Corfu Island, Greece

Corfu has earned its name as the emerald island because of its natural beauty, a combination of green fields and olive groves descending into the crystal clear blue waters of the Ionian Sea. A mountainous island with spectacular scenery and a unique traditional inheritance, Corfu offers the visitor a wide range of holiday options.

Getting to and around Corfu

Corfu has regular daily flight connections with Athens and the flight time is approximately 50 minutes. Additionally there are hundreds of charter flights from many European cities directly to Corfu airport. A bus trip from Athens to Igoumenitsa opposite Corfu on the Greek mainland plus a short ferry trip from Igoumenitsa to Corfu port is another way of reaching this island. This journey will take approximately 8-9 hours.

There are also regular ferry connections with the other Ionian islands of Lefkas, Ithaca, Kefalonia and Patras on the Peloponnese peninsula. Modern large ferries also connect Corfu with Italy and Croatia. The local bus transport on the island is very well established but if you wish to explore the island’s many attractions a car is recommended.

Highlights of Corfu

Corfu attracts thousands of tourists each year. Its 200 km coastline offers the visitor a range of sandy or pebbly beaches and picturesque coves. Most of the beaches are now developed into main resort areas but one can still find secluded bays in many parts of the island.

This island is steeped in history and findings prove that it was inhabited as early as the Palaeolithic Age. Corfu has had a succession of foreign rulers from antiquity until 1894 when it was united with mainland Greece. Romans, Venetians, French and British became the rulers of Corfu over the centuries. The legacy left behind makes Corfu an island where the visitor can experience European history in one single location.

Corfu town being the main port of the island with its Venetian influence is one of the most elegant towns in Greece. Traditional Greek villages, Byzantine churches, Venetian fortresses, museums and lively resorts make this island one of the most popular destinations in Europe.