St. Spyridon Cathedral
Spiridon Trimifuntsky - the patron saint of the island and the most revered local saint. In the church, his relics are kept in a shrine. To venerate them, you have to queue for hours in a huge line. But believers say it’s worth it. Spiridon helps in many matters, and he is especially skilled in providing financial assistance. The saint truly helps. The main proof is the metal figurines, cars, and even body parts hung all over the church and above the shrine on chains. The locals have calculated that Saint Spiridon saved lives no fewer than four times-if not for all the island’s residents, then for a good half of them. The saint’s record includes deliverance from the plague, famine, and Turkish invaders.
Achilleion Palace
Achilleion, the palace of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Princess Sissi), was built by the empress during the period 1890-1892, after one of her visits to Corfu. The large neoclassical building has a lower level and two more floors decorated with statues and paintings. The vast gardens surrounding the building offer beautiful views of most of the island and descend to the coastal road. They are decorated with many statues, the best-known of which are the statue of the Dying Achilles (the mythological Greek hero) and the statue of the Triumphant Achilles.
Liston Street
What, what, but something like this you won’t find in just any city in Greece. This street was built exclusively for a select few. A true “Forbidden City,” where you could walk only as an aristocrat-not for everyone, but only for those who were included on a specific list. After some time, commoners were still allowed to appear on Liston, but they could walk only on one side. Today, Liston Street is a classic promenade. Cozy restaurants and street cafés where they serve the most expensive coffee on Corfu, boutiques, greenery generously shading the pedestrian area, and houses with windows tightly closed with blue shutters.
Pontikonisi
Pontikonisi is a completely tiny island lying right opposite the runway of the airport. For those who come to the island, it’s on the list of places that you absolutely must either visit or at least see. It looks utterly idyllic. A small strip of land with a lush crown of greenery, from which the top of the Pantokrator Monastery rises. When the Greeks tell the story of this island, they are not making it up. The most popular legend says that, in fact, it is the ship of Odysseus. The king of Ithaca angered Poseidon somehow, and the ruler of the sea turned the ship into a small piece of land.
