More than 1,400 islands belong to Greece. Among them there are very tiny and even uninhabited ones, which have not been touched by a tourist, but today we are not talking about them. With the Director of Product and Operations, we will focus on the three whales of a Greek island getaway - Crete, Rhodes and Corfu.
You can endlessly talk about the islands of Greece, their number is huge, and the variety is amazing. Suffice it to say that there are over 1,400 islands in Greece. Among them there are very tiny and even uninhabited ones, which have not been touched by a tourist, but today we are not talking about them.
Crete is the largest, most southern and most beloved Greek island by tourists; people come here for a wonderful vacation, rich history and delicious food. Rhodes is considered the most beautiful and Corfu the most northern and greenest of the three tourist whales.
Choosing the most Greek
We also have the best deals on our guaranteed and exclusive hotels.
The main thing you need to know about the islands of Greece is that whichever of them your tourists choose for a trip, you can be sure that they will receive a warm welcome, warm sea, gentle sun and the best vacation in the world!
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The Greek island of Corfu (aka Kerkyra) is visible from the coast of Albania.
From a distance of one and a half kilometers, the island looks like a beautiful green hilly piece of paradise. And that is how he really is.
The Greeks have adored Corfu since antiquity, and it is not for nothing that it is given a large place in their myths. Let's start with the fact that the god Poseidon created him in the name of love for one of the nymphs.
Maybe that's why the island is so beautiful. Maybe that's why you fall in love with Corfu immediately and forever.
History with geography
The geographical location of Corfu, undoubtedly successful and convenient for shipping and trade, has largely determined the history of the island.
For example, in antiquity, the Peloponnesian war was unleashed between and Sparta for the possession of this tasty piece of land in the Ionian Sea.
In the Middle Ages, Corfu, like most of the Greek islands, was subordinated to the Sicilians, and then for four centuries - to the Byzantines. But unlike its many neighbors, Corfu managed to repel the attack of the Turks and did not become part of the Ottoman Empire.
But at the beginning of the 19th century, Napoleon's troops landed here, and then the island passed under the protectorate of England. Despite such historical twists and turns, Corfu became part of it already in 1864, almost 100 years earlier than, for example,.
The northernmost of all the Greek islands in the Ionian Sea, Corfu is like a sickle. It lies very close to the mainland, on which Greece and Albania are located. Kerkyra is considered the most picturesque and most fertile of the Ionian Islands.
Its area is just under 600 sq. km., coastline - 217 km. The capital is the city of Kerkyra (or Corfu). The geographic location of Corfu allows it to have resorts along almost the entire perimeter, which is a rarity for the Greek islands.
How to get there
By plane. where charter flights fly from Russia (mainly from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk) during the season (travel time - 3 hours). For those who do not accept a "package" vacation, they will have to fly to the island via Moscow and Athens.
On a ferryboat. Almost every hour from the port of Igoumenitsa from the mainland of Greece there is a comfortable ferry to Corfu (on the way - 1.5 hours). You can get to the island either independently or by car. The ticket price is 10 euros, for a car - 40 euros.
By bus. Of course, there is no bridge between Corfu and the mainland. But if you buy a bus tour, for example, in Athens or Thessaloniki, then the ferry crossing along with the bus will be included in the ticket price, and transport will bring you directly to the center of the capital - the city of Kerkyra - to the bus station. The cost of the ticket in this case depends on the point of departure.
Climate
The northernmost of the Greek islands, Corfu is ideal for those who love the sea but cannot stand the heat. The climate here is Mediterranean, mild subtropical.
Low air humidity in summer hides the heat and makes it almost invisible. In addition, since the beginning of June, trade winds have blown to Corfu, which bring coolness here. The lush greenery of the island provides additional freshness to the air: in this regard, Corfu compares favorably with its counterparts.
Swimming on the island begins in May, and ends as early as early November. True, at the end of September it starts to rain, and the stay in Corfu is no longer so comfortable.
