Photos taken between 7th and 14th September 2010.
Corfu (Kerkyra, ancient Greek) is a Greek Island of the Ionian group of seven main islands in the Ionian Sea off the west coast of mainland Greece. Corfu itself is very close to Albania. The Island’s capital is Corfu Town, which holds the largest population and has a university.
Corfu town
View along the Liston. An arcade of Venetian style buildings that contains many cafés and ice cream parlours. It is located on the western edge of the Esplanade (Spianada Square), which is a park and square in the centre of Corfu town.
Another view of the Liston.
Tony standing on the Liston.
Tony and passers-by on the Liston.
A café on the Liston.
Road on the edge of the Esplanade. The Spianada Square, or the Esplanade, was opened to the public during the French period of occupation.
Tatiana, the Esplanade.
Tatiana on the Esplanade with the Old Fortress in the distance.
Tony, Old Fortress in the distance.
Tatiana sitting in a café, the Esplanade.
View across the Esplanade.
Tatiana, the Esplanade.
Tony and Tatiana, the Esplanade.
Fountain in the Esplanade.
Tony and Tatiana on the Esplanade’s cricket pitch.
Cricket match taking place on the Esplanade.
View across cricket pitch.
Tatiana sitting in a café, the Esplanade.
Busy street with shops and cafés, Corfu town.
Tatiana, Corfu town.
Busy street, Corfu town.
Exterior and garden of the Palace of St. Michael and St. George, which stands along the northern side of the Esplanade, it is considered the finest of the British built buildings in Corfu. It now hosts the Museum of Asian Art.
Tatiana, exterior and garden of the Palace of St. Michael and St. George.
Exterior of the Palace of St. Michael and St. George.
Another exterior view of the Palace of St. Michael and St. George.
Narrow cobbled street, crowded with people. Further along is the famous St. Spyridon Cathedral, a tourist trap.
Inside St. Spyridon Cathedral (Agios Spiridhonas), which was built in 1596. It is dedicated to St. Spyridon the patron, protector of Corfu. The saint’s embalmed body lies in a silver casket at the top of a series of steep narrow stairs at the back of the church.
Inside St. Spyridon Cathedral.
Inside St. Spyridon Cathedral.
Doorway outside St. Spyridon Cathedral.
Tatiana outside St. Spyridon Cathedral.
Inside Palaio Frourio (the Old Fortress), visited Saturday evening.
Fortifications, the Old Fortress.
Fortified buildings, the Old Fortress.
An art gallery, the Old Fortress.
Entrance into the Old Fortress.
St. George’s Church (Agios Georgios), built in 1589 by the Venetians to replace a former church of St. George. Large basilica in the form of an ancient Doric temple. It is located inside the Old Fortress.
Tony and Tatiana inside the Church of St. George.
Tony and Tatiana outside the Church of St. George.
Tony and Tatiana with a local man from Corfu Town, who showed them around. They are in front of a large doorway, one of the entrances to the Old Fortress.
Small square, Corfu Town.
The Maitland Rotunda, built to honour Sir Thomas Maitland, British Lord High Commissioner of Corfu (1816-1824).
Tony and Tatiana, the Maitland Rotunda.
Tony and Tatiana in front of a statue of Count Ioannis Kapodistrias (1776-1836). Kapodistrias was Greece’s first head of State following independence from the Ottoman empire in 1827.
Harbour, Corfu Town. Large passenger ferry in the distance.
Harbour, Corfu Town.
Main road near the port, Corfu Town.
Evening, Corfu Town.
Achilleon Palace
The Achilleon Palace was built between 1890 and 1892 by the Empress Elizabeth of Austria (known as Sissy) on land bought during a visit to Corfu. This large building, in neoclassical style, has three floors adorned with many statues and paintings. The vast gardens surrounding the palace, with a wonderful view of a large part of the island, run down to the coast road. They are decorated with many statues, the most famous of which are the two bronze runners, the dying Achilles and the statue of Achilles Triumphant. After the assassination of Empress Elizabeth in 1898 in Geneva, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany purchased the palace in 1907 and used it as a place for relaxation.
Visited Thursday, 9th September 2010.
Tourists outside the palace.
Main entrance into the palace building.
Tatiana outside the palace.
Staircase with elaborate metalwork.
Staircase.
Close-up of metalwork.
Tatiana and Tony at the foot of the staircase.
Tony and Tatiana again.
Finely painted ceiling.
Painted ceiling again.
Table and chairs.
Tony exploring the Achillion Palace.
Painted walls inside the palace chapel.
The chapel.
Tourist taking a picture inside the chapel.
Statue, Virgin Mary and Child.
