Corfu | Odysseus Refuge

Recognisable as the idyllic refuge where the shipwrecked Odysseus was soothed and sent on his way home, Corfu continues to welcome weary travellers with its lush scenery, bountiful produce and pristine beaches.

Since the 8th century BC, the island the Greeks call Kerkyra has been prized for its untamed beauty and strategic location. Ancient armies fought to possess it, while in the early days of modern Greece it was a beacon of learning. Corfiots remain proud of their intellectual and artistic roots, with vestiges of the past ranging from Corfu Town’s Venetian architecture to British legacies such as cricket and ginger beer.

Corfu is large enough to make it possible to escape the crowds. Venture across cypress-studded hills to find vertiginous villages in the fertile interior, and sandy coves lapped by cobalt-blue waters.

Sisi’s white marble palace, “Achilleion,” is located approximately seven kilometers from the city of Corfu on a hilltop in the village of Gastouri. From here, one has an extraordinary view of the landscape and sea. In the palace and in the surrounding flourishing gardens, the feeling of peace for which the Empress of Austria always longed for, is tangible. The heroic sagas of Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which were so meaningful to Sisi, are implemented in various forms throughout the palace and botanical gardens.

Corfu Culture: 36 Events, Festivals and Celebrations


https://www.lonelyplanet.com/greece/ionian-islands/corfu

Villas in the area