Corfu Town Holidays

Corfu Town, birthplace of the Duke of Edinburgh, falls between 2 great Venetian coastal fortresses to the east and west. Within these historical bookends lies a very modern capital that offers great beaches and boutique shopping. The town’s cobbled streets meander through the UNESCO-standard old town as far the Esplanade – one of Europe’s largest.

The calm waters of Mon Repos Beach lie 2 kilometres from the centre of town, at the edge of the royal palace gardens it shares its name with. The beach’s tree-lined edge provides natural shade. An entry fee of 1.5 euros goes toward the upkeep of a pier that gives you easy access to the water beyond the gravelly shore. Sandy Faliraki Beach to the north, meanwhile, is Corfu Town’s oldest bathing spot.

Corfu Town comes with lots of historic sights. As well as the fortresses, there’s the Mon Repos Palace – where the Duke of Edinburgh was born. And St Spiridon’s Church, which has the highest bell tower in town, is home to the mummified remains of the island’s patron saint. Then there’s a brace of museums, including the Byzantine Museum of Corfu, which is housed in a 15th-century church in the Mouragia part of town. It houses valuable icons dating back to the same period.

Vidos Island was once known as Corfu’s Alcatraz – now it’s a great port of call for its secluded beaches and the wild rabbits that hop around the place. Ferries leave from Corfu Town every hour. Or there are glass-bottom boat tours of the lush north-eastern coast that include some snorkelling – these set sail from Barbati, about 25 kilometres away.