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About Corfu Town |
| Capital of the island, the homonymous town of Corfu looks like emerging out from a medieval tale. Not only has it a very interesting and important past, but it also gives promises of an equally important and interesting present and future. The town of Corfu is one of the most popular destinations of tourists, both Greeks and from abroad. The town counts some 30000 and as the old town stands side by side with the modern part of it, it offers a very interesting staying, which combines full facilities and a quite modern lifestyle, along with the old romantic sightseeing and atmosphere. It is a place for every taste and every age; you will find intense nightlife along with cultural activities and very original customs. Culture is alive and very vivid in Corfu!
The town offers numerous choices for staying in hotels of all categories very well equipped and with full facilities, in studios and rooms to let. Food is abundant and good and you will have a wide range of restaurants, taverns, snack bars, fast food and cafes to choose from. You will find any taste you like, from local dishes, which are gorgeous, to Greek and international cooking and ethnic restaurants. Swimming at the nearby beaches is wonderful in summer, but the town is fascinating also in spring and winter, when you will have the chance to know it better during your long tours and walking. What makes Corfu so attractive is that the folk culture is part of the every day life and not a memory displayed in Museums. |
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| Corfu town, general view | Corfu town, Esplanade square | Walking in Corfu town |
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| Apart from the numerous monuments and sightseeing, what you will also enjoy at Corfu is the very lively every day life. The local feasts, religious or not, are always an attraction for tourists. Among the most important an well known are the Carnival, spread all over the island and combing elements going back to the Ancient Greek traditions of Dionysus ritual, with the “western” Venetian Carnival. However, the top feast of Corfu takes place in Easter; thousands of tourists have something to say for the customs of Orthodox Easter, combined with additional ones, as that of breaking pottery objects during the process of the Epitaph of the Church of Aghios Spyridon on Holy Saturday, at h. 11.00 in the morning. You think that the custom comes straight from Medieval times; the residents of the town decorate their balconies with red tissue and, when after the Epitaph of Aghios Spyridon has return to the church, they throw old pottery items down to the street in order to exorcise the evil spirits. (As every body knows the exact hour of this event, there are no safety problems). Another interesting characteristic of the mentality and unity of the Corfiot people is that Orthodox and Catholics celebrate Easter on the same date, as there is a special permission of the Pope about it. The original character of the Corfiots and the special traditional customs they keep are due to the influence of various cultures that Corfu knew throughout its history. Greeks and Romans, Venetians and Russians, French and British have passed from the island and contributed to form this interesting and unique blend that is the Corfiot mentality. |
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| St.Spyridon bell tower | Detail from Corfu town | The Liston area | Dinning in Coru |
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| The life of tourists and that of the locals are closely linked; in fact if you have not experienced the island, it is difficult to discern what is purely tourist and what is an element of the every day life. The decades of cafes, bars and other entertainment places, mainly at Liston and Spianada attract crowds of tourists, but also of the locals, from early morning until late night. You will see locals and tourists taking their drink, or attending one of the numerous concerts performed by the bands, numerous too, of the town; a spectacle that is really worth taking photos. In case of health problems, the town has a Prefecture's Hospital; you may also address to private doctors and pharmacies of the town. The new port of Corfu offers facilities of mooring and fuel and water supply to tourist boats and yachts. |
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