20 Fun Facts About Corfu Tourist Attractions

If you were taking note back in school when you first read Homer, you have actually currently 'visited' Corfu, in the company of the wily Odysseus. Near completion of his storm-tossed wanderings, and harried till the last immediate by the wrathful sea-god Poseidon, Odysseus washed up on the shores of Scheria, land of the seafaring Phaiakians - they of the great rudderless ships - and was saved by the daughter of King Alkinoos, the high and stunning Nausikaa, who was playing ball with her house maids on a beautiful beach.

Nausika's matchless beach was, we guesswork, that of contemporary Paleokastritsa, still a sort of paradise on earth with azure waters, intimate coves, dramatic and verdant promontories - and still populated by gorgeous young people. Homer describes it all lingeringly in Books V and VI of the Odyssey, and it is not difficult to believe that it was on Corfu that Odysseus finally found a delighted break from his long ordeal.

The image of the rudderless ship of the Phaiakian seamen is still quite in proof on Corfu - on buildings and monuments, and used as a logo for whatever from Corfiot travel bureau to sailing clubs. Like all big, fertile islands, Corfu was primarily settled and pillaged by fantastic 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, strolled throughout from Epirus throughout the last excellent Ice Age, which started some 70,000 years earlier, however by 10,000 years ago the ice had melted, the Mediterranean had actually risen, and later on visitors would need to visit boat. And come they did.

The ancient Egyptians were amongst the earliest visitors, and papyrelles, boats made from corfu resorts 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 dared, colonisers made sure to follow. In about 750BC, the Eretrians - from Euboea, north of Athens - colonised Corfu en path to Italy, beating the very first recorded inhabitants of the island, the Liburnians.

If you remain in the market for vacation destination ideas, there is a treasure to be discovered amongst the Ionian Islands. The island of Corfu (understood in Modern Greek as Kerkyra) has 217 kilometers (135 mi) of coastline consisting of a few of the best beaches in the whole world. With a warm Mediterranean environment and well as over 3 million olive trees, it is an included advantage for tourists and residents alike that the average quantity of sunlight per day in Corfu lingers around 8.5 hours amounting to about 3000 hours annually. Likewise, the beaches in the north tend to be rocky and pebbly while the south holds most of the smooth sand beaches. For those travelers brave and fit enough to find the concept of exploring the entire island on foot exciting, the Corfu Trail will come in useful in that regard. This 222km footpath has great signs and extends the complete length of the island. Two natural destinations that absolutely should have a see 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 mild slopes down to the beach-filled coastline while the western side of Corfu is high with remarkable sea views, swimming coves and beaches. The interior of the island is rich and green with lots of towns that run in much the same fashion as they have for centuries. Traditional Corfu cuisine has preserved its Italian impact through the centuries since the island fell under Venetian rule in the 14th century however avoided being conquered by the Ottoman Empire completely. In the more developed locations, diverse Greek, Venetian, French and British architecture is plentiful in addition to archeological sites which are guaranteed to interest and motivate.