Average temperature by months during the season:
- April: air during the day +18, air at night +9, water +16;
- May: air during the day +23, air at night +13, water +17;
- June: air during the day +27, air at night +16, water +21;
- July: air during the day +30, air at night +18, water +24;
- August: air during the day +30, air at night +18, water +25;
- September: air during the day +27, air at night +16, water +25;
- October: air during the day +23, air at night +13, water +21;
- November: air during the day +18, air at night +10, water +19.
Areas of Corfu
The atypicality of Corfu also lies in the large number of resort towns and villages, which are located almost along the entire perimeter of the island, while usually on the Greek islands, resorts are concentrated on one of the coasts.
Here, the west coast is famous for its beauty and beaches, and the east coast is famous for its warm sea and vibrant nightlife. Numerous tourist centers of the island are usually grouped by region.
Central and eastern part of the island
In the center of Corfu, on its eastern coast, there is the capital - the city of Kerkyra. An airport and a large seaport are located near the main city on the island, so the resorts near the capital are considered the most prestigious.
And the entire east coast is more popular because of the warmer and more calm sea.
The resorts of Dassia, Gouvia, Kontokali, Pyrgi and Ipsos are located a few kilometers from the capital, close to each other on the plain. They are united by excellent infrastructure - both transport and entertainment.
Kerkyra and Gouvia are known throughout the island for their rich nightlife. In 12 km from the capital there is a town, the rest in which is considered elite, - Kommeno. There are luxury hotels here, including the most expensive on the island - Grecotel Corfu Imperial 5 *. Read more about the charms and attractions of the central and eastern regions of Corfu in the special section of our magazine.
North and northeast
The northeastern regions of the island seem to be specially created for a quiet and relaxing family holiday, surrounded by dizzying landscapes. The largest city in the region is Nissaki (24 km from the capital).
The main attraction is Mount Pantokrator. The remoteness from Kerkyra makes staying in the resorts of the northeast more measured, and in the northern part of the island there are places that are completely secluded.
However, in the center of the villages of Roda, Sidari, Acharavi, Kassiopi life is in full swing, there are many shops and taverns, in Arakhvi there is even a water park at one of the hotels. It is the north of Corfu that is famous for its beauty and legendary greenery, as well as the famous Strait of Lovers.
Southern resorts
South of Kerkyra there is a group of resort villages - Kanoni, Perama, Benitses, where family people prefer to rest because of the shallow water and relative proximity to the airport.
At the same time, it is quiet here at night, and during the day, children and their parents are delighted with excellent sandy beaches. Even further south - and you find yourself at the fairly democratic youth resorts of Moraitika and Messonghi.
On the beaches of the southern coast, tourists often find a wide variety of water activities - from paragliding to banana rides. Hotels in this part of the island are both expensive and very affordable.
The southernmost point of Corfu, Kavos, is a long sandy beach, shallow, ideal for children, the sea and only a few hotels and taverns.
West Coast
The west coast of Corfu is known far beyond its borders.
The best beaches of the island - Ermones and Glyfada - are located here, slightly away from the busy tourist villages of the same name, but at the same time they are never empty.
The beauty of these long pebbly and sandy beaches is complemented by sheer cliffs with waterfalls and picturesque coves.
The capital of Corfu is only 15 km away and many holidaymakers on the west coast can afford evening and night walks in Kerkyra.
Paleokastritsa resort is considered the pearl of the western coast. The coast in this part of the island has made the small village a place of pilgrimage for divers and scuba diving connoisseurs, who flood the resort every year, despite the cool and not always calm sea.
In addition, Paleokastritsa is insanely beautiful landscapes and several main ones. What exactly this and other resorts of the west coast of Corfu are famous for, you can find out from a special section.
In Greece, it is customary to call the island of Corfu - Kerkyra, this is the name of the capital of the island. This is one of the most beautiful islands in Greece.
The name of the island is associated with the mythical nymph Kerkyra, the daughter of Asop and Metopa, whom Poseidon, the god of the Sea, fell in love with, stole her and settled on this island.
Corfu history
From ancient times to the present day, the history of Corfu has always been turbulent and exciting. Traces of Neolithic settlements in Corfu were found in modern Sidari, traces of the Paleolithic era were found near the present village of St. Matthew.
The rapid development of Corfu has contributed to its superb location between Greece and the West. This has always attracted conquerors here - Romans, Venetians, French, English.
