Corfu Island Greece (Kerkyra) is part of the Ionian Islands. Corfu is the second largest if the Ionian Islands and also the most well known. It was Homer's "beautiful and rich land", Odysseus last stop on his journy home to Ithaca, and Shakespeare wrote about it in his play's. With it's beautiful landscapes of vibrant wild flowers and olive tress, Corfu is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all the Greek Islands.
Corfu lies at the mouth of the Adriatic Sea and faces the shores of the Greek and Albanian mainland, from which it is separated at its northernmost point by a narrow channel less than 2 miles wide. It is the northermost Ionain Island as well as the westernmost point of Greek territory. The island is long and narrow in shape and becomes narrower towards the south and curves inward towards the cost of Epirus.
The Achilleion was the palace of the Austrian Empress Elizabeth or "Sissy". She decided to build the palace in 1890 and was completed two years later in 1892. With in the Achilleion gardens is the stature of Achilles(pictured above)and also Achilles Triumphant which stands over 23 feet tall. The Achilleion is open to the public and is worth a visit if you have time.
I was in Corfu for almost 2 months last summer. I can tell you that it is a beautiful place. Life is more laid back on the Island, you live a less stressful life style. On the other hand, you are living a less civialized life. Life seems to move a little slower over there! Your dollar will buy a lot more in Corfu then it will here in the U.S. I did a lot of great shoping there for a fraction of the cost. The food was hard to get used to, but for the most part it was good. There are many resturants on the Island, and a grocery store on almost every corner. The weather is beautiful there. When I was there I didn't see a drop of rain (Even though I didn't see any rain, if you go there in the rainy months you will see plenty). The tempurature was between 80-95 every day. Transportation on the Island is not a problem. There are bus stops everywhere, and the bus comes about every half an hour. The locals who live on Corfu are very friendly. Almost every person on the island can speak at least a little English. Over all Corfu is a beautiful Island, and I recommend that you go if you have the chance. I am hopefully looking forward to going back someday.
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ACHILLEION
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