OPTIONAL TRIP - GRAND TOUR OF CORFU CITY (CAPITAL)

Corfu (Greek: Kérkyra) is a city in north-western Greece. It is the capital and main town of the island and prefecture of Corfu. The city (pop. 28,185 in 2001) is a major tourist attraction, and has played an important role since the 8th century. The city has become known as a Kastropolis (Castle City) because of its two castles. In 2007, the old town of the city was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Municipality of Corfu (Kérkyra) generally stretches in a northwesterly direction from the city on the central east coast of the island, and has a land area of 41.905 km2 (16.180 sq mi) and a total population of 39,487 inhabitants. Besides the city of Corfu/Kérkyra, its largest other towns are Kanáli (pop. 3,556), Potamós (2,365), Kontokáli (1,616), Alepoú (1,606), and Gouviá (952).

The town of Corfu stands on the broad part of a peninsula, whose termination in the Venetian citadel is cut off from it by an artificial fosse formed in a natural gully, with a salt-water ditch at the bottom, that serves also as a kind of marina known as Contra-Fossa.

The old city having grown up within fortifications, where every metre of ground was precious, is a labyrinth of narrow streets paved with cobblestones, sometimes tortuous but mostly pleasant, colourful and sparkling clean.

These streets are called "kantounia" and the older ones sometimes follow the gentle irregularities of the ground while many of them are too narrow for vehicular traffic. There is promenade by the seashore towards the bay of Garitsa, and also a handsome esplanade between the town and the citadel called "Liston" where upscale restaurants and European style bistros abound. The name Liston came from the English "List on" meaning the list of the vendors' fare, in other words the menu.

The Old and New Town of Corfu have many commercial shops. When you make your shoppings you don’t forget to buy koum kouat, the traditional liqueur of Corfu.

The Old Town is the better sight of Corfu. But also it deserves to do a walk and to the New Town. It is a modern city. The central part of the city constitutes the square of Saroko. Around her are found the starting lines of buses which facilitate your movements to the villages and the beaches of the island.

Visit Corfu and live the holidays of your dreams in the land of hospitable Feakes…
The choices of amusement are satisfying all the visitors. Theatre, cinema, bars, clubs, centres with live music. Corfu is an earthly paradise!