We docked at Corfu (Kerkyra) on Thursday; it is one of the Greek islands in the Ionian Sea. According to Thucydides, in the 5th century BC, it was one of the 3 great naval powers of Greece (along with Athens and Corinth). But because Corfu was in such a strategic position, sovereignty over the island changed hands many times.
The island became part of the Republic of Venice around 1204 and successfully repulsed several Ottoman sieges. As a result it was recognized by European states as a bulwark against the Ottoman Empire. Subsequently it became one of the most fortified places in Europe.
After the Napoleonic Wars the British Empire ruled Corfu from 1815 until Britain ceded it to the modern Greek state in 1864. The first governor of independent Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias, was born on Corfu.
The tour schedule included a visit to a family owned soap factory that specialized in olive oil soap. We learned how a few simple ingredients are melded, heated, formed, cut and dried into a great, gentle soap.
We also visited one of Greece’s oldest local markets and saw beautiful displays of fresh fish and produce.
We roamed through the town of Corfu, which is lovely and has a very European vibe. In the midst of our roaming we stopped at Casa Parlante, a “living history museum” that shows how the nobility from Venice lived when they came to live in Corfu in the 19th century. We also got a look at how mere mortals live today.
Corfu was a delight to see, and a wonderful place to visit. Now we leave Greece and move on to Croatia.
MAM & JFB