Corfu has always been an important strategic region in the Adriatic Sea.
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One of the most famous naval battles in history, which took place near Kerkyra, is the naval battle at Actium, where Octavian Augustus destroyed the fleet of Antony and Cleopatra.
Unlike Greece, which was under the Ottoman yoke for 400 years, Corfu was never captured by the Turks, despite the fact that there were several long sieges.
Modern Corfu
Corfu has a developed infrastructure: an international airport, a network of modern highways, a seaport, excellent hotels, comfortable beaches.
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Different historical eras have left their indelible mark on the cultural life of Corfu: historical monuments, museums, picturesque temples, art galleries.
Corfu has a great theatrical and musical heritage, the first theater and the first opera of modern Greece (18-19 centuries) were opened here.
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The picturesque nature of Corfu, with its azure sea, olive and orange groves, a mild Mediterranean climate, delicious village food and a rich nightlife, attracts tourists from all over the world.
How to get to Corfu:
◊ By plane
There are daily flights of about 50 minutes from Eleftherios Venizelos Airport in Athens and Macedonia Airport in Thessaloniki to Ioannis Kapodistrias Corfu Airport (Ιωάννης Καποδίστριας CFU). Corfu Airport is located 3 km south of Corfu town, you can get to the town by taxi or by bus number 5, 6.
Airport services include parking for 120 cars and 60 buses, car rental companies, three travel companies, a bank, an ATM machine, a taxi, a café / bar, a duty free shop, and a health center.
◊ Bus + Ferry
By car or bus you need to get to Igoumenitsa (the distance from Athens to Igoumenitsa is 500 km) or to the city of Patras (the port where ferries leave for the Ionian Islands and Italy), from there ferries of the "open" or "closed" type will take you to Corfu ...
Daily intercity buses from Athens, depart from KTEL Kifisou 100 (Κηφισού 100), the ticket costs 60 euros, it includes a ferry ticket, the journey takes 9 hours.
From the city of Thessaloniki to Corfu, the bus departs from KTEL "Macedonia", the ticket costs 49.5 euros, travel time is 6 hours.
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What to see in Corfu:
old defensive fortress of Kerkyra (Paleo Frurio)
Achilleion palace
Cathedral of St. Spyridon
Temple of the Virgin
Cathedral of San Jacomo
Kerkyra love channel
ruins of the temple of Artemis
Paleokastritsa
ruins of the Byzantine castle Angelokastro (Krini)
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Corfu Phones
Corfu Airport Phone: +30 26610 30180
Corfu Port Phone: +30 26610 45551
KTEL Corfu phone: +30 2661028928
Corfu radio taxi phone: +302661028928
Corfu Tourist Police phone: +30 266 610 30265
If you are planning an independent trip from Russia to the island of Corfu and are developing a route, the information below may be useful to you.
To Corfu by plane
You can get from Russia to the island of Corfu:
- Direct flight.
Some airlines fly direct to Kerkyra during the summer tourist season. You can look at the airline tickets of Ellin Air - departure from major cities of Russia Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Rostov-on-Don - 5 hours of flight and you are in Corfu.
- With transfers.
Better chances of finding cheap tickets to Corfu with connections in Athens or Thessaloniki. In these large cities, it is easy to make connections - flights from Athens and Thessaloniki fly to Corfu several times a day, so you don't have to stop in the transit city itself, but after waiting at the airport for a couple of hours, fly to the final point of the route.
How to get to Corfu from Athens
- by plane - departures several times a day with Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air - be careful and prudent - buy tickets in advance a month in advance, if possible - the cost of the flight in this case may be twice cheaper than if you buy a ticket on the day of departure ( from my own experience). If you are flying with your family, the savings can be substantial.
- By bus from Athens - travel time is about 8 hours. The trip includes a ferry crossing to Igoumenitsa.
- By car - the journey time depends on the driving skills, on average about 6 hours.
If you are traveling with children, the best way to get around is by plane - fast and not tiring. A bus is also possible if the children are older - for them it will even be a kind of adventure by land and by water. Traveling by car is advisable only if you have come to Greece by your own vehicle.
