have had a wonderful time!

Maya Kuzman said...

Thank you so much Mia! We had an incredible time!

Maya Kuzman said...

Indeed we had Sigrid! Crete has been on our bucket list for a while, so God's willing, if everything is ok, we plan to visit it next summer.

the cape on the corner said...

amazing photos!
b

Maya Kuzman said...

Thank you!

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

What a great vacation!

A Crafty Mix said...

I'm sooooooo jealous Maya. I've always wanted to go to Corfu. It's a dream vacation for me and your photos just make me want to go even more. OMW it looks like paradise