25 beautiful pictures to inspire you to visit Corfu Town
Last summer was the 3rd time I went to Corfu. And each time, I just seem to fall more and more in love with the island! The weather, the food, the Corfiots, the beaches… Everything is so good there. The only option is to come back, over and over! Today I would like to show you how charming Corfu’s old town is, and maybe inspire you to visit it. Here are 25 pictures (or more…) of the beautiful Corfu Town!
A STROLL IN CORFU TOWN
On a beautiful morning of August, we decided to wake up early to avoid the crowds and wander around the charming old streets of the town. Morning is my favourite time to visit the city. The morning sun makes the colours of the buildings even more intense and fascinating, while the streets are still quiet and unpopulated. I love watching Corfu Town come alive, and the best way to do that is by first sitting at a café, ideally on Liston, enjoying my freddo espresso while watching the few people passing.
Liston is a beautiful promenade, inspired by the Rue de Rivoli in Paris, where you will find most of the cafés and restaurants of Corfu Town. It’s usually very crowded, especially during the Easter period, when processions in the streets of the old town are attracting a lot of people.
At 9:30, a few tourists are out. On this square, there is a restaurant serving some nice local food where we like to go at night, Piperitsa. We usually start our walk from the church of Agios Spyridonas, the patron saint of Corfu island. We continue up a few touristic streets to finally reach the residential area of the old town, the northern part of Corfu town, where there are very few shops but beautiful and authentic buildings, lovely (and very chatty) grandpas and grandmas.
CAMPIELLO, THE OLDEST DISTRICT OF THE TOWN
The streets are so quiet there you can hear all about the neighbours’ lives, which usually keep their windows open on mornings when the heat is not so strong. One of my favourite sounds when walking around is the warming one of the coffee machines working. Makes you want to knock on the door and ask for one of these delicious greek coffees… The lady gossiping very loud on the phone, very close to her window, is also a classic. I just love how moments seem to be suspended in time while I’m there.
The colours of this town are for me the key to its charm. Warm yellows, oranges, pinks, clashing with the green of the shades, are just so satisfying to look at. The different textures, which you can see on most buildings, are a constant reminder of how old the town is and the history it hosts.
You will easily notice the predominant Italian style – buildings actually date to the Venetian occupation in the 18th century. Interesting fact, they are protected by law and cannot be touched or renovated in order to preserve Corfu’s heritage.
Back in the main streets, you will find plenty of nice, small cafés where locals hang out all day long. Some of my favourites are Bristol, one of the oldest bars in town, Mikro Café, and Piccolo.
We then made it back to Liston, to walk till the old palace and its garden. Down there is a lovely beach, Faliraki, the only beach in the old center. If you stay in the town and don’t want to drive to a beach, Faliraki is a great alternative. The water there is crystal clear! There is a rather small beach bar, Imabari, where you can rent sunbeds. Otherwise, it’s pretty difficult to relax on the beach given its size (you can see it on the photo!).
Finally, we like to conclude our walk on Liston with a few “meze”, small portions of various foods, and ouzo! This time, we sat under the trees, I believe at a café called Ευρώπη, Europe, which had a nice plate of meze you can see right under for only 3€! I will never cease to be amazed by the Greek prices… and the quality you get for that.
That was our walk! If you have any question or need extra recommendations, feel free to ask. I would be happy to help you!
Thanks for reading!
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