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CORFU
Vacations and Sightseeing

Basic information
Official languageGreek
CapitalCorfu Town
Area593 km²
Population39,330  (2021)
Currencyeuro  (EUR)
Web.gr
Code.GRC
Tel.+30

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Vacations and Sightseeing

Tourism has increased significantly since the 1960s and the first large hotels appeared not long after in towns such as Corfu Town, Dassia, Moraitika and Gouvia. Corfu is visited by more than a million tourists every year. Most of the facilities for all these tourists can be found in special holiday resorts all along the coast. The old town of Corfu is enchanting and contains a number of appealing historical sites, which give the city a Venetian flair. A large part of the old town is a maze-like series of cobbled alleyways, referred to as the 'kantounia'. The Venetian Citadel is a particular highlight, as is the sea esplanade and the view over Garitsa Bay. The Corfu Archaeological Museum is located in the southeast of Corfu town. The highlight of the archaeological finds comes from the Temple of Artemis in Corfu, which was dedicated to the ancient Greek goddess of the hunt.

The Achillion Palace was built in 1889-1891 as the home of Princess Elisabeth von Witelsbach of Austria (known as Sissy). She was captivated by Greek Mythology and named the house "Achillion" after the Greek mythological hero Achilles. In and around the palace are statues of the Olympic gods and the 9 Muses. A huge statue of Achilles stands in the garden and another on the outdoor terrace. On the terrace are busts of Greek writers and scholars. The Achillion Palace is located a short distance from Corfu city, in the direction of Gastouri.


Sources

Desypris, Y. / 777 schitterende Griekse eilanden
Uitgeverij Michalis Toubis S.A.

Fürst, F. / Corfu
Het Spectrum

Gerrard, M. / Korfoe
Van Reemst

Hendriksen, B. / Korfoe en de Ionische eilanden : Paxos, Lefkáda, Kefaloniá, Itháka en Zákinthos
Van Reemst

Webb, S. / Corfu & the Ionians
Lonely Planet

CIA - World Factbook

BBC - Country Profiles

Last updated November 2024
Copyright: Team The World of Info