20 September 2023 - Benitses and Kerkyra (Corfu Town)

As we had booked into the marina for 2 days, but completed the necessary maintenance tasks in 1 day, we took the opportunity to go into Corfu town for some site seeing. The bus stop was right outside the marina, so it was very easy,  there was even a ticket machine at the bus stop (of which more later).

Alighting from the bus, we started to wander through the narrow streets and alleyways of the old town. It was the sort of place to ignore the maps and just wander and see what you would find.

Like many other places in this part of the world, Corfu has a very long history.  It was one of three Greek naval powers in the fifth century BC, with Athens and Corinth. Since then it has changed hands multiple times. It was part of the Republic of Venice from the 12th century, and there are still many buildings and avenues which seem typically Venetian. They built two huge forts to guard the city against pirates and the Ottomans, making it one of the most fortified places in Europe.  In November 1815 Corfu came under British rule following the Napoleonic Wars, and in 1864 was ceded to modern Greece by the British. There are many signs of British influence, despite the relatively short period of administration. In the centre of town there is a cricket field.  Matches are played on Wednesdays and at weekends, but nothing was happening as we passed by.

The fortress is separated from the city by a sea moat

Various frescos, preserved and on display

A church / temple, designed by the British Army, during the British Administration 

We visited the Old Venetian Fortress, high above the harbour, a World Heritage Site.  There were various exhibitions to see within the walls, most interestingly a recount of the month long annexation of Corfu by the Italians, almost exactly 100 years ago, in August 1923.  All part of the power struggles that went on in the mid war years.  Unfortunately, Greece came off rather badly from this and had to make some embarrassing concessions to make the Italian navy leave.

The bus ride back was a bit confusing. As stated before, we bought a flat price ticket from the machine to  go to the town, and this was accepted without a problem.  On the return, we bought similar tickets from a machine, but the driver said that they were wrong, we should have paid more and we should have paid more in the morning as well.  In the end, the size of the queue of people waiting to get on behind us persuaded him to let us on, so long as we didn’t blame him if an inspector got on.  I’ve never been on a bus before when the flat rate fare in one direction was different to the flat rate fate in the other direction.  I still don’t understand.

Miles today           35

Miles in 2023      941

Steve (and Tricia)