Corfu, Greece

On the Old Fortress Walls, looking over Corfu Bay

Corfu was hot! After spending a couple of days on the air-conditioned boat, the sharp change in humidity and temperature was very noticeable. The walk from the port to the old town was two kilometres and consisted of walking past the old port, the new port and the new fortress. Corfu’s old town is made up of tiny streets that connect together to create a maze of quaint houses and small shops. Corfu has been occupied by many different nations and evidence of this could be seen everywhere from Venetian townhouses and small alleyways to British bandstands and cricket greens.

A view over Corfu

Whilst walking past a jewellery shop, we noticed signs that indicated that the shop was in partnerships with several cruise lines. Upon stopping to look at the sign, the owner approached us, explaining all about her store and partnership with cruises. The owner was lovely and created an amazing first impression of the native Greeks on Corfu, She also informed us of the key sights in the old town.

Strange metal sculpture

With our new knowledge, we headed east – out of the little streets and towards the old fortress. This structure could be seen from the harbour and provided many beautiful scenic photo shots. Corfu looked beautiful from here with so much blue sea and many large yachts. The rich architecture, which had much resemblance to Venetian architecture and the buildings seen in the French Rivera, could clearly be seen, with big bell towers and the town hall. When we initially got off the boat, we could see a cross like structure on the top of a hill. Jokingly Matt said we were going there – obviously we ended up climbing the hill to see it. It was a strange structure that looked like a radio mast that had been turned into a religious structure.

Matt and I at the tallest point of Old Town, Corfu

Upon exiting the old fortress, we headed towards the church. The journey there led us past the museum of Asian art and the Cricket green. The buildings were amazing and some still had original features, such as the archways over the road.

We finally finished our day trip off with a trip to the beach. Although the water was a perfect crystal blue, it wasn’t as warm as I had expected! Although the ship had informed us that it was 27 degrees, that is still 10 degrees below body temperature and it was noticeable!

The Old Fortress

Most interestingly, we arrived in Corfu a few days after the Greek Eurozone crisis. It was suggested that we could only withdraw €60 from an ATM. However, upon arriving on the island, every cashpoint we came across was “temporarily out of service” although most places still accepted credit card!

On the sail away from Corfu, we were able to move along the coastline up to the north of the island. This section of the island is renowned for its beautiful beaches and holiday resorts. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see them from the boat, but we were able to see the beautiful mountainous countryside that ran alongside it (and Albania)!

The streets of Old Town, Corfu