Corfu is the largest and most northerly of the Ionian islands, lying just off the coast of Albania. Corfu Town is a splendid 18th century Venetian town, the Venetians owned these islands for 400 years, with a British overlay from the 50 eyars of British Empire – the main legacy being a brass brand and a cricket pitch. The north-east of the island is known as the Gold Coast – stupendous villas crouch on the waterfront with private jetties for their boats, and full staff waiting on guests inside. Beach tavernas have kept it simple- captains of industry eat there and know the owner by name – sophistication is strictly for inside the villas. The classic way to enjoy Corfu, as its sandy beaches are on the “wrong” side of the island, is to charter a boat for a day or for the duration of the stay; take a picnic or tie up at one of the waterfront tavernas, and the best swimming and waterskiing is found in the small and secret coves, or over in the islands of Paxos and Antipaxos to the south.
Kassiopi is the village in the North East that is the focal point of activities- cheerful, simple and friendly, it is a place where younger guests can roam freely and meet eachother in the evenings.
Further south along the coast are the bays of Kerasia, San Stefanos, Kouloura and Nissaki which offer slightly close access to Corfu Town for those wanting to visit the churches, piazzas and very good museums. As well as all this, the Achilleon palace built for Empress Sissi of Austria , the small island of Pondikonissi and the elegant arcades of the Liston all make Corfu Town an excursion not to be missed.
