| Corfu Κέρκυρα | ||
 | ||
| State | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Ionian Islands | |
| Inhabitants | 39.487 (2001) | |
| Prefix tel | 30 26610 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 491 xx | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Corfu or Kerkyra (in Greek Κέρκυρα) is the regional capital of the Ionian Islands, as well as the prefecture of Corfu. The city with its suburbs and its immediate surroundings constitutes one of the main tourist destinations of Greece together with Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos is Crete.
To know
The city of Corfu is located on a promontory on the east coast of Corfu, in front of theEpirus. It overlooks the Gulf of Garitsa to the east, bordered to the north by the island where the old Fort stands.
The city founded by the Corinthians stood a few kilometers further south, on the peninsula that borders the lagoon of Halikiopoulo and had two ports, one on the open sea and the other on the lagoon.
The name of the city in the Byzantine era was "Korifò" which means the top where Corfu comes from in Italian.
How to orient yourself
Corfu (city): full screen map.- The old Town (Paleà Poli in Greek) - A maze of alleys overlooked by old houses with an Italian flavor. It is bordered to the west by the "Spianata", the very large square remodeled by the French at the beginning of the nineteenth century on the ancient Venetian Piazza d'Armi and to the east by the ancient fortress of San Marco, today known as Forte Nuovo (Nèo Froùrio). The neighborhood is not as valued as one would expect.
- Kanoni - The tourist suburb of Corfu, 4 km south of the center with numerous hotels. There is the islet of Pontikonissi.
The new fort
Panorama of Corfu with the Venetian fort
How to get
How to get around
What see
Old Town
Detail of the Listòn palace on the Esplanade, built by the engineer Lesseps
Corfu - The old palace (Palaia Anaktora)
Corfu, old town: The street "Aghios Spyridona" and in the background the bell tower of the church of the same name
- Esplanade (Esplanade, Σπιανάδα). A huge square corresponding to the Piazza d'Armi from the Venetian era. After the fall of the Serenissima in 1797, the French, during their brief dominion over the Ionian Islands, remodeled it by creating palaces with arcades and vast gardens. Today the square is the backdrop for parades and important public events
- Listòn Palace. The most famous of the buildings overlooking the Esplanade. It is an arcaded building built between 1807 and 1814 by Fernando Lesseps, father of the engineer who opened the Suez Canal. The building is built on the model of the buildings overlooking the famous Rue de Rivoli a Paris. Today its arcades welcome numerous bars and restaurants.
- Old Palace (Palea Anaktora). Closes the northern side of the Esplanade. The palace with an Ionic peristyle was the seat of the British governor of the Ionian Islands. After the reunification of the Ionian Islands to the kingdom of Greece, it became the summer residence of the sovereigns until 1913.
- Asian Art Museum. The museum is inside the Old Palace and houses collections donated by individuals with pieces from China, India and Japan.
- Palace of the former prefecture (Παλιά Νομαρχία). Neoclassical style building that was once used as the seat of the prefecture. The building is built on the site of the birthplace of John of Koper who was elected first president of the council of independent Greece.
- Church of Aghios Spiridona. 16th century church in the heart of the old town with a tall bell tower. There are preserved the relics of Santo Spiridone, patron saint of the city, which are carried in procession 4 times a year.
- New Fort (Neo Frourio, Νέο Φρούριο). It is the ancient fortress of San Marco built by the Venetians in 1576 and enlarged in the 19th century by the English and French. The two entrance portals are interesting.
- Old Fort (Paleò Frourio, Παλαιό Φρούριο). The fortress on the hill overlooking the square called Spianata. A bridge connects it to the mainland. It was built in the Byzantine era and enlarged at the time of the rule of the Serenissima.
Museums
- Archaeological Museum. It collects archaeological finds from various locations in Corfu. Its most famous piece is the Gorgon that adorned the 6th century BC temple of Artemis. Other famous pieces are the Lion of Menecrat and the head of the comic poet Menander from the 1st century BC. The museum is located in the Garitsa district.
- Museum of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine art. There are icons on display that cover a period ranging from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century as well as fragments of mosaics from an earlier period. The museum is housed in the church of Panaghia Antivouniotissa.
