Whether you call it by its Latin name, Corfu, or refer to it by its ancient Greek name, Kerkyra, this island is known worldwide as the second largest in the Ionian Sea and, paradoxically, the most Italian of all Greek islands. The reason? For over 400 years, Corfu was under Venetian occupation, leaving a strong mark on this enchanting place, particularly evident in its architectural style. Before the Venetians, it was influenced by the Sicilians and the Genovese. Indeed, as you stroll through the buildings of Corfu Town, it’s hard not to feel like you’re in Italy, especially when you sit down to enjoy traditional Corfiot dishes like burdeto and sofrito! In addition to Italian influences, Corfu's history includes periods of Turkish, French, and British domination, each enriching the island and transforming it into a cosmopolitan and fascinating destination.
CORFU: WELCOME TO THE CAPITAL BEARING ITS NAME!
After traversing the tunnel-filled road from Thessaloniki that cuts through the mountains, you arrive at the port of Igoumenitsa, where one of the many ferries will gently take you to the island. The resemblance to Italy will strike you at first glance: from a distance, you find yourself waving to an island calling you to adventure among cheerful, colorful houses amidst lush vegetation. The discovery of Corfu is equally enchanting: every corner beckons you to explore it with its unique charm. You follow your instincts and explore as long as your feet can carry you, late into the night. If you engage with the locals, who are very hospitable and friendly, they’ll proudly recommend the best places to eat like them—not like tourists crowding the tavernas with menus printed in three languages.
This way, you’ll enjoy the delights of Kerkyra, getting to know the island not just through your eyes but also through the perspectives of those who actually live there. The fish is superb, the freshness of the seafood is like poetry on the market stalls, and the cafes are perfect for starting your day leisurely, with a treat bought from one of the many bakeries along the way. Pigeons will daringly hop around your feet, greedily pecking at every crumb that falls. Here on the island, you’ll quickly learn the expression “siga-siga,” meaning slowly-slowly. Here, life flows gently, in a different time zone: island time.
CORFU AND MOUSE ISLAND: A SMALL BUT VIBRANT ISLAND
Your heart won’t let you stop there, though. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself in the car, exploring the island further. Just five minutes from Kerkyra, as you drive toward Kanoni along a winding road, you’ll come across a tiny island known to locals as Pontikonissi—Mouse Island. It’s connected to Corfu by a narrow causeway that you’ll need to cross, sometimes dodging thrill-seeking motorcyclists. However, once you sip your coffee on Mouse Island, you’ll realize the stroll was worth it: from there, you can admire Corfu Island from above. According to mythology, this little island was born from the wrath of Poseidon, who was angered by the famous Odysseus and, to punish him, turned his ship to stone. Besides the rocky landscape, the island boasts stunning vegetation and offers a marvelous view of Kerkyra, along with a chance to watch planes landing and taking off, as Corfu Airport is just a stone's throw away.
VILLAGES & BEACHES
You’ll continue even further, venturing into the heart of the island, from the city to the charming villages you find along the way. When morning finds you in Barbati, gazing out at the sea from a garden of lemon and olive trees, with a playful “gataki” (kitten) circling your feet, you can’t help but think about how lucky the locals are who host you: you get to enjoy this view on vacation—they actually live where you’re visiting. You’ll gently touch the still unripe lemons on the trees, noticing how the branches droop under the weight of the fruit. The trees are laden, a sign that the gods have been generous this year. The Corfiots will also be generous with you, presenting the best of their offerings at the table. You’ll pluck an orange with your own hand, stash it in your bag as a souvenir, and without realizing it, carry it with you for the rest of your trip. You’ll discover it only when you get home, and it will make you smile.
You continue exploring, marveling at every step. Somewhere near Sidari, you’ll find a spectacular natural formation that draws thousands of lovers each year. Many legends are woven around it, but the most common one says that those who declare their love at the Canal d’Amour will stay together forever. As if by fate, on the next beach, love greets you in the form of a heart-shaped rock. Nothing is coincidental, you tell yourself, and you take it with you. It’s just the first sign that soon you’ll arrive in Paradise.
And Paradise, you’ll see, has fine sand, clear green water, and majestic cliffs where the mountain embraces the sea. More pragmatically, Greek sailors will transport you, for a modest fee, from the port at Paleokastritsa to Paradise, either by boat or, if you’re impatient, on a speedboat. Cheerful and sun-kissed, they will share legends about Poseidon at the caves carved into the cliffs, beautifully woven stories designed to give your trip a touch of legend. For the sake of the narrative, you’ll listen, smiling at the corner of your mouth, knowing that until the cold season arrives and the time of olives comes, these tales will be told again and again. Corfu, you’ll learn, is also the island where the hero Odysseus met Nausicaa—or so the story goes. If you follow in the hero’s footsteps, however, you’ll find only incredibly clear water teeming with fish. In the absence of other mythical heroes, you’ll decide that the fish are the heroes of the day—especially at dinner! But fate will surprise you with unexpected delights.
You set off from Glyfada, where there isn’t much to do, toward the lively Kerkyra, when, after a few winding roads, you arrive in a charming little village full of laughter that makes you want to stop. You ask the first person you encounter, a woman in her fifties, what the name of this place is and where you can get something good to eat. In very good English, she directs you to Jimmy's Taverna (established in 1970)—you’ll find a bohemian spot with a modern Greek menu and a young team trying to do things differently. You’ll realize upon leaving that you stumbled upon this place by chance, but you’ve made friends at the table, sharing laughs and stories.
CORFU: FOOD AND FLAVOR
Above all, the food will be delightfully simple, with fresh fish and superb seafood—when in season, of course—along with salads made from vegetables grown by local farmers in their gardens. If you explore the villages, you might come across locals pressing olives, turning them into the freshest oil you’ll take home, alongside all the other edible souvenirs from the island: elixirs, liqueurs, vinegars, spices, and that orange from Barbati, secretly hidden in your bag, traveling clandestinely until you arrive home. You’ll find it hard to part with the island and its rhythm, which somehow seems outside of time, with its turquoise paradises, its generosity, and its delights, thanking it as you’ve been taught, with a heartfelt “efharisto”—thank you. And promising that one day you will meet again.
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