Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Corfu, Greece (Part 1)

Monday, July 9

The island of Corfu lies in the Ionian Sea, midway between Greece and Italy.  Conquered by the Romans and settled by the Venetians and British, the island is a wonderful mix of European influences.  Corfu is a dynamic blend of architectural delights, stunning vistas, lively marketplaces, impressive museums and more just waiting to be discovered.

Strolling through the streets of the capital city of Corfu, it's easy to see why it's been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Region: Corfu is the second largest of the Ionian Islands and lies at the entrance to the Adriatic Sea.

Population: Over 41,000 live in the city of Corfu, while 109,537 live on the island (2007)

Climate: Mediterranean.... summers are hot and dry and heavy rains in winter

Language: Greek

Currency: Euro

We had a taxi tour booked with another couple for a 5 to 6 hour tour around the beautiful island of Corfu.  Our driver was Kosta and he was there to pick us up at the Port gate.  Once again we were docked some distance from the Port gate so a complimentary shuttle was provided to the terminal.  As we were early we walked to the terminal which was quite pleasant and not too hot.

Our day took us to the main highlights of the island which took in many beautiful vistas.  We drive through many skinny streets through little old villages and even met some of the locals.

The colour of the water is stunning varying in many shades of blue.  The day was very hot for walking around reaching temperatures above 30 degrees but close to the water was a cooling sea breeze.  

Our tour ended mid afternoon when Kosta dropped us into the centre of the city.  He advised this is only a 5 to 7 minute drive to the Port and 10 euros in a taxi.  Armed with all these details and a recommendation for lunch we headed to the Rex for lunch.  Service was slow as was the internet but the food was good and they had Aperol Spritz on their menu.... a winner already!

We had time for a quick look through the streets but not much time for shopping.... that may have to wait till we get to Italy!

Back to the ship an hour before time.... could have used that shopping if we weren't being harassed by our men!

Sailaway was at 6pm although we were late leaving as they could not get the gangway up and the door closed.  Eventually we were underway and deck 11 was packed.  We sailed past Albania which was interesting to see from the water as we have only been there on a land tour back in 2008.

Tomorrow is another full day in Kotor, Montenegro.























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