Corfu is situated in the extreme northwest corner of the country, to the west of Epirus. It is the northernmost island in the Ionian sea and the second largest of the Ionian islands after Cefalonia, with an area of 590 sq.km.
Geologically it belongs to the Adriatic-Ionian mountainous zone of western Greece and has a geological composition remarkably similar to that of neighboring continental Greece, with which it once formed a single unit before being separated by ruptures and faults.
The rich soil, the temperate, hospitable climate, with warm winters and cool summers, and its strategic location has resulted in Corfu being quite densely populated. The prefectural district of Corfu (Corfu, Paxi and Diapontian islands) extends over 638 sq. km. and has a population of 110,000, of which a third live in the town.
“Kerkyra or Corkyra, daughter of river Assopos, fell in love with Poseidon, God of the sea. Poseidon abducted her and brought her to this island which hence took her name. The fruit of their union, Phaeax, gave his name to the mythological inhabitants who are referred as the Phaeceans. The international name of Corfu was most probably derived from the fortified hills that surround the town. According to another version the name Corfu was given by the French occupiers and was derived from the Latin “colphus”, which originates from the ancient Greek “kolpos”.
In mythology, it was the island of the Phaeceans, where Odysseus met Nausica. In historical times, it belonged to the civilization of Ancient Greece, and subsequently it was occupied by Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Angevins, Venetians, French, Russians and British, but never by the Turks who occupied the rest of Greece. In 1864 the island was reunified with the modern Greek nation.
Corfu’s old cultural tradition is presented till our days, through various superb art activities. Artists, writers, poets, scholars and architects coexisted in Corfu for many years, creating a cultural club. It was originally founded in 1836 as the first cultural organization in modern Greece. Until now Corfu hosts art exhibitions, seminars, lectures, scientific congresses and musical events. Its library is unique and priceless. Today the cultural tradition of Corfu is maintained by the Reading Society, the Society for Corfiot Studies and the Ionian University.
Today Corfu has a plethora of luxury hotels, traditional rented rooms and apartments, bungalows, camping, riding clubs, tennis courts, golf courses and tourist offices ready to service every tourist visitor. All around Corfu there are authentic little tavernas, good restaurants, cafes, quiet bars, and night clubs. Furthermore, there is a flourishing market for Greek and international luxury goods. The facilities provided by the island’s tourism infrastructure has made Corfu the most popular destination for various forms of alternative tourism. Also the frequent ferry service to Italy and flights to destinations all over the world have reduced distances, making Corfu more accessible to the traveler.
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