Luxury private Villa in Kommeno, Corfu, Greece
Corfu and Paxos
Summer on Corfu
The attractions of a summer in Corfu are end-less. The months of June, July and August are virtually guaranteed to be rain free and warm to hot. The island is green, the seawater clear and
warm and there are countless wonderful sand and pebbled beaches. Water sports,an endless variety of restaurants, quaint inland villages, boat, bike and car hire, Aqua Land (an exceptional water theme park), golf, walks, horse riding, sailing, scuba diving and other recreational opportunities ensure that one is never bored or in need of entertainment facilities. Corfu is a great place for a summer holiday or to live the year round. If you are looking for none of the above but just peace and quiet then this villa is ideal.
Winter on Corfu
The winter atmosphere on Corfu, along with a number of events that are unique to the island, makes for a very relaxed and different experience. For example, in April each year during the Orthodox Easter period, several well known, exclusively Corfiot events (like the "throwing of the pots") highlight the seasonal calendar. As the Greek Easter celebration marks the end of winter, many visitors come to celebrate along with the Corfiots. The throwing of clay pots from the balconies in Corfu town, at exactly 11am on Holy Saturday, liberates the thrower from his troubles of the past year and heralds the arrival of spring. During the period prior to Easter, numerous Corfiot bands take to the streets to accompany marchers and on the last Sunday of the celebra-
tion, one of the finest Carnival parades in all Europe crowns the pre-Easter festivities. During the Christmas and the New Year celebrations, Corfu is a festive and colourful place and easy access by ferry and car to the mainland puts one in reach of skiing facilities in north-western Greece. There are also organised winter walks which take place every Saturday to different parts of the island and the cooler weather is a good time to take in some of the cultural sites and other places of interest. The restaurants which operate in winter offer the true Greek cuisine prepared for the locals.
Detail and Specifications
Corfu and Paxos
CORFU
Length: 72km
Width at widest point: 25km
Area: 638 sq.km
Highest point: 906m
Population: 120,000
Average summer temperature: 28 c
Average winter temperature: 16 c
Hottest months: July/August
Coldest months: January/February
Number of villages: 210
The island has been a part of Greece since 1864. Before that it was, for 50 years, a British protectorate… the British left the beginnings of a road and water system. They took over from the French, who were on Corfu long enough to make the famous Liston, reminiscent of Paris’s Rue de Rivoli. (The Liston was so named because you had to be on the "list of Corfiot well-born" before being allowed to sit there). The 300 previous years had been under benign Venetian rule and that legacy can still be seen today both in architecture and the millions of olive trees, which provide a supplement to income for many Corfiots.
The island is blessed with many natural attributes. There are mountains, streams, plains, beaches, both sand and pebbled, olive groves and wooded hillsides. During Spring the country side abounds with a variety of wild flowers.
More than 120,000 people live on Corfu, of whom approximately 10,000 come from other European countries in the main the United Kingdom. During the tourist season, April to October, many more thousands visit on holiday or to spend time in a second home. In a good season the population can reach as much as 600,000. The main income producing activity is tourism and consequently the island has many types of accommodation ranging from camp sites to first class hotels, villa's and apartments.
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There are hundreds of restaurants, bars, cafes and taverna’s supplying a variety of continental, international and local Greek cuisine. Warm sea, beaches, sun and a large selection of water sport make Corfu a very popular European and Eastern European holiday destination. Throughout the year there are scheduled domestic flights from Athens, car ferries from Italy and some charter flights.
However, during the summer there are many direct charter flights from most European countries. In recent years the Italian car ferry services have been much improved. In the south, the Brindisi ferry takes 7 hours, while from the north the excellent Venetian ferries, with cabins, take about 24 hours. Venice can be reached by road from the English Channel ports in about 14 hours.
Corfu has been the subject of many books, of which those by British brothers Lawrence and Gerald Durrell are probably the best known.
Apart from tourism, agriculture is the main industry of the island. There was a time when the governing body of Corfu offered the inhabitants a small amount of money for each olive tree planted. As a result, Corfu has in excess of five million olive trees and is one of the most "planted" of all the Greek islands. Fruit and vegetables are produced for local consumption as well as a variety of dairy products. The island is also famous for it’s Cumquat (baby orange) liquor.
Because Corfu has become a popular location for second or permanent homes as well as tourism, the building industry has thrived and has developed high standards. The island also supports a comprehensive transport structure including a newly developed Marina, which is certainly one of the most modern in the Mediterranean. Furthermore, commercial activities such as banking, insurance, motor sales, medical facilities and light industry are well developed.
While the many coastal villages are the preferred destination of most tourists, many of the permanent residents prefer to live inland where property prices are cheaper and yet the sea is always within a few minutes drive. The focal point of the island is Corfu Town, which is busy throughout the year. Apart from its magnificent selection of shops, restaurants and bars it is also the home of the theatre, museums and art galleries. The Liston is the center point of the regular parades to commemorate Corfiot and Greek history, always accompanied by the superb Corfiot bands – an indication of the island’s great musical abilities and traditions.
Medical services on the island, both state and private are good. There are many schools and a university.
Most Corfiot families ensure their children can speak at least one other language often English but also German, Italian and French.
Winters in Corfu are mild and quite rainy; spring and autumn are pleasant, while summer is invariably totally sunny.
