Corfu A to Z Travel Dictionary
A plain English dictionary of the villages, sights, beaches, Corfiot dishes, drinks, festivals and travel words you will meet on Corfu and around the Ionian. Now 206 entries. Search it, filter it by category, tap a letter to jump, or print the whole thing to take with you:
Acharavi
VillageA low key resort village along the north coast, with a long sand and shingle beach and easy access to Mount Pantokrator.
#Achilleion Palace
SightThe palace built above Gastouri for Empress Elisabeth of Austria ('Sisi') in the 1890s, with terraced gardens and statues of Achilles.
#Afionas
VillageA ridge top village on the north west coast, the starting point for the walk down to Porto Timoni and a well known spot for sunset views.
#Agios Georgios Pagon
BeachA long sandy bay on the north west coast below the village of Pagi, more open and less built up than the resorts further east.
#Agios Gordios
BeachA broad west coast bay backed by green hills and framed by tall rock stacks, popular for swimming and sunsets.
#Agios Markos
VillageA once abandoned Venetian era village in central east Corfu, carefully restored, with its stone mansions and two historic churches (1075 and 1577) brought back to life.
#Agios Mattheos
VillageAn inland village under a wooded hill in the south west, surrounded by olive groves and close to Gardiki Castle and Halikounas.
#Agios Spyridon Beach
BeachA shallow, sandy north coast bay beside the Antinioti lagoon, gentle enough for small children.
#Agios Stefanos (north west)
VillageA sheltered fishing harbour and resort on the north west coast, also called San Stefanos, with boats to the Diapontia islands; not to be confused with the north east bay of the same name.
#Agni Bay
BeachA pebbly northeast cove known for its cluster of waterside fish tavernas, reached by road or boat.
#Analipsi
NeighbourhoodA small hamlet near Kanoni and Anemomilos, a few minutes from town, best known as the access point for the ancient Doric Temple of Kardaki and its spring.
#Angelokastro
SightA ruined Byzantine castle on a sheer peak above the west coast, once the island's main refuge from raiders.
#Ano Korakiana
VillageA hillside village above Kato Korakiana known for Venetian style stone houses, several churches and a long musical and artistic tradition.
#Antinioti Lagoon
NatureA shallow coastal lagoon behind the beach on the north coast, good for birds and very quiet out of season.
#Antipaxos
BeachA tiny island south of Corfu, famous for the Voutoumi and Vrika coves, among the clearest, most turquoise water in the Ionian.
#Antivouniotissa (Byzantine Museum of Corfu)
MuseumA museum housed in Corfu Town's oldest surviving church, reached up a steep staircase, displaying one of Greece's finest collections of post Byzantine icons dating from the fifteenth century onward.
#Argirades
VillageA large village on a green hillside on the road south towards Lefkimmi, about 32 km from Corfu Town.
#Arillas
BeachA quiet sandy bay in the far north west facing the Diapontia islets, known for gentle water and calm sunsets.
#Astynomia
PracticalPolice. The Europe wide emergency number 112 works throughout Greece and is answered in English.
#Avgolemono
FoodChicken stock simmered with rice, then thickened off the heat with eggs whisked into lemon juice.
#Avlaki
BeachA wide pebble bay on the north east coast near Kassiopi, open to the breeze and popular for windsurfing and sailing.
#Avliotes
VillageA small traditional village on the hills above the bay of Agios Stefanos in the far north west.
#Bakaliaros me skordalia
FoodSalt cod soaked, dipped in a sparkling water batter and fried, served with a garlic and potato skordalia.
How to make bakaliaros me skordalia
#Baklava
FoodLayered filo with chopped nuts, soaked in honey syrup and cut into diamonds.
How to make Baklava
- Serves
- 12
- Time
- Prep 30 min, cook 45 min
Ingredients
- 270g filo pastry (about 20 sheets)
- 250g walnuts, finely chopped
- 150g pistachios or almonds, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 150g butter, melted
- 250g sugar
- 250ml water
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Method
- Mix the chopped nuts with the cinnamon.
- Brush a baking tin with melted butter and layer about a third of the filo sheets, brushing each with butter.
- Scatter over half the nut mixture, then repeat with another third of the filo and the rest of the nuts.
- Layer the remaining filo sheets on top, brushing each with butter, and tuck in the edges.
- Cut into diamond or square portions before baking.
- Bake at 160C (325F) for about 45 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
- Meanwhile, simmer the sugar, water, honey and lemon juice for 10 minutes to make a syrup.
- Pour the hot syrup evenly over the baklava as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- Leave to cool completely and absorb the syrup before serving.
Banknote Museum of the Ionian Bank
MuseumA museum in Corfu Town tracing the history of Greek currency through banknotes issued from the nineteenth century onward, housed in a former bank building.
#Barbati
BeachA long white pebble beach on the north east coast below Mount Pantokrator, with clear deep water and a backdrop of olive slopes.
#Benitses
VillageA former east coast fishing village, now a relaxed resort and home to the island's benchmark bianco taverna.
#Bianco
FoodFish stewed simply in olive oil, garlic, lemon and black pepper, a pale Corfiot classic that lets the fish's freshness show.