Out of the center
Pontikonisi
- Mon Repos. A royal estate with a neoclassical villa of small proportions, built in 1826 by the English governor Frederick Adam for his summer holidays. After the union of Corfu with the kingdom of Greece, the estate was part of the assets of the crown. On 10 June 1921 he was born there Philip of Edinburgh, prince consort of the queen Elizabeth II. The estate is partly located in the archaeological area of Paleopoli, or where the ancient city of Corfu stood, founded by the Corinthians in the 7th century BC. The Gorgon that can be admired in the archaeological museum came from the temple of Artemis of which traces of its foundations are visible next to the villa. Not far away are the ruins of the Doric temple known as Kardakio dedicated to Poseidon or perhaps to Aesculapius, discovered by chance in 1822 by the English during the works for the water supply of the villa.
- Pontikonissi. The most photographed corner of Corfu it is this tiny island and in fact its name in Greek means "mouse island". It can be reached from the center by taking the seafront, Viale della Repubblica (Leoforos Dimocratias) until you reach the end of the peninsula that borders the lagoon of Halikiopoulo (Χαλικιόπουλου) where there is the bridge that connects Canoni with Perama. The islet houses the chapel dedicated to the Pantocrator (the Almighty).
Events and parties
What to do
- Casino. Those who love gambling should know that the Corfu Casino is located at the "Corfu Holiday Palace" hotel in Kanoni. It has 15 tables and nothing that can bring it closer to the splendor of casinos in Montecarlo.
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
Where stay
If you go to Corfu on vacation and not for business, we recommend staying in Kanoni or, better still, in one of the many seaside resorts along the coast road to Kassiopi instead of in the center of Corfu.
Average prices
- Dalia Hotel, Ethn square. Stadiou n ° 9, ☎ 30 26610 32341, 30 26610 36048, 30 26610 80844, fax: 30 26610 36048. Cat C hotel open all year round. 17 rooms.
- Beautiful Venice, Via N.Zambeli nº 4, ☎ 30 26610 46500, 30 26610 44290, fax: 30 26610 20708, @[email protected]. Three star hotel with 30 rooms.
- Ariti Hotel, Kanoni via Nafsikas 40, ☎ 30 26610 33885, fax: 30 26610 33889. Category A hotel 500m from the sea with swimming pool. 167 rooms, most with air conditioning. Open from April to October.
- [link not working]Constantinoupolis (K. Zavitsianou, in the area of the old port), ☎ 30 26610 48716, fax: 30 26610 80716. Traditional category C hotel with 31 rooms. Open all the year.
- Acropole Hotel, K. Zavitsianou nº 3, ☎ 30 26610 39569, fax: 30 26610 23937. Cat D hotel with 15 rooms.
- Ionion Hotel, Via Xen. Stratigou nº 46, ☎ 30 26610 39915, 30 26610 30628. Category C hotel with 84 rooms.
- Hermes Hotel, Gerasimou Markora 14, ☎ 30 26610 39321, fax: 30 26610 31747. Hotel category C with 33 rooms. Open all the year.
- [link not working]Bretagne Hotel, Georgaki nº 27 (Halfway between the airport and the center), ☎ 30 26610 30724, 30 26610 35690, 30 26610 31129, fax: 30 26610 28027. Cat C hotel with 43 rooms operating all year round.
- Atlantis Hotel, Xen. Stratigou nº 48 (It is about 700 meters from the center), ☎ 30 26610 35560, fax: 30 26610 46480. Hotel of category C with 61 rooms partly with air conditioning. Open all the year.
- Phoenix Hotel, Chrisostomou Smirnis nº 2, ☎ 30 26610 42590, 30 26610 42290, fax: 30 26610 42990. Category C hotel open all year round.
High prices
- Corfu Palace Hotel, Democracy Avenue (In the bay of Garitsa), ☎ 30 26610 39485, fax: 30 26610 31749. Open all the year.
- Corfu Holiday Palace, Via Nausica nº2 (Località Canoni, 4km south of the center), ☎ 30 26610 36540, fax: 30 26610 36551. Luxury hotel open all year round. It has 14 Suites, 37 Bungalows, 26 single rooms and 179 double rooms. It has tennis and golf courts, two swimming pools (one outdoors and one closed) Casino and beauty salon. It is located on the beach.
- Siorra Vittoria, Via Stefano Padova n. 36, ☎ 30 26610 36300, fax: 30 26610 40777, @[email protected]. "Boutique hotel" with 6 rooms and 3 suites.
- Corfu Palace sofas, via Nausica (Location Canoni), ☎ 30 26610 38996, fax: 30 26610 35929. Category A hotel with swimming pool. 141 double rooms 21 single.
Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
Seaside resorts along the north coast road to Kassiopi between the center and Ipsos:
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Corfu (city)
Commons contains images or other files on Corfu (city)
