CORFU – ISLAND IN THE SUN

Friday 1st December 2006

Jo Woods

When you visit Corfu Town you'd be forgiven for getting confused about where you are. Wandering the streets of the Venetian-influenced old quarter you could be in Italy, while the elegant cafés that line the arcade known as the Liston, modelled on Paris's rue de Rivoli, could easily pass for France. And then there's the very British ginger beer being sipped on the Liston and the fact that it looks out on to the island's only cricket pitch.

This mix of architectural styles reflects the various nations that have occupied Corfu. The Venetians were here for four centuries (1386-1797), and later the French and the British came and went.

They've left behind an elegant town with beautiful buildings and green open spaces. The old quarter is particularly pretty, with winding streets full of tall shuttered houses painted in yellows or reds and strewn with bougainvillea.

Because of its northerly position, Corfu gets more rain than most Greek islands and is therefore greener. As well as a crystal-clear sea and unspoilt coves and inlets, the countryside is decked out with wild flowers, olive groves and orange trees.

If you're just looking for a sun-and-sand holiday, Corfu has plenty of resorts such as Ipsos, Sidari and Kavos that provide just that. But it's also worth hiring a car to visit the capital and see what the rest of this stunning island has to offer…

KIDS WILL LOVE
Aqualand This enormous water park at Agios Ioannis, on the main road to Glyfada, has slides, four twisters, a lazy river and a huge jacuzzi.