Corfu Town
Our first stop on the tour was a brief walk to the old Corfu town itself with the fort walls visible in the near distance. Here are some of the highlights we saw:
Spianada
Largest square in Corfu and is a raised terrace which was created for defensive purposes under Venetian rule. It basically consists of two squares divided in the middle by Viktoros Dousmani St (which is where the taxis and parking areas are). The northern side is flanked by the Palace of Saint Michael and George, and the home of museum of Asian Art and the Municipal Gallery. There is a garden known as the People's Garden which has the municipal cafe, a common meeting point in town. There is another small garden, Bosketo, with swings, benches, and a view of the Ancient Fortress that you must cross the Venetian moat to visit.
Old Fortress
Dating back to the 6th century A.D., the Old Fortress is connected to town with the help of a bridge, which extends 60 meters and made entirely of iron. It was first fortified by the Goths. Between the 6th and 13th centuries, the entire town of Corfu was located within the fortifications of this structure. It was during the 15th century the Venetians took siege and then renovated it constructing walls and bastions. The Old Fortress also features a small harbor (Mandrocchio) on the northern side which was used by the Venetians as a place for their ships.
St Spyridon's Church
The present one was built in 1590 which replaced a much older version and is dedicated to the island's patron saint. Ironically, he was not born in Corfu but a bishop from Cyprus who had performed miracles. He saved the island from famine once, twice from plague, and invasion by the Turks. Many children are named after him - Spiros (boys) and Spiridoula (girls) in his honor. The church is Greek Orthodox with his silver casket visible, opened for those wishing to pray directly to the saint. Respectful and apporpriate attire is required to enter the church. No hats and absolutely no photos were allowed while we were inside. We only have the pic of the tower from a distance. I tried to get a better photo when we were closer but because the streets/alley ways were so narrow, we couldn't get the church in the picture from that close of a distance.
The Old Town of Corfu is located at the entrance of the Adriatic Sea and dates back to the 8th century BC. There were three forts in town which were all designed by Venetian engineers, and served the area for four centuries, defending the maritime trading interests of the Republic of Venice against the Ottoman Empire. As with many historical sites, the forts were damaged and rebuilt over time, most recently under British rule in the 19th century. Old Town is primarily neoclassical and is in part from the Venetian period and partially the later 19th century British construction.
As the old town was located within fortifications, the streets are very narrow, paved with cobblestones since land use/space was incredibly important. Many of the streets we walked were certainly too narrow for vehicle traffic but made beautiful walk streets. The main street is the "Liston" where you will find the bistros and upscale restaurants. The day we walked around, some of the outdoor cafes had beautiful lounge type seating and they were all crowded with people enjoying a cup of coffee, enjoying the view to the sea and the old fortress.
Corfu was just added to the UNESCO World Heritage site list in 2007. It was added for its outstanding universal value. As its roots date all the way back to the Byzantine period, it has been under the influence of a variety of people.
If you visit Corfu by cruise ship, the old town is relatively close to the ship terminal and can be accessed by walking or taxi. If you arrive to Corfu by plane, you will definitely need a cab or transportation to get into town.
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