Let's go to Corfu

Our next destination will be the Greek island of Corfu. Unfortunately, things didn't start off well even before departure as our car rental was canceled at short notice. Well, not a big deal we thought. We'll find another way to get from the airport to our accommodation. However, it turned out to be a bit more difficult. Unfortunately, we arrived so late in the evening that there were no more buses in the direction we needed to go, and rental cars were hardly available, and if so, way too expensive for us. After we couldn't think of any other option, we had to take a taxi to cover the one-hour journey to our accommodation. After the stress, we tried some Greek specialties and treated ourselves to Feta, Moussaka, and Sofrito.

On the second day, we had a lazy morning and then enjoyed a hearty breakfast. In the afternoon, we went to the beach in our town, which was really beautiful despite the slight wind. In the evening, we decided to book a rental car for the next few days, as it would be very difficult otherwise to get from one place to another. We had dinner again in a cozy tavern. This time, we had meat dishes. Kathrin ordered a mixed grill platter and I tried goat on the recommendation of the owner. These dishes, as well as the appetizers and desserts, were exquisite and we had a very nice evening.

Picking up the rental car was super easy and fast, so we could start sightseeing right away. The first stop was the old Byzantine fortress Angelokastro. It took us about 40 minutes to cover the mere 16 km, as the road led through narrow streets and serpentine roads through the mountains. I don't think I even shifted to fourth gear. From the parking lot, we climbed a few stairs to reach the fortress. There's not much left of it, so the fortress itself is not particularly interesting. The view from the top, however, is beautiful, overlooking the bay of Paleokastritza and the stunning turquoise sea in some places. 

Our next destination was the monastery of Paleokastritza, which we could already see from the fortress. However, it took another half an hour to get there, as once again we had to drive through adventurous roads in the mountains down to the bay. Once we arrived, it was teeming with tourists and tour groups who were brought in by buses. So finding a parking spot was quite difficult. Eventually, we found a parking spot at the beach and walked the rest of the way up to the monastery. The monastery is beautifully designed. There's a small chapel, an olive press, and the paths between the different buildings are completely planted.

That was it for the sights. Afterwards, we laid down on the beach of Paleokastritza. It's beautifully located between high cliffs and the water is wonderfully clear. Unfortunately, it was also very crowded. As the weather didn't cooperate and it kept getting cloudier, we couldn't stay there for too long. On the way back to our accommodation, we drove up into the mountains again, where we could take some beautiful pictures at a lookout point.

The next day, we wanted to visit Corfu City. But before that, we made a detour to Achilleion. It's a palace that Empress Sissi had built on Corfu between 1890 and 1892. Above all, this palace served as a place to house the collections of the enthusiastic art collector. For example, in the garden, you can find many sculptures, such as a huge statue of Achilles. In the grand staircase, there's also a painting depicting the victorious Achilles after the battle against Hector.

Afterwards, we went to Corfu City. First, to Cafe Kanoni, where you have a great view of Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island, and then to the city center.

We walked through the old town, where there are many small and beautiful streets that invite you to stroll around. Afterwards, we visited the old fortress. The highlight here is the viewpoint on top of the fortress. You can see the whole city and even Albania from up there.

On our last day in Corfu, we visited the abandoned mountain village of Perithia in the morning. In the past, people used to hide there from pirates and diseases. After there was no longer any danger, the residents gradually left the village. Today, you can still see many old buildings, and there are now also some small cozy taverns.

In the afternoon, we headed to the beach again. This time, we wanted to go to Porto Timoni Bay in Afionas. However, the way there was not easy. We had to navigate a narrow, rocky path for about 20 minutes down to the bay. But the view and the beautiful clear water in the bay were definitely worth it.

On the next day, we took the ferry to Albania.