Corfu is the
greenest of the islands. It has a higher average
rainfall than the rest of Greece, with the highest
monthly rainfall being in December. The summer months
are almost entirely dry. During May–September the
average daily sunshine is 10 hours, with an average
temperature in July-August of about 32°C. The rainy
season usually begins towards the end of September
bringing welcome relief from the intense heat of the
summer.
Around late
January - early February, mornings are often cold enough
to bring a cover of frost and occasionally it will snow,
during which time the view across to Albania is
stunning, with its snow-capped mountains. Mount
Pantokrator and the villages below sometimes have a
coating of snow too, which entices many families out to
build snowmen. It is quite a novelty here to see it
snowing and many cars are driven around with a snowman
on the bonnet for a couple of days till it melts. If you
happen to be here at this time of the year it is a
pleasure to wrap up warm and go walking. The occasional,
biting wind can really give you a breath of fresh air.
During the
spring build up to Easter in the months of March and
April the weather here can vary greatly. There is often
a hint of the hot summer to come with beautiful sunny
days and more people can be found sitting outside cafes
as opposed to enjoying the warmth inside. However, the
temperature can change quickly from one day to the next
at this time of the year and potential visitors should
come prepared for all types of weather.
May brings
warmer weather although the evenings can be chilly. It
is a perfect time of the year for people that enjoy a
little sunbathing as well as walking as it is not too
hot. In May it is warm enough to go swimming in the sea
or pool. It can be a bit showery at times and it is
recommended that you have a light jacket with you for
the evenings. The flowers at this time of year are
beginning to flourish and against the lush green
landscape the island is stunning. By June the days are
getting longer and warmer and it can get very hot.
From
mid-June, leading into July and August, the evenings
become hot and balmy and the days are scorching. Apart
from the olive trees and cypresses, the landscape
becomes a yellow-brown colour from the heat and lack of
rain. The sea here is fabulous at this time and it is a
great pleasure to stay at the beach till late into the
evening and watch the sun go down. Around mid-September
the evenings start cooling down again but the days are
still very hot. Late September can bring heavy
thunderstorms which are often short-lived and the sun
starts to shine again. October generally feels a lot
fresher, heavy showers will have cleared the air and the
lands takes on its deep green colour once again. On
sunny days it is still warm enough to swim and sunbathe
although the sea may be a little chilly for some people.
The sea temperature can of course depend on wind and
wind-direction etc. For people who enjoy walking this is
a perfect time to visit.
The end of
October, running into the first few days of November,
brings an end to the tourist season. Generally, it
becomes colder and more damp, with regular rainfall. Wet
days are interspersed with fresh, windy and sunny days
up till December and the Christmas period. Many visitors
still come to Corfu during this time and find it very
relaxing and interesting.
Population -
People:
The
population of Corfu is about 110,000 and over a third of
the population live in the capital, Corfu Town. The
Corfiot people themselves are some of the kindest and
generous that you could wish to meet. They are very
welcoming of the visitor and if you stumble across a
tiny taverna in the mountains it is highly likely that
you will be invited into the kitchen to discover what is
on the menu for the day. The way of life here is much
more laid back than in the UK, but during the rise of
cheap package tourism in the 1970’s and 80’s it gained a
reputation as a “party island”. Although this was
generally restricted to a few enclaves, over the years
most of those have mellowed considerably and Corfu now
has a much quieter, up-market feel. It has become a
perfect holiday location for people of all ages and has
much to offer.
Visitors,
Past and Present:
The
spectacular scenery, sunny beaches and charming capital
have enchanted millions of visitors over the years,
including writers and artists over the centuries. Many
eminent foreigners, from the Rothschild family to the
Empress of Austria have had villas built on the island
and over the last 20 years or so Corfu has become known
as something of a British playground. Over half of the
island’s holiday visitors are British and come here on
holiday during the summer season which lasts from around
the beginning of May to the end of October. In recent
years there has been a big rise in the number of people
visiting during the autumn and winter months, mainly due
to the fact that many of these people have had villas
built and continue to have holidays here out of season.
In the past most villages closed up their tavernas and
cafes for the winter and most people went to Corfu town
for their amusement, however, now with the growing
number of winter visitors many of these places remain
open all year round.
The Working
Population:
An estimated
third of the working population is somehow involved in
tourism. Around 55% of the land has olive trees, of
which there are around 3.5 million. The rest of the
cultivated areas are used for vineyards, vegetables and
grazing. There are more olive trees here than tourists,
of which there are almost 1 million annually. In the
past many local people earned a living from olive oil
production and back then that was their only income.
Today, however, many of the same people and their
families rely on tourism as well. The olive season lasts
from the beginning of November and carries on into the
spring.
A Brief
History:
The
beautiful island of Corfu, or Kerkyra, is situated just
off the northwest coast of mainland Greece. The closest
Greek Island to Italy, it is one of the seven Ionian
Islands. Corfu’s acknowledged history begins in 734 B.C,
when the Corinthians established a colony called Corcyra
in an area south of what is now Corfu Town, called
Paleopolis (Old City). Archaeological digs have turned
up evidence of this and the famous 6th century B.C.
Gorgon pediment from the Temple of Artemis, now housed
in the Archaeological Museum, is the single most
important surviving artefact of classical Corcyra.
Geographically speaking, Kerkyra was the ideal stepping
stone between the main lands of Europe, thus it became
prone to invasion. Corfu’s safe harbours, fertile soil
and strategic position between the Adriatic and Ionian
seas made it a prize worth contesting by the many powers
fighting for control of the region. After changing hands
on several occasions, the island fell to Roman forces
and formed part of the eastern empire of Rome. As
Turkish rule spread throughout Greece during the 16th
and 18th Centuries, Kerkyra was able to withstand
numerous attacks due to the fortification of the island.
The Franko-Venetians ruled the island and put a stop to
a number of invasions including a 6 year siege by the
British who eventually made their stand on the island
for 50 years, only to hand the island back over to
Greece.
Only a few
ruins remain today from the past, as Mussolini bombarded
and occupied the island with the Germans. Apart from the
brief occupation during the Second World War the island
has remained Greek ever since. The first foreign
visitors in the 1950’s renamed the island and Kerkyra
became Corfu. To this day both names are still used.
A Brief
Mythology of Corfu:
The modern
name of Corfu is said to derive from the Greek word
Koryphai, which means ‘summit’ or ‘peak’, in reference
to the hills of the Old Fortress of Corfu Town. The
older name for the island, Corcyra, or Kerkyra as it is
known in modern times, is said to be in honour of the
mythological nymph, Kerkura, who was abducted by
Poseidon and brought to the island. According to
mythology, the Greek goddess of harvest, Dimtra is
believed to have thrown her syckle into the Ionian Sea
where it petrified, thus forming the syckle shaped
island we know and love today, Corfu, or Kerkyra.
Corcyra could also have been Gorgyra or Gorgo (the
demonic Medusa) as she is depicted on the Gorgon
pediment recovered from the remains of the Temple of
Artemis, now housed in the Archaeological museum.