How to get to Kerkyra from other islands
It may turn out that being on another island in Greece, you will need to be in Corfu. From Rhodes, Crete, Symi and other islands, you can fly or take a ferry to Kerkyra.
Since many interesting islands are connected with this large island in one way or another, you can arrange a great trip, for example, in the Ionian Islands. Corfu, Kefalonia, Lefkada, Zakynthos are nearby, but so different. Take the ferry and visit them all.
Moreover, from Corfu you can even get to Italy and Albania - also by ferry. Accordingly, while on vacation in Italy, you can also profitably visit Greece and even return back if necessary - tickets in Europe will come out cheaper than visiting these countries the next time flying from Russia on purpose.
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Finally Grekoblog got to the Ionian Islands, and we will start, of course, with the most famous of them - Corfu. I was prompted to get to Kerkyra at the end of April by my Greek friends, who promised that the celebration of Easter on the island is something and is famous throughout Greece for its traditional flavor. Whether this is so or the Greeks exaggerated a little, I will find out in the coming days, for now there is only one question - first, you need to get to Corfu somehow.
Corfu is very close to Athens: if you look at the map, the distance is impressive. However, being a very lively resort, and also taking into account the fact that many Kerkirians prefer to work in the capital, several routes have been laid from Athens to Corfu, as they say, for every taste and budget.
Of course, the easiest and fastest way is by plane. And if you are planning your trip ahead of time, then the plan to get to the island by plane is undoubtedly the best choice. Both Greek airlines Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air fly to Corfu several times a day. The pricing policy of airlines, as often happens, is unpredictable, and therefore only two pieces of advice can be given on their part: to book as much in advance as possible (the best option is a month or more before the trip) and to use a website that can combine offers from both carriers - for example ,. If you are aiming at a cheap air ticket - by the standards of the route - it is up to 100 euros - then be prepared for the fact that the departure time will be extremely inconvenient.
Planning in advance let me down, and therefore I considered the issue of air travel very casually. However, perhaps it’s not a matter of planning at all, because Easter attracts a lot of tourists to Kerkyra from all over Greece, and carriers who know about this can be very prepared for the issue of pricing for this period.
One way or another, if we discard the airplane, then getting from the capital to Corfu is also great by the symbiosis of a bus with a ferry. There are two main options in this bundle. The first is to make a dash to Patras and cross to the island by ship, while passing the night on the high seas. The second is simply to buy a ticket from Athens straight to the destination of the trip.
The bus to Corfu from Athens departs several times a day and stays on the way for about 8 hours. For more information on the schedule and approximate cost of tickets, see the post.
Here it only makes sense to add that when buying a bus ticket, you get a ferry ticket automatically - sea transportation is already included in the price. Transportation by sea in this case looks like this: in Igoumenitsa, the bus stops at the ferry, passengers transfer to the ship, and the bus also calls in there. After arriving on the island, everyone safely gets on the bus again, and he goes to the local bus station. At the same time, large bags can not be removed from the luggage compartment; it is also almost impossible to get lost during the castling process.
A trip through Patras is more difficult to plan, but less tiring in the implementation process. The bus to Patras goes along a good road, and getting on the ship there you will get rid of the tedious journey on the bus. What is unpleasant is the docking - you will have to carry out it, taking all the risks on yourself.
The ferry from Patras departs at around 12 o'clock at night, and is on the way for about 6 hours, and therefore, if you take a cabin, then there is every chance to sleep. However, many do not take a cabin: trying to save money, they buy a ticket for an aviation-type seat, or even without a seat at all. You can find out more about the cost and see the ferry schedule on the route on this website. If you have never bought ferry tickets in Greece, then it may come in handy.
Personally, subjectively, I don't really like the last option, and the point is this. The direct flight Athens-Corfu also goes almost through Patras: before reaching the city, it leaves for Central Greece over the bridge in Rio. The bus covers this section of the route in 3 hours. Taking into account that the whole way to Igoumenitsa from the capital is about 6 hours, then, making the movement through, all you win is three additional hours by ferry instead of the same three hours by bus. But this is a matter of taste: Patras is a very pretty city, and there, other things being equal, it makes sense to spend a few hours.
