Corfu is an island. It is also six times smaller than Belgium, which has the advantage that you never have to drive far in any direction to see the sea. Although travel time is relative, as there are no highways on Corfu.
Since we love peace & quiet and nature, and I had already spent a week at sea, we decided to stay at Vradi estate. A place nicely hidden in the countryside surrounded by cypress and olive trees.
The hotel where we stayed only serves breakfast, which is excellent by the way, but no dinner or lunch. However, this only makes it more interesting to discover the local cuisine. On the first evening, and it did not remain at just one evening, we went down to Dasia beach for diner. A very charming bay with a beautiful view of the Ionian Sea. And what did you have? Fish, of course.
On our way to Palaiokastritsa we stopped at la Grotta bar. Via 142 steps, you descend to sea level where you can swim among the rocks and take a refreshing dip from the diving board. Which is not without danger. We really enjoyed the view, but not so much the noisy music of the bar.
Just outside of Palaiokastritsa, on top of the green hill, lies the monastery of Saint Mary. It was founded in 1228 by the monk Euthymios Midas from the village of Pagoi, on the site where an icon of the Virgin Mary had been found. The whole monastery, including its garden, is well maintained.
The weather was quite unstable during our stay. Not really cold, but occasionally chilly, cloudy and sometimes with heavy rain. But as always, after rain comes sunshine.
Tourism, mainly British tourists, is a major source of income for Corfu. But there is also a downside. The whole island is becoming polluted, especially inland, where during our walks it sometimes looked like a rubbish dump. The Corfiots recently started to organise clean-up campaigns to keep their beaches clean.
The authorities are taking active steps to curb overtourism by focusing on attracting wealthier travellers and are pushing for a more sustainable tourism.
Although you regularly see picturesque village squares, the small villages in the hinterland are often partly abandoned and dilapidated. However, these are the places where you can generally still eat authentic food. The restaurants in the more touristy areas often serve the same dishes.
