Cezara Munteanu | Greece, my love! Stories from Corfu island

June 15, 2019 In Travel – Around the world By Cezara

Greece, my love! Stories from Corfu island

I always loved going to the sea. My great loves are the summer and the sea, this fatal combination always has the power to deeply relax and make me very happy. After a holiday in Greece, life has a much tougher and more beautiful taste, and the memories you make there and the pictures you take in your heart will stay there the year round. Only when you hear something about that pearl of Europe, a smile will instantly appear on your face. It is a balm for muddy, stressful and tiring days.

Greece, my love.

Our adventure took place in Corfu. From Bucharest we started on the road and the first stop was obviously in Thessaloniki.

By car from Bucharest to Igoumenitsa port, from where you get on the ferry to the island of Corfu, it is around 1000 km. We preferred a stop on the way to rest and visit the city of Thessaloniki if it was on our way. The fuel costs around 350 euros for a return journey, and the ferry tax is about 50 euros for a car and 2 passengers.

1. Thessaloniki was founded by Cassandra of Macedonia [5] in 315 BC, and so named in honor of his wife, daughter of Philip II, Thessalonica, the step-sister of Alexander the Great. The name of Thessalonica comes from the contraction of the Greek words of Thessalian ( Thessalón, in Greek: “thessali”) and victory (“victory”), commemorating the victory of the Macedonians over the inhabitants of Focida, with the help of the Thessalyans.
It is a city full of history with a superb cliff where you can walk and admire a superb sunset! Everywhere you feel the smell and taste of Greece.

2. The next morning we set out on the road, we arrived in Igoumenitsa around noon. We got on board, and we took a walk that we enjoyed enormously, even if we were excited to get to the destination. The landscapes were dreaming!

Finally in Corfu!

Corfu has a coastline of over 200 km, including beaches hidden in fairy bays, as well as high peaks – rocks over 900 meters, bathed by the Ionian Sea. Some areas are quiet, with fine sandy beaches, chic guesthouses and hotels, and others are wild and steep, forming an impressive landscape.

We would like to explore the island and discover as many beautiful beaches as possible. So every day we went to another beach.

3. Our favorite area was Paleokastritsa, which means “ancient fortification” in Greek. Due to its nature and history, the resort is one of the most beautiful on the island. Located around three bays, it is framed by steep cliffs, with slopes full of cypress, lemons and olive trees. The legend says that this would have been the mythical island of the Phoenicians, while the bay of Paleokastritsa would be the place where the famous hero Ulysses wrecked and met Nausicaa, the daughter of the Phoenician king.

4. The Paleokastritsa Monastery
Located on the top of a hill, it offers wonderful views of the sea and the surrounding beaches. From the base of the hill you can reach either by car or on foot in a pleasant walk of 10-15 minutes that offers beautiful landscapes every step. The monastery was built around 1225 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Panagia).

5. Rent a boat to get to Paradise!
Renting a boat is the best idea, because at the most sheltered beaches you have access only by boat. We reached all kinds of beaches where we were all alone, we stopped the boat in the middle of the sea and swam right there, we had the opportunity to see dreamy landscapes! We even got to the Paradise beach. A beach with the most beautiful water than everything I saw. If you put your head in the water, it feels like an aquarium full of super-colored fish.

6. Snorkeling
When you have such a wonderful water it is a shame not to see what is hidden in the deep. Besides fish and rocks there are a bunch of other surprises!

7. A one-day cruise to the islands of Antipaxos and Paxos
It is a wonderful day trip. There are three big stops: one at the Blue Caves, one at the edge of Antipaxos, where you can snorkeling in an unreal blue water (probably the most beautiful one I’ve seen), and a third two or three hours on the island of Paxos. Excursions can be booked one or two days before.

8. Corfu Town
In short, a wondrous city of Venetian style. The city is guarded by two fortresses: the Old Fortress and the New Fortress. Starting from one to the other, you can stroll through the narrow streets of the old center, visit the Royal Palace, or even take the Esplanade from one end to the other, the boulevard where you can go for free.