Corfu, Greece

Corfu Town Hall

About Corfu. Corfu is a little bit of this, a little bit of that. It’s a mix of Italian, French, British and Greek all swirled into one beautiful Corfu’s beautiful coast. Photo credit: Wikipedia. potpourri of a town.

Corfu, Greece Lifestyle Highlights

* Enjoy a romantic Mediterranean sunset from one of Corfu’s impressive fortresses.

* Hike Corfu’s mountain for breathtaking views of the island.

* Walk through Corfu town and admire the mix of Italian, British, French and Greek architecture.

* Relax on your balcony overlooking the city’s crescent harbor protected on 3 sides by sea cliffs.

About Corfu

Corfu is a little bit of this, a little bit of that.  It’s a mix of Italian, French, British and Greek all swirled into one beautiful potpourri of a town.  Dubbed “Kastropolis” by the locals, possibly from its location between two fortresses, Corfu is the capitol town of it’s little island that bears the same name, Corfu.

Located on the very Northwest tip of Greece, the island of Corfu is closer to Albania than most of Greece.  Corfu is pure Mediterranean beauty and island charm, without the throngs of tourists.  Towering sea cliffs, rolling mountains that grow straight up out of the sea, thick green foliage, sweeping crescent beaches – it’s hard not to fall in love with Corfu.  And many expats have.  A large international expat community calls Corfu home, adding to Corfu’s already long list of credentials as a retirement destination.

Corfu town has a wide variety of activities and sites – archaeological sites, tour companies that run excursions to Albania and surrounding islands, beautiful gardens that provide and oasis from the heat during the summer, a number of museums and art galleries, a few gold courses just outside the town, and the Corfu’s two spectacular fortresses.  There is also boating, surfing and snorkeling, in addition to hiking, jogging and cycling.  The cinema is small, but does show English films and the town hosts a number of music festivals throughout the year.

Dining in Corfu ranges from fine dining at one of the resorts to homemade bread at the local mom-and-pop bakery in Corfu town.  A number of cafes are scattered throughout Corfu and most restaurants serve hearty, healthy Greek cuisine.

Corfu town and the island lack large stores.  For large super markets, shopping centers and other conveniences locals have to travel to the mainland to the town of Ioannina.  Though hospitals, police stations, fire stations, and libraries do exist in Corfu.  The crime rate is very low; Greece is a very safe country, especially on the islands such as Corfu.  Even with the recent economic troubles of the country of Greece, as a member of the EU it will still remain is stable place to retire to.

Since Corfu town and the island has a large expat population and many resorts, English is more commonly spoken than found elsewhere in Greece.  Though small shopkeepers still may not be fluent in English.

Corfu Town does have relatively high cost of living because it does have a large resort community and most goods have to either be flown or ferried over to the island.

The capitol town of this once Shakespearean muse, is a beautiful and enchanting location to retire to.  Even with it’s dabbling of Italian, French and British, it’s all pure Mediterranean Greek at heart.  With it’s strong expat community, friendly locals, beautiful beaches and gorgeous sunsets, Corfu is always a top retirement destination.

Around Corfu

Most towns near Corfu town are either tiny Greek fishing villages or large resort towns.

South of Corfu Town

South of Corfu Town is a great location for hiking with it’s tall sea cliffs and lush green forests.  It also has some nice museums, tiny traditional Greek villages, and an Austrian palace or two from the 1890s. The real estate prices in this beautiful part of Corfu island are much cheaper than prices in the main town and the scenic views are just as beautiful.
Source: retireworldwide.com