Corfu in a nutshell

Corfu is one of the best known and best loved locations in Greece. Straddled between the Albanian and Greek Ionian coasts, it has been host to many influences and cultures throughout the centuries. Athens, Rome, Byzantium, Venice: each in turn has left its mark and architecture on this island.

To one end, the North-West mountains form a natural bulwark to Italy and the greater Adriatic sea. Beyond that lie the hills and plains of Corfu proper with its vineyards, olive groves and, everywhere, the haunting figures of the cypress columns, dark and slender against a Southern sky.

To its North, we find monasteries and family beaches and hilltops. Ruined fortresses and temples pay testament to the rise and fall of dynasties and empires. A one hour trip from Corfu town is the ancient city of Cassiopi, with its modern bars and nightclubs. Further on we find the cliffs and precipices of Sidari, and on to where the high, impregnable Castel Sant’Angelo stands, still undefeated, against the elements of tide and wind.

South of the island remains largely underexplored, with its smallholdings, villages, salt flats and unspoiled coves and bays.

Corfu town, perhaps, has its spiritual heart in the cathedral church of St. Spyridon. Recluse, worker of miracles, capricious guardian saint, four times yearly his relics tour the Corfu streets to the tune of crowds and marching bands. Palaces and secluded squares, museums, alleyways and alley cats, washing lines, street markets, luxury hotels and monuments make up this city of historic sights and festivals and its people.

Korakiana

Korakiana is a historical Corfu village on the foothills of Mt. Korakio. It is a place of landscapes, mountains, goat-tracks and sea-views. Nearby you will find the beaches of Ypsos and Barbati. A winding 4km mountain hike will also bring us to the neighbouring villages around Soraki.

It is home to many small churches, thirty-seven in all. Among them, the hilltop church of patron saint Agias Ylias is renowned for its Byzantine frescoes.

We have a long tradition of music — choral, street and philharmonic — and Korakiana remains host to many national and international artists and writers. Its medieval character remains largely intact to this day.

Its quiet, central location allows easy access to almost every major destination and place of interest in North and central Corfu. Among its everyday features are local stores, bakery and bar, as well as medical and taxi services.

Yet perhaps its most notable features are its community itself, its hospitality, and its winding lanes and flowered balconies, its colour, and its local traditions.

The bay of Agni

The bay of Agni (Άγνι) is a small, sheltered cove on Corfu’s northeast coast, framed by olive trees and low cliffs. It is known for clear water, a handful of waterfront tavernas, and paths that link to neighbouring bays. The pace is slower here — swimming, lunch by the sea, and late afternoons in the shade of the olives.

Our properties near Agni are set in the hills above the bay — in villages such as Kavalariana — with views of the Ionian Sea and mainland Greece. A short walk downhill brings you to the beach and tavernas; the climb back up is steep in places, so comfortable shoes and a rental car for wider exploration are recommended. This corner of the island is ideal if you want both sea access and a peaceful house above the bustle.