Corfu - Ionian Islands, Greece
I visited Corfu in May 2000, together with my friend Tabita from Germany. It is a beautifully green and mountainous Island, west of Mainland Greece.
It is probably the most popular of the Ionian Islands, especially with Europeans. There are many beaches... (the West of the Island has sandy beaches, and the East is shingle)... and water sports for the adventurous. The sea in Corfu is warm, and great for swimming and snorkling as there are so many beautiful fish and reefs.
Our holiday was for 14 days, which gave us ample time to explore the island. You can tour the island very cheaply by bus, or hire a car or moped. We were positioned in Benitses on the east coast where there was a regular bus service. The weather was beautiful, although we were told that May can be a variable month with a probability of rain. It was approx 24-28 degrees Celsius while we were there... which was much hotter than usual British summers!
Parga on mainland Greece...
Towards the end of our holiday mosquitos were prevalent. We were advised to use an anti-mosquito room plug. This stopped us getting bitten at night. We also used a special lotion before going out in the evening. Despite these precautions we still ended up with several bites on the last few days of our holiday.
The Greek plumbing is very poor... if you want specifics, please email me! Hotel rooms are very basic. Ours did not have air-con and although we found it okay in May, I'm sure it would be extremely uncomfortable in July & August.
Our favourite excursions were taking a day cruise to Parga on the mainland, Paxos and Anti-Paxos. Infact... we liked it so much we did the cruise twice!
We also went SCUBA diving, which made a nice day out as it included a cruise around the North part of the island.
Tabita SCUBA diving in Corfu!
A trip to Corfu Town is essential, and if you like beaches you should take a trip to Palaiokastritsa on the west coast (see pic below). Avoid Kavos at all costs! It is a very loud, brash and young tourist resort and is positioned on the very south point of the island, which makes it time consuming touring the north of the island.
The food & drink is good and very cheap. Remember to try some Kleftico and Tzatziki (only if you like lamb and cucumber!).
The Greeks are extremly generous and kind. They respect the tourists as they provide their income.... I was amazed just how willing they were to help or offer assistance. Also they don't mind bartering down a price (if you have the courage to try it!)...
Corfu Town
Corfu town is very historic, with a large port and many narrow streets. You are sure to find some good souvenirs especially in silver and leather. There is a beautiful area called Liston where you can sit and watch the world go by... drinking cappucino or Ouzo. Incase you haven't heard of Ouzo... it is a Greek drink made of aniseed. It is very strong and is usually mixed with water, however the English usually add Lemonade to make it more enjoyable! You will notice many unusually coloured bottles of Corfu Kum Quat. This is also a very strong drink. Be sure to taste before buying!
Corfu Town
Mouse Island is very famous and is on the outskirts of Corfu Town. There is also a very beautiful palace to visit, which can be reached by bus.
While we were in Corfu we visited the Kingdom Hall, which is very well positioned near St Rocco Square. We attended both the Greek and English meetings during our holiday and had the priviledge of working the territory in Corfu Town. There are only about 14 witnesses who attend the English meeting and they are desperate for assistance. Corfu has about 115 publishers in the entire island (217 km long) and has 4 congregations - 3 Greek and 1 English.
I have included a couple of links so you can read much more about the wonderful island of Corfu...
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