Corfu

Corfu, known in Greek as Kerkyra, is a 592.9 km² island in the Ionian Sea marking Greece’s northwestern frontier, with its principal city—also named Corfu—home to 32,095 residents and the Ionian University, situated opposite Sarandë, Albania, and within sight of Italy’s Adriatic shores.

Corfu’s earliest identity is entwined with myth. Ancient sources relate that Poseidon, god of the sea, carried away the nymph Korkyra, daughter of the river god Asopos, to an unnamed isle, which thereafter bore her name, Korkyra, later Doricized to Kerkyra. Their son Phaiax lent his name to the island’s inhabitants, the Phaiakes, immortalized in Homer’s Odyssey as the hospitable Phaeacians who aided Odysseus upon his return from Troy.

Archaeological vestiges of this distant era endure in Palaiopolis, where temple ruins evoke the island’s status as a naval power alongside Athens and Corinth in the fifth century BCE. It was from here that Korkyra’s fleet sallied to the Battle of Sybota, events that precipitated the Peloponnesian War. These Hellenic foundations, layered in limestone formations, lie at the heart of a land that stretches 64 km from north to south and reaches 32 km at its widest.

Corfu’s topography divides into three regions: a mountainous north dominated by Mount Pantokrator, which rises to 906 m; a gently rolling center; and a low-lying southern plain. A second range culminates at 849 m in the mountain known variously as Santi Jeca or the Ten Saints, a name derived from a misrendering of the Greek Hagioi Deka. Beaches of varied character line the shores—from the pebbly crescents of Agios Gordios and Palaiokastritsa to the sandy expanse of St George South. Inland, the Korission Lagoon provides sanctuary to migratory birds, while offshore islets such as Lazareto and Vido bear testament to centuries of strategic use, including Venetian quarantine and leprosarium facilities, Russo-Turkish military hospitals, and, during World War II, a Nazi prison camp.

Throughout the Middle Ages and into the early modern period, Corfu’s position rendered it a prize among competing powers. Venetian rule, beginning in 1204, forged fortifications that repelled Ottoman sieges and earned the island reputation as one of Europe’s most fortified outposts. Two castles frame the capital—Palaiό Frourio and Neo Frourio—earning it the distinction of kastropolis, “castle city.” Following Napoleon’s fall, the British governed Corfu from 1815 until its 1864 cession to Greece under the Treaty of London. During the British protectorate, the Ionian Academy was founded—the first university of the modern Greek state—and the Teatro di San Giacomo opened as Greece’s inaugural theatre and opera house. It was here that Ioannis Kapodistrias, Corfu’s native son and first governor of independent Greece, honed his diplomatic acumen before shaping the new nation.

In 2007, ICOMOS recommended, and UNESCO inscribed, the Old Town of Corfu as a World Heritage Site. Its narrow cobblestone streets—known locally as kantoúnia—wind around Venetian-era arches, while the Contrafossa, a seawater moat turned marina, separates the town from the old citadel. Along the waterfront, the broad Spianada square, one of Europe’s largest, unfolds into two sections—Ano Plateia and Kato Plateia—framed by the Liston arcade and animated by local philharmonic bands. A Roman-style rotunda commemorates Sir Thomas Maitland, and a classical music pavilion overlooks lawns where cricket matches—a vestige of British influence—occasionally take place.

Adjacent to Spianada stands the Palaia Anaktora, the former Palace of Saints Michael and George. Built in Roman architectural style for British governors and later housing Greek royalty, it now hosts art exhibitions within its halls and the unique Museum of Asian Art, unrivaled in southern Europe. Gardens lush with exotic flora cascade to seawater baths at the fortress walls, where the wrought-iron aerial staircase—once a shortcut for the royal family—ascends from the shore. Local affectionately call this space “Garden of the People,” reflecting its transformation from aristocratic enclave to public haven.

Corfu’s religious heritage is rich and varied. Thirty-seven churches dot the city and countryside, among which the cathedral, the cave church of Panagia Speliotissa, and St Spyridon’s Church stand paramount. The latter safeguards the body of Corfu’s patron saint within relic-adorned chapels. Beyond the city, the modest island of Pontikonisi, “Mouse Island,” rises barely two meters above the sea and hosts the Monastery of Pantokrator, whose white stairway evokes the creature that names it.