Tony and Tatiana in front of a statue of Empress Elizabeth of Austria at the Achillion Palace.
Tony and Tatiana touching a statue.
Statue of wounded Achilles.
Statue of Achilles from behind.
Porticoed courtyard with a row of statues.
Tony and Tatiana in front of another large statue of Achilles, this time standing triumphant.
Tony and Tatiana. Behind a nice view towards the sea.
Mon Repos
Late 19th century estate and palace, which was built during the British rule and was later used by Greece’s King George as a summer villa. It is the birth place of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and husband to Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. It is located above Corfu Town, on the hill of Analipsis.
Today the palace houses a museum with Byzantine remains, furniture and dresses from the period of the British rule, paintings and other Corfu artefacts. Outside there are extensive grounds to explore.
Visited Friday, 10th September 2010.
Visitors in the grounds of Mon Repos.
Tatiana by a large urn.
Tatiana outside the palace.
View of the palace exterior.
Tony and Tatiana outside the palace.
Outside the palace.
Outside the palace.
Domed ceiling inside Mon Repos palace.
Antique bureau chest of drawers.
Paintings and ornaments inside Mon Repos palace.
Tatiana and Tony by a Byzantine stone carving at Mon Repos palace museum.
Byzantine stone carving.
Stone carving.
Stone carving. A lion?
Palaeopolis Archaeological Site
Located near Mon Repos, the ancient archaeological site of Palaeopolis includes an early Christian basilica and a Roman bath house.
Visited Saturday, 11th September 2010.
Roman bathhouse ruins under a protective tent.
Mosaic floor of the Roman bathhouse.
Mosaic floor of the Roman bathhouse.
Tatiana and Tony in front of the remains of a Roman church.
Paleokastritsa Monastery
Paleokastritsa Monastery is located on a rocky promontory on Corfu’s west coast. The monastery was founded in the thirteenth century, but the current buildings date from the eighteenth century. It is still home to seven monks. There is a small monastery church, which has a number of impressive icons as well as a museum.
Visited Sunday, 12th September 2010.
Road leading to Paleokastritsa Monastery.
Tatiana outside Paleokastritsa Monastery.
Trees around Paleokastritsa Monastery.
Outside Paleokastritsa Monastery.
Paleokastritsa Monastery courtyard.
Tony and Tatiana touching a very large clam shell in the monastery museum.
Inside the monastery church.
Inside the monastery church.
Tony and Tatiana in the monastery garden.
Tony and Tatiana sitting in the monastery garden. Tony with a small kitten on his knee.
Mouse island (Pontikonisi)
Visit to Mouse Island on Tuesday, 7th September. This very small island is located south of Corfu town. White stairs lead to the small Pantokratoras church and monastery. The island’s name comes from the shape of the monastery, which resembles a mouse’s tail when viewed from a distance.
On the boat to Mouse Island (Pontikonisi).
View of Corfu mainland from Mouse Island.
Tatiana on Mouse Island.
Tatiana and Tony sitting near the monastery, Mouse Island.
Tony and Tatiana outside the church on Mouse Island.
Inside the church.
People sitting in paved area near the monastery.
Tatiana on Mouse Island.
Tony on Mouse Island.
Mpenitses
Mpenitses (pronounced Benitses) is a small tourist town on the south-east coast of Corfu.
Tatiana sitting outside a café, Mpenitses.
Central street with cafés and restaurants, Mpenitses.
View outside a restaurant, Mpenitses.
Tatiana sitting in a restaurant, Mpenitses.
Tatiana on a stoney beach, Mpenitses.
View along the sea front, Mpenitses.
Ruin of Roman baths, Mpenitses.
Garden with chickens wondering about.
Outside hotel, Mpenitses.
Tony outside hotel, Mpenitses.
Tatiana, Mpenitses.
Tony, Mpenitses.
View out to sea from Mpenitses beach.
Tatiana relaxing in a deck chair, Mpenitses beach.
Street with souvenir shops, Mpenitses.
Souvenir shop.
Café/restaurant in Mpenitses.
Tatiana in Mpenitses.
Kassiopi
A small harbour town on the north-east coast. Pictures taken on Monday, 13th September.
View of Kassiopi harbour.
Tony on the sea front, Kassiopi.
Tony and Tatiana, Kassiopi harbour.
Yachts in the harbour.
Pelekas
Tatiana with a cat on her knee. Sunrock Backpackers Hostel overlooking Pelekas beach and the Ionian Sea on the the west coast of Corfu. A fantastic family run hostel.
Tony, Tatiana and cat.
Tony and Tatiana. Sea view from Sunrock Backpackers Hostel.
Breakfast.