CONTENTS
Map key
Overview map
Introduction
The Corfu Trail
Plants and flowers
Wildlife
Getting there
Local transport
Information
When to go
Accommodation
Communications
Food and drink
What to take
Maps and place names
Dos and don’ts
Emergencies
Using this Guide
Corfu’s Northeast
Walk 1 Kaminaki to Kerasia coastal path
Walk 2 Kalami to Menegoulas loop
Walk 3 The Old Perithia trail
Walk 4 Around Cape Agia Ekaterinis
Walk 5 The Panorama Trail above Aharavi
Corfu’s Northwest
Walk 6 Cape Drastis
Walk 7 Agios Stefanos to Arillas
Walk 8 Porto Timoni
Walk 9 Fisherman’s Cabin and the kalderimi
Walk 10 Paleokastritsa and Angelokastro loop
Walk 11 Limni beach
Walk 12 Liniodoros beach
Corfu’s Centre
Walk 13 Mirtiotissas and Agios Georgios mountain
Walk 14 Agii Deka
Walk 15 Benitses to Dafnata
Walk 16 Agios Mattheos and Prasoudi
Corfu’s South
Walk 17 Lake Korission circuit
Walk 18 Short Lake Korission route
Walk 19 Chlomos loop
Walk 20 The Lefkimmi Salt Pans
Walk 21 Arkoudilas beach circuit
Walk 22 The Short Arkoudilas loop
The Corfu Trail
Stage 1 Kavos to Potami
Stage 2 Potami to Agios Georgios south
Stage 3 Agios Georgios south to Paramonas
Stage 4 Paramonas to Dafnata
Stage 5 Dafnata to Pelekas
Stage 6 Pelekas to Liapades beach
Stage 7 Liapades beach to Agios Georgios north
Stage 8 Agios Georgios north to Sokraki
Stage 9 Sokraki to Old Perithia
Stage 10 Old Perithia to Agios Spiridonas
Appendix A Route summary tables
Appendix B Accommodation
Appendix C English–Greek glossary and expressions
Appendix D Further reading
Maps and place names
Sketch maps are provided with each walk in this Guide. Key landmarks and as much useful detail as possible have been crammed in, dictated by limits of space and graphics. In most cases these maps, along with the route description, are sufficient for the walks. However, it is always a good idea to get hold of a larger commercial map for many reasons: they are helpful when planning your trip, put places in a wider context, help you identify points of interest, and are essential in orientation if you lose your way.
The Anavasi 1:56,000 scale map is the best for walking. It is widely available on the island as well as online from www.anavasi.gr and at bookshops in the UK. For a glossary of commonly used geographical terms on maps and signs see Appendix C.
As can be expected, place names on Corfu are in Greek script, although many have been transcribed to English characters and often translated on signs to help visitors. However, there are huge variations in spelling. The versions in this Guide are based on those on the Freytag & Berndt map. Note that Corfu Town is also referred to as Kerkyra.
Another thing to watch out for is the recurrence of identical or very similar names. A common example is Pantokrator or Pandokratoras – Christ depicted as all-embracing, ruler of the universe, The Almighty. Numerous chapels bear his name, and have often given the name to the mountain they stand on. The only true Oros Pandokratoras (Mount Pandokratoras) is the highest point on Corfu in the northeast. Others often referred to as Pantokrator for their eponymous monasteries are the Agii Deka massif between the villages of Agios Deka and Stavros, and Agios Mattheos further south.
The Pantokrator, Christ the Almighty
Agios or Ayios – pronounced ‘eye-eos’ – means ‘saint’ (the term gave rise to ‘hagiography’, the lives of the saints, in English). An immensely popular place name is Agios Georgios (Saint George). There are two beach locations with this name – one in the north and the other in the south. For the purposes of this Guide, one is referred to as Agios Georgios south and its counterpart Agios Georgios north. To confuse things more, there’s a Mount Agios Georgios on the west coast, not to mention the village of similarly spelled Agios Gordios to its south. Agios Georgios south is sometimes referred to as Agios Georgios Argyrades, and Agios Georgios north as Agios Georgios Pagi.
Spiridion is the island’s highly revered patron saint: however, curiously few places have been named after him – apart from the place where the Corfu Trail concludes.
Saint Spiridion
Spiridion was a 4th-century Cretan shepherd who took his vows on the death of his wife and went on to become a bishop. He was credited with some miracles during his lifetime. When Crete was taken over by the Arabs his body – still intact – was moved to Constantinople. In 1453 a Corfiot monk took the embalmed remains to Corfu, where they are still held in great awe today and attributed with miraculous influence. Spiridion is known as the Keeper of the City for his help in expelling both the plague and the Turks – on that occasion he appeared in a vision to the invaders, threatening them with a cross and a flaming torch.