On The Beach Corfu Explained In Fewer Than 140 Characters

If you were focusing back in school when you initially read Homer, you have already 'visited' Corfu, in the business of the wily Odysseus. Near the end of his storm-tossed wanderings, and harried until the last immediate by the wrathful sea-god Poseidon, Odysseus washed up on the coasts of Scheria, land of the seafaring Phaiakians - they of the fantastic rudderless ships - and was rescued by the daughter of King Alkinoos, the high and beautiful Nausikaa, who was playing ball with her house maids on an exquisite beach.

Nausika's unparalleled beach was, we opinion, that of contemporary Paleokastritsa, still a kind of heaven in the world with azure waters, intimate coves, remarkable and verdant promontories - and still occupied by stunning young people. Homer describes everything lingeringly in Books V and VI of the Odyssey, and it is not difficult to believe that it was on Corfu that Odysseus lastly found a delighted respite from his long experience.

The image of the rudderless ship of the Phaiakian seamen is still quite in evidence on Corfu - on structures and monoliths, and utilized as a logo design for whatever from Corfiot travel bureau to sailing clubs. Like all big, fertile islands, Corfu was principally settled and pillaged by great powers with huge fleets. However it wasn't so at the very beginning.

On Foot and by Sea They Came The very earliest visitors, Stone-Age hunter-gatherers, walked across from Epirus during the last terrific Glacial epoch, which began some 70,000 years ago, but by 10,000 years ago the ice had actually melted, the Mediterranean had actually risen, and later on visitors would need to come over boat. And come they did.

The ancient Egyptians were among the earliest visitors, and papyrelles, boats made from papyrus (bulrushes) of the type used by Nile Delta mariners, have actually been found on Corfu's west coast. Another tradition of the Egyptians are the papyrus plants which still flourish here today. Where mariners attempted, colonisers made certain to follow. In about 750BC, the Eretrians - from Euboea, north of Athens - colonised Corfu en path to Italy, beating the first recorded residents of the island, the Liburnians.

If you remain in the market for holiday location concepts, there is a treasure to be discovered among the Ionian Islands. The island of corfu resorts Corfu (known in Modern Greek as Kerkyra) has 217 kilometers (135 mi) of shoreline consisting of some of the very best beaches in the entire world. With a warm Mediterranean environment and well as over 3 million olive trees, it is an added advantage for visitors and residents alike that the typical quantity of sunshine per day in Corfu remains around 8.5 hours amounting to about 3000 hours annually. Also, the beaches in the north tend to be rocky and pebbly while the south holds most of the smooth sand beaches. For those tourists brave and fit enough to find the concept of exploring the whole island on foot interesting, the Corfu Path will be available in handy because regard. This 222km walkway has good signs and extends the full length of the island. Two natural locations that certainly are worthy of a visit along the way are Mt. Pantokrator (the island's biggest mountain) in the north and Korission Lake in the south.

The east side of the island which faces Albania has gentle slopes to the beach-filled coastline while the western side of Corfu is high with dramatic sea views, swimming coves and beaches. The interior of the island is rich and green with lots of towns that operate in much the same style as they have for centuries. Traditional Corfu food has actually preserved its Italian impact through the centuries because the island fell under Venetian guideline in the 14th century but avoided being conquered by the Ottoman Empire completely. In the more industrialized areas, diverse Greek, Venetian, French and British architecture is plentiful as well as archeological websites which are guaranteed to interest and inspire.