#Blue buses
PracticalThe Corfu Town urban service that covers the town and nearby suburbs, distinct from the long distance green KTEL buses.
#Botides
FestivalCorfu Town's Easter custom: on Holy Saturday morning, large clay pots are dropped from balconies to smash in the street. Moves with Orthodox Easter, check local listings.
#Boukari
VillageA quiet fishing hamlet on Corfu's south eastern coast, known for its fresh seafood tavernas supplied by local fishermen and its unhurried pace, away from the busier resorts.
#Bourdeto
FoodA fiery Corfiot fish stew, traditionally scorpionfish, simmered with onions, olive oil and a heavy hit of hot red pepper.
#Briam
FoodCourgette, aubergine, potato and onion sliced thin and slow roasted with tomato, garlic and olive oil.
#British Protectorate
CultureFrom 1815 to 1864 the Ionian Islands were a British protectorate, which is why Corfu has cricket, ginger beer and a Georgian palace.
#Campiello
NeighbourhoodThe oldest quarter of Corfu Old Town, a maze of narrow Venetian lanes and hidden squares, including Kremasti with its historic well, unfolding just behind the Liston.
#Canal d'Amour
BeachSculpted sandstone channels and swimming spots at Sidari on the north coast; local legend promises love to those who swim through.
#Casa Parlante
MuseumA living history museum in Corfu Town, presenting a 19th century noble house with animated figures showing daily life of the period.
#Chlomos
VillageA hilltop village in southern Corfu prized for sweeping views over the surrounding countryside and coastline, popular with walkers exploring the island's quieter corners.
#Church of Saints Jason and Sosipater
SightThe oldest surviving church in Corfu, an important Byzantine era monument in Corfu Town dedicated to two of Saint Paul's earliest disciples.
#Corfu Aquarium
ActivityA small aquarium near Paleokastritsa displaying local marine life and reptiles, with English speaking guides offering an accessible introduction to the island's coastal ecosystem.
#Corfu Beer Festival
FestivalA food and drink festival celebrating craft and local beer, bringing together brewers and visitors for tastings and live entertainment; dates change yearly, check listings.
#Corfu Carnival
FestivalA Venetian style carnival of parades, floats and costumed celebrations held across Corfu Town in the weeks before Lent; dates change yearly, check listings.
#Corfu Central Market
SightThe town food market, set beneath the walls of the New Fortress, with stalls of fresh fish and seafood, seasonal fruit and vegetables, herbs, olives, honey and kumquat products. It runs in the morning and winds down in the early afternoon.
#Corfu International Airport
PracticalIoannis Kapodistrias Airport (CFU), a short distance south of Corfu Town, with the runway on the edge of Chalikiopoulou lagoon beside Kanoni.
#Corfu Museum of Asian Art
MuseumHoused within the Palace of St Michael and St George, this museum holds one of Greece's most important collections of Asian art and artefacts drawn from across the continent.
#Corfu Old Town
SightThe UNESCO listed Venetian old town of narrow kantounia lanes, the Liston arcade and the Spianada esplanade.
#Corfu Philharmonic Bands
CultureBrass bands rooted in the island's Venetian and British heritage, performing at feast days, parades and processions from village streets right through to the Esplanade in Corfu Town.
#Corfu Shell Museum
MuseumA quirky private museum in Benitses displaying an extensive collection of seashells and marine curiosities gathered from around the world.
#Corfu Trail
ActivityA long distance walking route of roughly 220 km running the length of the island, from the far south to the north.
#Cricket on the Esplanade
ActivityA sporting legacy of British rule in the Ionian Islands, still played on the pitch beside the Liston, making Corfu the only place in Greece where the game thrives.
#Dassia
VillageA green, resort lined stretch of the north east coast with a long pebble and sand beach and watersports.
#Diapontia Islands
NatureA remote archipelago off Corfu's north west coast comprising Othonoi, Ereikoussa and Mathraki, reachable by boat trip and known for pristine, little visited beaches.
#Doukades
VillageA traditional village in the hills of western Corfu, its stone houses and quiet lanes offering a glimpse of everyday island life away from the coastal resorts.
#Durrells, The
CultureThe British family, including naturalist Gerald and writer Lawrence Durrell, who lived on Corfu in the 1930s; Gerald’s memoir “My Family and Other Animals” is set here.
#Eisitirio
PracticalTicket, whether for a bus, metro, tram or ferry. Validate it before or as you board where a validator is provided.
#Enosis (1864)
CultureThe union of the Ionian Islands with the Greek state in 1864, which ended the British protectorate.
#Erimitis
NatureA stretch of wooded, largely undeveloped coastline and small lakes in the north east, one of the island’s last wild shorelines.
#Ermones Beach
BeachA pebbly west coast beach set beneath green hills near a golf course, with a small river reaching the sea and a beach lift running down from the clifftop.
#Esplanade (Spianada)
SightThe vast green square between the Old Town and the Old Fortress, one of the largest in Greece, where cricket, a British era legacy, is still played.
#Farmakeio
PracticalPharmacy, marked by a green cross. A published rota keeps one open overnight in each area; the list is posted in the window.
#Feta
FoodGreece’s protected brined white cheese, made from sheep’s milk with up to 30 per cent goat.