The island’s climate is classified as hot-summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csa): long, arid summers give way to mild, rainy winters heavier than those on many Greek islands. Extremes have ranged from 42.8 °C on 24 July 2007 to −6.0 °C on 17 January 2012.

Seasonal rhythms pulse through Corfiot culture. During Holy Week, the three city philharmonic societies perform distinct funeral marches in Good Friday processions. Late afternoon reunions accompany the cathedral’s Epitaph, with bands alternating between Albinoni, Verdi, Chopin, and other composers. On Holy Saturday morning, a second procession bears the saint’s relics as each band renders its chosen funeral march. At precisely 11:00 AM, the “Early Resurrection” commences: balconies draped in red witness the ceremonial smashing of clay pots—bótides—onto pavements, symbolizing the biblical verse “Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Psalm 2:9). Streets strewn with shards echo to the “Graikoí” march, the island’s unofficial anthem.

Corfu’s carnival, Ta Karnavalia, traces its origins to Venetian customs. Masked revelers follow floats led by Karnavalos, a figure of exaggerated countenance, through the kantounia, filling narrow lanes with music, dance, and costumes. Night brings private balls and masquerades, sustaining a festive spirit that unites generations.

Literary and artistic portrayals of Corfu abound. Homeric myth situates the Phaeacians here, linking the bay of Palaiokastritsa to Odysseus’s landing. Heracles is said to have fathered Hyllus on the island. In modern letters, Gerald Durrell chronicled his preliterate years in My Family and Other Animals, while his brother Lawrence detailed local customs in Prospero’s Cell. Shakespeare’s The Tempest draws loose inspiration from Corfu’s maritime character. Nabokov’s Lolita stages a poignant scene on the island, and twentieth-century authors from Voltaire to Albert Cohen have woven Corfu into their works.

Cinema has likewise embraced Corfu’s vistas. From the Mediterranean intrigue of The Executioner (1970) and The Burglars (1971) to Billy Wilder’s Fedora (1978) and the underwater temple in Bond’s For Your Eyes Only (1981), the island has served as backdrop for international productions. In recent decades, the BBC’s My Family and Other Animals (2005) and the ITV series The Durrells in Corfu (2016–2019) have rekindled audience fascination.

Tourism remains the island’s economic mainstay. The northeast coast, favored by British operators, is lined with villas and luxury estates—among them properties owned by the Rothschilds and Russian magnates—while package resorts dot northern and southwestern shores. The Canal d’Amour at Sidari, its name bestowed by a rock formation pierced by the sea, draws couples in search of romance. Further south, Kavos offers a youthful, all-inclusive scene, and Lefkimmi’s long sandy shore appeals to families. The Corfu Island Pass©, introduced in 2021, provides visitors with discounts on tours, rentals, and cruises, reflecting local efforts to structure and enhance the tourist experience without compromising authenticity.

Transport infrastructure binds Corfu to the mainland and neighboring isles. Two highways—GR-24 in the northwestern corridor and GR-25 to the southeast—traverse central plains. Ferries link Corfu with Paxoi, Lefkada, Ithaki, Kefalonia, and Patras, while high-speed “Flying Dolphins” ply routes to Igoumenitsa and Sarandë. Seasonal seaplane services from Air Sea Lines connect to Paxoi, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Ioannina, and even Brindisi, Italy. The Ioannis Kapodistrias International Airport, three kilometers south of Kerkyra and named for the island’s distinguished governor, offers domestic flights on Olympic and Aegean Airlines. Its approach affords aerial panoramas of Pontikonisi, Vlaheraina Monastery, and the Kanoni hills. Daily coach services link Corfu Town with towns such as Glyfada, Sidari, and Paleokastritsa, while long-distance buses reach Athens and Thessaloniki up to twice daily. Regular boat services extend from Corfu port to the Diapontia Islands—Othonoi, Ereikoussa, and Mathraki—situated six kilometers to the northwest.

From its mythic birth to its stratified history of conquest, fortification, and cultural synthesis, Corfu remains a site where Europe’s Mediterranean currents converge. Its architecture bears the imprint of Venetians, Ottomans, French, and British, while its modern identity balances mass tourism with deep-rooted traditions of music, religion, and hospitality. The island’s narrow streets, ancient churches, and fortified citadels offer portals into layered pasts; its beaches, cliffs, and olive groves frame enduring natural beauty. In Corfu, the interplay of myth and history, of local custom and international influence, continues to shape an island of enduring resonance.