Photo by C Klug
Links to Port Pages
Corfu, Greece
We arrived in Corfu around 7 am on the 15th of May. As we came along the island we could see the Achilleion Palace built by the Empress of Austria in 1890 as a summer palace. Docked at the "new port" we had a view of the old and new fortresses over the city of Corfu.
We enjoyed a slow morning since we did not have a tour scheduled here. We had thought about the palace, but changed our minds. After a leisurely morning we took the shuttle to Old Town which dropped us off right at the entrance to the Old Fortress around 11:30 am. Most of the fortress was built by the Venetians in the 14th century as part of the defense of the island. Corfu, actually derives from the name Koryfo which means Summt. Corfu has a history that covers the Byzantine and Middle Byzantine periods. The Old Fortress houses a small museum of the Byzantine artifacts from the island so we decided to go in and explore. While a very small collection, the paintings and mosaics and collections of coins were very interesting. We then walked the grounds of the fortress before going in to the town area.
Our next stop was cappuccino! We found a nice outdoor cafe which is part of the Europe Cafe, right on the Liston and enjoyed a coffee and WiFi to catch up on email. While it was a nice place to sit it was also exposed to the panhandlers in the area who kept approaching us to sell us "real watches" and other trinkets. We finally had to engage the waiter to help chase them off. On such a small island we did not expect to see this. But perhaps that is naive thinking. When we finished our coffees we headed into the shops and streets wandering at will. We found some lovely treasures.
Departure from Corfu was early so we shuttled back to the ship around 4:30 and enjoyed the sail away before dinner. This evening we enjoyed a cocktail reception for the Venetian Society travelers and then also had dinner with Asta Buckiunaite, the cruise consultant. Dinner was in La Terraza and fortunately we received better service and the food was up to par. We did expect this since it was hosted by a ship's crew member. Conmpany and conversation was very enjoyable even though we were the only couple who accepted her invitation. The others who passed, missed a wonderful time.
After dinner drinks in the lounge and off to bed - Next stop Kotor, Montenegro!
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Arriving Corfu |
Achilleion Palace |
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Old Fortress |
Fortress Entrance |
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Wall Painting - 14th Century from Church of St Nicholas, Corfu |
Ancient Text |
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Gold Coins - used until end of 18th century |
Bay side of Fortress |
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Randy with Venetian cannon built in 1735 |
On the fortress grounds |
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Fortress and canal bridge |
The German general Matthias von der Schulenburg (1661-1747) was a general of the Serenissima Republic of Venice. He organized the defense of Corfu against the last Turkish siege in 1716, during which the Turks failed to conquer the island. |
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Europe Cafe on the Liston |
Our table |
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Plants growing on the balconies |
Street in Corfu |
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View of Old and New Fortresses |
Corfu Map |
Pre-Cruise Posts
Corfu (Greek: Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, [ˈcercira]; Ancient Greek: Κέρκυρα or Κόρκυρα; Latin: Corcyra; Italian: Corfù) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The municipality includes the island Corfu and the smaller islands Ereikoussa, Mathraki and Othonoi. The principal city of the island and seat of the municipality (pop. 32,095) is also named Corfu. Corfu is home to the Ionian University.
The island is bound with the history of Greece from the beginning of Greek mythology. Its Greek name, Kerkyra or Korkyra, is related to two powerful water symbols: Poseidon, god of the sea, and Asopos, an important Greek mainland river. According to myth, Poseidon fell in love with the beautiful nymph Korkyra, daughter of Asopus and river nymph Metope, and abducted her. Poseidon brought Korkyra to the hitherto unnamed island and, in marital bliss, offered her name to the place: Korkyra, which gradually evolved to Kerkyra (Doric). Together, they had a child they called Phaiax, after whom the inhabitants of the island were named: Phaiakes. This term was transliterated via Latin to Phaeacians.
The island's history is laden with battles and conquests. The legacy of these struggles is visible in the form of castles punctuating strategic locations across the island. Two of these castles enclose its capital, which is the only city in Greece to be surrounded in such a way. As a result, Corfu's capital has been officially declared a Kastropolis ("castle city") by the Greek government. From medieval times and into the 17th century, the island was recognised as a bulwark of the European States against the Ottoman Empire and became one of the most fortified places in Europe. The fortifications of the island were used by the Venetians to defend against Ottoman intrusion into the Adriatic. Corfu repulsed several Turkish sieges, before falling under British rule following the Napoleonic Wars. Corfu was eventually ceded by the British Empire along with the remaining islands of the United States of the Ionian Islands, and unification with modern Greece was concluded in 1864 under the Treaty of London.
In 2007, the city's old city was designated for the UNESCO World Heritage List, following a recommendation by ICOMOS. (From Wikipedia)
From Silversea website: Kerkyra (Corfu) is the greenest and, quite possibly, the prettiest of all Greek islands-emerald mountains, ocher-and-pink buildings, shimmering silver olive leaves. The turquoise waters lap rocky coves and bougainvillea, scarlet roses, and wisteria spread over cottages. This northernmost of the major Ionian Islands has, through the centuries, inspired artists, conquerors, royalty, and, of course, tourists. Indeed, when you look at Corfu in total, it's hard to believe that any island so small could generate a history so large. Classical remains vie with architecture from the centuries of Venetian, French, and British rule, leaving Corfu with a pleasant combination of contrasting design elements. The town of Corfu remains one of the loveliest in all of Greece, every nook and cranny tells a story, every street meanders to a myth, even during the busiest summer day. Corfu today is a vivid tapestry of cultures, a sophisticated weave, where charm, history, and natural beauty blend.
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What We Plan to See:
Looking through information on Corfu, the key site is Achilleion Palace built by Empress of Austria, Elisabeth of Bavaria, as a summer home in 1890. There is much World War I and World War II history related to the island also. Exploring Corfu Town may be high on our list and just soak in the culture of the island.