Personal pick: Deniz's pick: Dodoni, an Epirus (Ioannina) dairy brand, for tinned/barrel aged feta. All Heart Picks
How to make Feta psiti, baked feta
- Serves
- 4 as meze
- Time
- Prep 10 min, cook 25 min
Ingredients
- 400g block of PDO feta, in one piece
- 1 tomato, sliced
- Half a red pepper, sliced
- 1 red chilli, sliced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey, optional
- Black pepper
Method
- Heat the oven to 200C, 400F.
- Sit the whole block of feta on a large sheet of baking paper in a roasting tin.
- Lay the tomato, pepper and chilli over the top.
- Add the oregano and a grind of pepper. Add no salt at all, the cheese carries plenty.
- Drizzle the olive oil over and fold the paper up into a loose parcel, sealed at the top.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the feta is soft through and beginning to colour at the edges.
- Open the parcel, trickle over the honey if using, and serve straight from the paper with bread.
Filoxenia
CultureLiterally “love of strangers”, the tradition of hospitality that runs through Greek social life.
#Frappe
DrinkInstant coffee shaken with cold water into a thick foam and poured over ice. Now the retro order, overtaken by the freddo.
#Freddo espresso
DrinkCold espresso shaken with ice until a thick crema forms, served sketos, metrios or glykos. The default cold coffee order across Corfu, and it has largely overtaken frappe.
#Galaktoboureko
FoodA semolina custard baked in filo and soaked in syrup, served in generous squares.
How to make Galaktoboureko Mastiha scented Custard Pie
- Serves
- 9
- Time
- Prep 30 min, cook 1 hr
Ingredients
- 1 litre milk
- 150g semolina (fine)
- 150g sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 mastiha crystals, ground with a little sugar (or a pinch of ground mastiha)
- 270g filo pastry (about 10 sheets)
- 120g butter, melted
- For the syrup: 300g sugar, 300ml water, 1 tbsp lemon juice
Method
- Warm the milk in a pan without boiling.
- Whisk the sugar and eggs together, then whisk in the semolina until smooth.
- Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then return everything to the pan.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a custard.
- Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla and ground mastiha, then leave to cool slightly.
- Layer half the filo sheets in a buttered baking dish, brushing each with melted butter.
- Pour in the custard and spread evenly.
- Layer the remaining filo sheets on top, each brushed with butter, and score the top into portions.
- Bake at 180C (350F) for about 45 minutes until golden.
- Meanwhile, simmer the sugar, water and lemon juice for 10 minutes to make a syrup.
- Pour the cooled syrup over the hot pie (or hot syrup over a cooled pie) and leave to soak before serving.
Mastiha is a resin rather than a dish on its own, so this is the classic mastiha scented sweet made with it.
Gardiki Castle
SightA 13th century Byzantine fortress in the island's south, recognisable by its octagonal wall.
#Gastouri
VillageThe hillside village above which Empress Elisabeth of Austria built the Achilleion Palace, still surrounded by olive terraces and cypresses.
#Glyfada (Corfu)
BeachA broad west coast sandy beach below Pelekas, one of the island's most organised, with sunbeds, tavernas and reliable sunsets.
#Glyko tou koutaliou
Food'Spoon sweets', fruit preserved in syrup and offered on a teaspoon with cold water, the classic gesture of Corfiot hospitality.
How to make glyko tou koutaliou
#Gouvia
VillageA sheltered bay just north of Corfu Town, home to the island’s largest marina and the ruins of a Venetian arsenal.
#Graviera
FoodA firm, nutty Greek cheese made in the island's regions, good grated over pasta or eaten with bread and olives.
#Greek coffee (elliniko)
DrinkFinely ground coffee boiled in a briki and served with the grounds settled. Order it sketos, metrios or glykos.
How to make Greek Coffee
- Serves
- 1
- Time
- Prep 5 min, cook 5 min
Ingredients
- 1 heaped tsp very finely ground Greek/Turkish style coffee
- 1 small cup of cold water (a demitasse measure)
- Sugar to taste (sketos: none, metrios: 1 tsp, glykos: 2 tsp)
Method
- Measure the cold water into a briki (small long handled pot) using the serving cup.
- Add the coffee and sugar (if using) to the water and stir well before heating.
- Place over low heat and let it warm slowly, without stirring again.
- Watch closely as it starts to foam and rise just before boiling, then take it off the heat immediately.
- Spoon a little of the foam into the serving cup, then pour in the rest of the coffee gently.
- Let the grounds settle for a minute before sipping, and stop before you reach the grounds at the bottom.
Green buses
PracticalThe long distance KTEL services that link Corfu Town with villages and resorts around the island; timetables thin out considerably on Sundays and out of season.
#Gyros
FoodMeat shaved from a vertical spit and rolled in pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki.
How to make Gyros
- Serves
- 4
- Time
- Prep 20 min (plus 2 hr marinating), cook 20 min
Ingredients
- 600g pork shoulder, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- Salt and pepper
- 4 pitta breads
- Tzatziki, tomatoes, onion and chips, to serve
Method
- Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Add the sliced pork, toss well, cover and marinate for at least 2 hours.
