About Corfu
Travel to Corfu
As is the case for most Greek islands, Corfu can be reached by sea or by air. The International Airport of Corfu, Ioannis Kapodistrias, is located 3 kilometers south of the centre of the island, in the region Kanoni. There are daily flights from and to the airport of Athens, Eleytherios Venizelos, and the duration of the flight is round 1 hour. There is also air connection to Thessaloniki, 3 or 4 times a week. Ticket prices can be very low, if you make the reservation enough time before, or if you travel during low season. Finally, during high period, Corfu is air-connected to a lot of European cities, with charter flights, mainly from Germany and England.
Alternatively, you can reach Corfu by ferry-boat, because it is connected with mainland Greece at two places. From Igoumenitsa there are daily routes to Corfu, from 6 in morning up to 10 in evening. The trip lasts 1 to 1.5 hour, depending on the type of ferry boat you have select. During summer months, boats from and to Igoumenitsa depart every 15 minutes, because a lot of tourists visit the island of Corfu. From the port in Patra, the trip to Corfu lasts 7 -8 hours, but it is very comfortable because the ferry boats are luxurious. These ferries go to Italy and stop in Corfu port for embarkation. The sea connection Corfu-Italy is frequent and the main cities are Bari, Ankona and Brindisi. Finally, there are boats, which transport you to nearby destinations such as Paxoi, Kefalonia and neighboring Albania.
The island is connected to the history of Greece from the beginning of Greek mythology. Its Greek name, Kerkyra or Korkyra, is related to two powerful water symbols: Poseidon, god of the sea, and Asopos, an important Greek mainland river. According to myth, Poseidon fell in love with the beautiful nymph Korkyra, daughter of Asopus and river nymph Metope, and abducted her, as was the custom among gods of the era's myths. Zeus was a serial offender.[2] Poseidon brought Metope to the hitherto unnamed island and, in marital bliss, offered her name to the place: Korkyra, which gradually evolved to Kerkyra (Doric). Together, they had a child they called Phaiax, after whom the inhabitants of the island were named: Phaiakes. This term was transliterated via Latin to Phaeacians. The island's history is laden with battles and conquests, indicative of Corfu's turbulent position in a historical vortex lasting until the modern period.
Corfu's coastline spans 217 kilometres (135 mi) including capes; its highest point is Mount Pantokrator (906 metres (2,972 ft)); and the second Stravoskiadi, at 849 metres (2,785 ft). The full extent of capes and promentories take in Agia Aikaterini, Drastis to the north, Lefkimmi and Asprokavos to the southeast, and Megachoro to the south. Two islands are also to be found at a middle point of Gouvia and Corfu Bay, which extends across much of the eastern shore of the island; are known as Lazareto and Ptychia (or Vido). Camping areas can be found in Palaiokastritsa, Agrillia, with four in the northern part, Pyrgi, Roda, Gouvia and Messonghi.
