Sights on Corfu

Corfu Town

Corfu Town is the only town on Corfu and also the island's capital. It is known for its historic, Venetian-influenced old town, which juts out into the Ionian Sea on a headland and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the old town was once only accessible to wealthy citizens, today anyone can stroll through the alleyways and visit the small shops, souvenir shops and cafés. Don't miss out on a visit to the small, oldest church in the city (Agios Ioannis) and the church of the island saint (Spyridon).

If you walk out of the old town, you will come to the Spianada, a green park where you can watch the Corfots playing cricket, a typical activity. Here are some picturesque gardens, such as the garden of the Palace of St Michael and St George, which houses the Municipal Art Gallery and the Museum of Asian Art. From here you have an amazing view of the headland on which the old Venetian fort is located.

If you continue along the promenade, you will eventually find yourself in the old harbour of Corfu Town, where the pirate ship "Black Rose" is moored. A trip to the island's capital is like travelling back in time, back to the Venetian, British and French prehistory of the island.

Achilleion

A popular excursion destination is located around seven kilometres south of the island's capital near Gastouri: the Achilleion. The Austrian Empress Elisabeth, better known as Sisi, had it built between 1890 and 1892. Although the empress named it after the Greek hero Achilles, the imposing building is still often referred to today as Sisi Castle, as she spent a lot of time here. The palace is worth seeing for its sculptures, which depict not only Achilles, but also Olympian gods such as Aphrodite, Hermes, Artemis and Apollo.

The circular temple also houses a statue of Empress Elisabeth, which Kaiser Wilhelm II replaced with a monument to Heine after her death. He also adored Corfu, Greece and its culture, but was never able to enjoy the beauty of the palace as war broke out. After being destroyed in the First and Second World Wars, the palace was extensively rebuilt and restored - and today it has been restored to its former splendour, surrounded by cypresses and other exotic plants and flowers.

Angelokastro

One of Corfu's landmarks is the old Byzantine-Venetian fortress, which towers over the island on a rock in the north-east. It was built in the 13th century and was never conquered due to its exceptional, difficult to conquer location. The route up to the "Castle of Angels" takes you along many winding, serpentine roads through the villages of Pagi, Prinylas and Makades to Krini. Once here, you have to walk a short distance along a stone path with some stone steps until you reach the ruins. The climb is rewarded with the sight of an impressive building and a magnificent view of the southern Adriatic Sea.

Kanoni peninsula, Pontikonissi and Vlacherna

An excursion that offers a surprising number of sights leads over a long footbridge from Corfu Town to the Kanoni Peninsula. The peninsula, which is actually called Analipsis, is named after a cannon that the British are said to have left here when fleeing from the French. It can still be seen today on the viewing terrace. However, the island has much more to offer, the most famous of which is Mouse Island (Greek: pontikonisi), which is the new landmark of Corfu Town.

On the island, which is almost completely overgrown with cypress trees, there is a small chapel from the 12th century, which can be reached by a small ferry. However, you should first visit the Vlachherna monastery, from where the ferry departs. A long jetty separates Corfu Town from the small lagoon in the Ionian Sea, at the end of which stands the former nunnery, whose impressive frescoes can still be seen. After the short tour to Mouse Island, you can return to the foot of the viewing terrace and take a look at the Orthodox convent of Agii Theodor. Excavations of the Temple of Artemis, which are very rare for Corfu.

Finally, the ruins of an early Christian church and Mon Repos Castle with its beautiful park await you. There is a museum here that exhibits many ancient artefacts from the island's history.The excursion to the Kanoni peninsula is a lovely walk that should not be missed when you are in Corfu Town!