- Stack the marinated slices tightly onto a skewer or thread onto a rotisserie if you have one.
- Cook over high heat, turning regularly, for about 20 minutes until well charred and cooked through, then slice thinly.
- Warm the pitta breads.
- Fill each pitta with the sliced meat, tzatziki, tomato, onion and chips, and wrap tightly to serve.
Halikounas
BeachA wild, dune backed beach on the south west coast beside the Korission Lagoon, popular with windsurfers and birdwatchers.
#Horiatiki
FoodThe “village salad”: tomato, cucumber, onion, pepper, olives and a slab of feta, with oil and oregano and no lettuce.
How to make Horiatiki
- Serves
- 4
- Time
- Prep 15 min, no cooking
Ingredients
- 4 ripe tomatoes, in generous wedges
- 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into half moons
- 1 green pepper, sliced into rings
- 1 small red onion, sliced thinly
- 200g feta, in one slab
- 12 kalamata olives
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 80ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, only if the tomatoes are pale
- Salt
Method
- Cut the tomatoes into big wedges. Anything smaller and they collapse.
- Put them in the bowl, salt them, and leave for 5 minutes. The juice they give up is the dressing.
- Add the cucumber, pepper, onion and olives.
- Pour over the olive oil and turn everything gently. Add the vinegar only if the tomatoes need help.
- Lay the feta on top in one whole slab. It is never crumbled and never tossed through.
- Scatter the oregano over the cheese, not the salad.
- Serve immediately, with bread, and let someone finish the bowl.
Ioannis Kapodistrias
CultureBorn in Corfu in 1776, the first head of state of independent Greece. The island’s airport carries his name.
#Ionian Academy
CultureFounded in Corfu in 1824 under British rule, the first Greek university of modern times. It operated until 1864.
#Ipsos
VillageA lively north east coast resort with a long waterfront, a pebble beach and a busy summer nightlife strip.
#Issos Beach
BeachA wide, wild sandy beach on Corfu's south west coast backed by dunes and reed beds near the Korission Lagoon, a favourite for windsurfing and quiet walks.
#Kafeneio
CultureThe traditional coffee house, plain tables, strong coffee, backgammon and conversation.
#Kaiser's Throne
SightA legendary viewpoint above Pelekas village offering a 360 degree panorama across the island, said to be a favourite spot of Kaiser Wilhelm II for watching the sunset.
#Kalami
VillageA small north east bay best known as the setting of the White House, where the writer Lawrence Durrell lived in the 1930s.
#Kanoni
SightA headland viewpoint south of town looking over Pontikonisi and the Vlacherna monastery on its causeway.
#Kantounia
NeighbourhoodThe narrow, shaded alleyways of the Old Town, strung with laundry lines beneath Venetian shutters.
#Karousades
VillageA traditional village behind the north coast resorts, with narrow lanes, older mansions and a working agricultural centre.
#Kassiopi
VillageA pretty harbour village in the northeast below a ruined castle, with tavernas around the bay.
#Kavos
VillageThe island’s southernmost resort, a long sandy beach known mainly as a summer party destination for younger visitors.
#Kefalotyri
FoodThe hard salty grating cheese that goes over pastitsada and baked pasta dishes, sharp enough to season a plate rather than sit beside it. Our moussaka uses it too, with parmesan as the stand in.
#Kefi
CultureHigh spirits, the mood that makes a night out work. You cannot manufacture it, and Greeks will tell you when it is missing.
#Kerasia
BeachA quiet pebble and sand cove on the north east coast, reached by a narrow road down through olive groves.
#Kolokythokeftedes
FoodGrated courgette squeezed dry and bound with feta, mint and dill, then fried into small fritters.
#Kontogialos
BeachThe beach below Pelekas, a long sandy west coast stretch backed by cliffs, also written Kontogialos or Pelekas Beach.
#Kontokali
VillageA small coastal village beside Gouvia marina, with a sheltered beach and a mix of tavernas and holiday homes.
#Korission Lagoon
NatureA large coastal lagoon separated from the sea by dunes on the south west coast; a protected wetland rich in birdlife.
#Kouloura
VillageA tiny north east harbour with a curve of fishing boats and a single taverna, facing the Albanian coast across a narrow channel.
#Kourabiedes
FoodAlmond shortbread crescents enriched with brandy and vanilla, finished under a heavy coat of icing sugar.
#Kumquat
DrinkCorfu's emblematic citrus, introduced under 19th century British rule and turned into a bright orange liqueur and candied spoon sweets.
#Kynopiastes
VillageA small village south west of Corfu Town, long known for family run tavernas serving traditional Corfiot cooking such as pastitsada and sofrito.
#Laiki agora
CultureThe weekly street market of fruit, vegetables and fish that moves round the neighbourhoods on a fixed day.
#Lakones
VillageA traditional village clinging to a mountainside above Paleokastritsa, celebrated for arguably the island's most iconic panoramic view over the bays and coves below.
#Lefkimmi
VillageA working town in the quiet south, threaded by a canal, with an unhurried, untouristy feel.
#Leoforos
PracticalAvenue. Greek addresses are usually Odos or Leoforos plus the street name and number.
#Liapades
VillageThe third largest village on the island, on the west coast, still largely untouched by mass tourism and close to several small coves.
#Liston
SightThe elegant arcaded terrace facing the Spianada, built under French rule and modelled on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris, the place for a coffee.
#Litany of Saint Spyridon
FestivalThe procession carrying the relics of the island's patron saint through Corfu Town, held several times a year and accompanied by the philharmonic bands.
#Logariasmo, ton parakalo
PhraseThe bill, please. In Greece the bill is almost never brought until you ask.
#Loggas Beach
BeachThe narrow sand beach beneath the clay cliffs at Peroulades, reached by steep steps and known for its sunsets; also called Sunset Beach.
#Loukoumades
FoodSmall fried dough puffs drenched in honey and cinnamon, served hot by the plateful.
How to make Loukoumades
- Serves
- 4
- Time
- Prep 20 min (plus 1 hr proving), cook 20 min
Ingredients
- 300g strong white flour
- 7g fast action dried yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 300ml warm water
- Pinch of salt
- Sunflower oil, for deep frying
- Honey, for drizzling
- Ground cinnamon and chopped walnuts, to serve
Method
- Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl, then gradually beat in the warm water to make a thick, smooth batter.
- Cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour until bubbly and doubled in size.
- Heat sunflower oil in a deep pan to about 180C (350F).
- Wet your hand or a spoon and drop small balls of batter into the hot oil, frying in batches until golden and puffed.
- Drain on kitchen paper.
- Pile onto a plate, drizzle generously with honey, and scatter with cinnamon and walnuts before serving warm.
Marathias
BeachA long, shallow water sandy beach on the south west coast, quieter than the south east resorts and good for families.
#Melomakarona
FoodOlive oil and orange biscuits spiced with cinnamon and cloves, soaked in honey syrup and finished with walnuts.
#Messonghi
VillageA pebbled beach and village settlement on Corfu's east coast, a relaxed base with hotels strung along the shore and easy access to nearby Moraitika.
#Meze (mezedes)
FoodSmall sharing plates ordered several at a time and eaten slowly over drinks, rather than as a starter.
How to make A classic mezedes platter
- Tirokafteri or tzatziki
- 1 bowl
- Kalamata olives
- a handful
- Feta cheese
- 1 block, drizzled with olive oil and oregano
- Dolmades
- 6 to 8
- Fried courgette or aubergine slices
- a plateful
- Bread
- for the table
- Arrange each dish in its own small bowl or plate rather than combining them.
- Space them around the table so several can be reached at once, rather than served in sequence.
- Order in stages through the evening, adding new plates as others empty, rather than everything at the start.
- Pair with ouzo, tsipouro or a chilled glass of retsina, and let the meal run slowly over conversation.
Milate anglika?
PhraseDo you speak English? Widely answered yes in tourist areas, less so in mountain villages.
#Mon Repos
SightA leafy 19th century estate and villa near the town, birthplace of Prince Philip, with a small museum and swimming spots below.
#Moraitika
VillageA village on Corfu's south east coast combining an older hillside settlement with a lively modern beach strip, popular with families for its long sandy shoreline.
#Moussaka
FoodLayers of aubergine, potato and minced meat under a thick béchamel, baked and rested before serving.
How to make Moussaka
- Serves
- 6
- Time
- Prep 40 min, cook 1 hr 20 min
Ingredients
- 2 large aubergines, sliced lengthways
- 2 large potatoes, sliced
- 500g minced lamb or beef
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
- 60g butter
- 60g plain flour
- 600ml warm milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 80g grated kefalotyri or parmesan
Method
- Salt the aubergine and potato slices and leave for 20 minutes, then pat dry and brush with olive oil.
- Grill or fry the aubergine and potato slices in batches until golden, then set aside on kitchen paper.
- Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, add the mince and brown well.
- Stir in the tomatoes and cinnamon, season, and simmer for 20 minutes until thick.
- Make the béchamel: melt the butter, whisk in the flour, then gradually add the warm milk, stirring until thick and smooth.
- Take the béchamel off the heat and beat in the egg yolks and half the cheese.
- Layer potatoes, then aubergine, then the meat sauce in a large baking dish, repeating once.
- Pour the béchamel over the top, scatter with the remaining cheese, and bake at 180C (350F) for 45 minutes until golden.
- Rest for 15 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
Municipal Gallery of Corfu
MuseumThe town's collection of Ionian art, housed in the former royal palace complex on the Esplanade.
#Municipal Theatre of Corfu
SightCorfu Town's theatre and opera house, opened in 1902 as successor to the island's Venetian era opera house and destroyed by bombing during the Second World War.
#Myrtiotissa
BeachA secluded, cliff backed west coast beach reached by a steep path down from the road, long famed for its scenery.
#Nai and Ohi
PhraseYes and no. Nai sounds like the English “nay” but means yes, which catches out most first time visitors.
#Name day
CultureMost Greeks celebrate the feast day of the saint they are named after rather than their birthday. On Corfu, 12 December for Spyridon is a big one.
#Nero
PhraseWater. Ena boukali nero is a bottle of water; tap water is potable in many but not all areas, so ask locally.
#New Fortress
SightThe later Venetian fortress (from the 16th century) above the old port, with tunnels and wide views over the town.
#Nikolaos Mantzaros
CultureThe Corfiot composer who set Dionysios Solomos’s Hymn to Liberty to music, the Greek national anthem.
#Nissaki
VillageA string of small pebble coves on the green north east coast, below the slopes of Mount Pantokrator.
#Nosokomeio
PracticalHospital. Larger towns have a duty hospital that rotates for emergency admissions.
#Nymfes
VillageAn inland northern village set among springs and greenery, with a waterfall nearby and a long tradition of kumquat cultivation.
#Odos
PracticalStreet. Often omitted in speech and on signs, so an address may show only the name and number.
#Old Fortress
SightThe Venetian citadel on a rocky promontory guarding Corfu Town, cut off from it by the sea filled Contrafossa moat.
#Old Perithia
VillageA ghost village on the slopes of Mount Pantokrator near Kassiopi, its stone houses long abandoned but home to a handful of restored tavernas within a hauntingly atmospheric, protected historic setting.
#Olive groves
NatureCorfu is famously green, with millions of old olive trees planted under Venetian rule; the oil is a point of local pride.
#Ouzo
DrinkAn anise flavoured spirit that turns cloudy with water or ice, drunk slowly with meze rather than as a shot.
How to make Ouzo flambeed Shrimp Saganaki
- Serves
- 4
- Time
- Prep 15 min, cook 20 min
Ingredients
- 500g large raw prawns, peeled (tails on)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 60ml ouzo
- 150g feta, crumbled
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve
Method
- Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil in a wide pan until soft.
- Add the tomatoes and oregano, and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
- Push the sauce to one side, add the prawns, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Warm the ouzo in a small pan or ladle, pour it over the prawns, and carefully light it with a long match to flambe off the alcohol.
- Once the flames die down, stir the prawns through the sauce.
- Scatter over the crumbled feta and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes until just melting.
- Finish with chopped parsley and serve hot with bread.
Ouzo itself is an anise spirit rather than a cooked dish, so this is the classic Greek meze made with it.
Palace of St Michael and St George
SightThe Georgian style palace at the north end of the Esplanade, built for the British High Commissioner and now housing the Museum of Asian Art.
#Paleokastritsa
BeachA cluster of dramatic west coast coves beneath a clifftop monastery, the island's most photographed stretch of coast.
#Panigyri
FestivalA village saint’s day festival with food, live music and dancing that runs late into the night. Visitors are welcome.
#Pantokrator, Mount
NatureCorfu's highest peak (about 900 m), topped by a monastery and, on clear days, views to Albania and Italy.
#Paralia
PracticalBeach, or the seafront street running along it, which is why so many coastal towns have a “Paralia” address.
#Paramonas
BeachA relaxed sandy bay on the south west coast, with a handful of tavernas and rooms and none of the resort development of the east side.
#Parea
CultureThe group of friends you go out with. Greek eating and drinking is built around the parea, not the individual.
#Pastitsada
FoodCorfu's Sunday lunch signature: rooster or beef slow cooked in a spiced tomato sauce (cinnamon, clove and the local spetseriko blend) over thick, hollow pasta.
#Paxos
BeachA small, green island south of Corfu with sea caves and gentle harbours, a popular day trip by boat.
#Pelekas
VillageA hilltop village on the west side famous for its sunset viewpoint, known as the “Kaiser’s Throne” after Kaiser Wilhelm II.
#Perama
VillageA coastal village facing Pontikonisi and the Kanoni channel, connected to the airport side of the lagoon by a footbridge.
#Periptero
PracticalThe small street kiosk selling water, snacks, tickets and phone credit, often open very late.
#Perivoli
VillageA quiet south eastern village of stone houses and narrow lanes, set among olive trees and vineyards.
#Peroulades
VillageA clifftop village at the island's north western corner, above Loggas Beach and its striped sandstone cliffs.
#Petegoletsa
CultureA Corfiot street theatre tradition of staged neighbourly gossip performed from the balconies of Corfu Town's old alleys during the summer.
#Petriti
VillageA small working harbour village on Corfu's southern coast, its colourful fishing boats and quiet waterside tavernas making it a favourite for an authentic, low key evening out.
#Philotimo
CultureAn untranslatable word covering honour, duty and doing right by others, often cited as the core Greek virtue.
#Porto Timoni
BeachA double bay below Afionas where two beaches meet back to back on a narrow isthmus, reached on foot down a steep path or by boat.
#Psari plaki
FoodWhole white fish baked in a tomato, onion and garlic sauce, finished with parsley and lemon.
#Reading Society of Corfu
SightThe Anagnostiki Etaireia, the oldest cultural institution in modern Greece, with a library and archive of Ionian history near the Palace.
#Retsina
DrinkWhite wine flavoured with Aleppo pine resin, a technique inherited from sealing ancient amphorae. Modern bottlings are far lighter than the old reputation.
How to make Classic Meze Plate for Retsina
- Serves
- 4
- Time
- Prep 25 min, no cooking (plus grilling the saganaki)
Ingredients
- 200g feta, sliced thick
- 1 tbsp olive oil for frying feta
- 1 tbsp flour, for dusting feta
- 150g Kalamata olives
- 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 100g taramasalata or melitzanosalata (aubergine dip)
- Crusty bread or pitta
- Dried oregano and olive oil, to finish
Method
- Dust the feta slices lightly in flour and fry in olive oil for a minute on each side until golden (saganaki style).
- Arrange the olives, tomatoes and cucumber on a large platter.
- Add the fried feta and a bowl of taramasalata or melitzanosalata.
- Warm the bread or pitta and cut into wedges.
- Drizzle everything with olive oil and a scatter of dried oregano.
- Serve chilled retsina alongside, refilling glasses as the meze is shared.
Retsina is a resin flavoured wine to drink alongside meze, not a dish itself, so this is the classic spread it is traditionally paired with.
Rizogalo
FoodShort grain rice simmered slowly in milk with vanilla and lemon peel, dusted with cinnamon.
#Roda
VillageA relaxed north coast resort built around an old fishing village, with a long, shallow beach that suits families.
#Rovinia
BeachA small pebble cove between Paleokastritsa and Liapades, backed by trees and reached by a footpath from the road.
#Saint Spyridon
FestivalThe island's patron saint, whose relics rest in the town church; his litany processions through the year are Corfu's biggest religious events. Check local listings.
#Savoro
FoodFried fish finished in a sauce of vinegar, garlic, rosemary and currants, an Ionian way of preserving the catch.
How to make Savoro
- Serves
- 4 as a meze, 2 as a main
- Time
- Prep 20 min, cook 25 min, plus 4 hours steeping
Ingredients
- 800g small whole fish, red mullet, picarel or whiting, cleaned and scaled
- 100g plain flour, for coating
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 200ml olive oil, for frying
- 4 tbsp olive oil, for the sauce
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 60g currants or small raisins
- 150ml red wine vinegar
- 100ml water
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- Black pepper
Method
- Rinse the fish, pat them completely dry inside and out, and season with the salt. Dry fish is what gives a crust rather than a steam.
- Turn each fish in the flour and shake off the surplus.
- Heat the frying oil in a wide pan until a pinch of flour sizzles on contact. Fry the fish in batches for 3 to 4 minutes a side, until crisp and deep gold. Lift onto kitchen paper.
- Lay the fried fish in a single layer in a shallow nonreactive dish, china or glass rather than metal.
- Pour off the frying oil, wipe the pan out, and warm the 4 tbsp of fresh olive oil over a low heat.
- Add the garlic, rosemary and bay and let them sizzle gently for about a minute, until fragrant but not coloured. Browned garlic turns the whole sauce bitter.
- Stand back and pour in the vinegar and water, then add the currants, sugar and a good grind of pepper.
- Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until the raw edge has cooked off the vinegar and the currants have plumped.
- Pour the hot sauce over the fish so every piece is coated, and tuck the rosemary and bay in among them.
- Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or overnight in the fridge. Savoro is not a hot dish. The vinegar is doing the preserving and the flavour needs that time to move into the fish.
- Bring back to room temperature and serve with plenty of bread for the sauce.
Serbian Museum of Corfu
MuseumA moving museum documenting the Serbian army's exile on Corfu and the nearby island of Vido during the First World War, with photographs and artefacts recalling that history.
#Sidari
BeachA busy north coast resort known for the sandstone Canal d'Amour and shallow, warm water.
#Siga siga
Phrase“Slowly, slowly.” Both a piece of advice and an accurate description of the pace of island life.
#Signomi
PhraseExcuse me, or sorry. The word to use for squeezing past people or catching a waiter’s eye.
#Sinarades Folklore Museum
MuseumA museum inside a traditional two storey house in Sinarades village, established in 1982 to preserve everyday rural Corfiot life through furniture, costumes and household objects.
#Sisi (Empress Elisabeth)
CultureThe Empress of Austria who built the Achilleion at Gastouri in the 1890s as a private retreat.
#Skripero
VillageA village north west of Corfu Town with its own Philharmonic Society and the island’s School Museum.
#Sofrito
FoodThin slices of veal braised in a white sauce of garlic, parsley, white wine and vinegar, pure Venetian heritage, usually served with rice or mash.
#Solomos Museum
MuseumThe house museum in Corfu Town dedicated to Dionysios Solomos, the poet whose verses became the Greek national anthem.
#Souvlaki
FoodSmall cubes of meat grilled on a skewer, either eaten off the stick or wrapped in pita.
How to make Souvlaki
- Serves
- 4
- Time
- Prep 20 min (plus 1 hr marinating), cook 15 min
Ingredients
- 600g pork shoulder or chicken breast, cubed
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
- 4 pitta breads
- Tzatziki, tomato and onion, to serve
Method
- Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Add the cubed meat, toss well, cover and marinate for at least 1 hour (overnight is better).
- Thread the meat onto skewers.
- Grill or barbecue over high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, turning often, until charred and cooked through.
- Warm the pitta breads on the grill for the last minute.
- Serve the skewers with warm pitta, tzatziki, sliced tomato and onion.
Spanakopita
FoodSpinach and feta baked in filo, sold by the slice in every bakery.
How to make Spanakopita
- Serves
- 6
- Time
- Prep 30 min, cook 40 min
Ingredients
- 500g spinach, washed and chopped
- 1 bunch spring onions, chopped
- 200g feta, crumbled
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
- 270g filo pastry (about 10 sheets)
- 60g butter, melted
Method
- Wilt the spinach and spring onions in a little olive oil, then drain well and cool.
- Mix the spinach with the feta, eggs and dill, and season with pepper (feta is already salty).
- Brush a baking tin with melted butter and layer half the filo sheets, brushing each with butter.
- Spread the spinach and feta filling evenly over the filo.
- Layer the remaining filo sheets on top, brushing each with butter, and tuck in the edges.
- Score the top into portions and bake at 180C (350F) for about 40 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Cool slightly before cutting along the scored lines and serving.
Spartilas
VillageA village on the western slopes of Mount Pantokrator, a common starting point for the drive or walk to the summit.
#Spetseriko
FoodThe Corfiot spice blend behind the island's braised meat sauces, built on cinnamon, clove and allspice. It is what makes pastitsada taste of Corfu rather than of the mainland.
#Stifado
FoodBraising beef cooked slowly with whole shallots, red wine, vinegar, cinnamon, cloves and allspice.
#Strapatsada
FoodA simple Greek dish of soft scrambled eggs cooked with ripe tomatoes and feta, popular across Corfu as a quick breakfast or light taverna lunch.
#Strinylas
VillageA stone village high on Pantokrator, known for its plane tree square and as the last stop before the summit road.
#Sykomaida
FoodA dense Corfiot sweet of pressed dried figs, spiced and often wrapped in fig or vine leaves.
#Taverna
FoodThe everyday Greek restaurant, short menu, paper tablecloths, house wine by the carafe.
A Corfiot dish to order at one, pastitsada
#Temple of Artemis (Corfu)
SightThe ruins of an early 6th century BC temple near Mon Repos, whose huge Gorgon pediment is a highlight of the Corfu Archaeological Museum.
#Trapeza
PracticalBank. Cash machines are signed ATM and are widespread, though small islands and villages can have only one, or none.
#Tsigareli
FoodWild greens or vegetables cooked with garlic and a good hit of hot paprika, a spicy Corfiot side.
#Tsigarelli
FoodWild or mixed greens fried hard in olive oil with onion, garlic and hot paprika or chilli, usually with a little tomato. The Corfiot answer to plain boiled horta, and the green plate that carries the same heat as bourdeto.
#Tsipouro
DrinkA clear grape pomace spirit from the mainland, drunk in small glasses with meze.
How to make Meze Plate for Tsipouro
- Serves
- 4
- Time
- Prep 20 min, cook 10 min
Ingredients
- 200g grilled octopus or smoked mackerel
- 150g Kalamata olives
- 150g sun dried tomatoes
- 200g cured meats (loukaniko sausage or pastourma)
- 100g cheese (graviera or kefalotyri), cubed
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Crusty bread
Method
- If using octopus, char grill briefly until lightly crisped at the edges.
- If using sausage, fry until browned and cooked through, then slice.
- Arrange the octopus or mackerel, olives, sun dried tomatoes, cured meats and cheese on a shared platter.
- Add lemon wedges and crusty bread on the side.
- Serve with small glasses of chilled tsipouro at a tsipouradiko style spread.
Tsipouro is a pomace spirit traditionally served alongside a run of small meze plates like this one.
Tsitsibira
DrinkA traditional homemade ginger beer introduced to Corfu during British rule and still brewed on the island today as a refreshing, mildly spiced nonalcoholic drink.
#Tzatziki
FoodStrained yoghurt with cucumber, garlic and olive oil, served cold with almost everything.
How to make Tzatziki
- Serves
- 4
- Time
- Prep 15 min (plus 30 min draining), no cooking
Ingredients
- 500g Greek yoghurt
- 1 cucumber, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (optional)
- Salt to taste
Method
- Grate the cucumber, place in a sieve with a pinch of salt, and leave to drain for 30 minutes.
- Squeeze the cucumber firmly in a clean tea towel to remove as much liquid as possible.
- Mix the yoghurt, drained cucumber, garlic, olive oil and vinegar in a bowl.
- Stir in the dill if using, and season with salt.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving with a drizzle of olive oil.
Varkarola
FestivalA late summer sea festival at Paleokastritsa with lit boats and fireworks, usually in August. Check local listings.
#Vatos & the Ropa Valley
VillageA quiet agricultural village set on one of Corfu's few large flat plains, the fertile Ropa Valley, known for farming, a golf course and expansive green scenery.
#Venetian Corfu
CultureFour centuries of Venetian rule shaped the Old Town’s tall houses, the kantounia alleys, the fortresses and much of the island’s cooking vocabulary.
#Vido
SightA small wooded island just off Corfu Town, reachable by boat, with quiet beaches and a Serbian First World War memorial.
#Vlacherna
SightThe little white monastery on a causeway off Kanoni, one of Corfu's most photographed sights, with Pontikonisi beyond.
#Volta
CultureThe evening stroll along the seafront or round the square, done slowly and mainly to see and be seen.
#Yia sou / Yia sas
PhraseHello and goodbye. Yia sou to one person you know; yia sas to a group, or to anyone you are being polite with.
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