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It is hard to distinguish between the Corfu sights and the Monuments amongst the beautiful buildings in Corfu, so on this page we present just a few of the sights in Corfu that are worth visiting and which are monuments and sights simultaneously.

Mouse island (Pontikonisi)

Everyone knows the picturesque Mouse island at the entrance of Gulf of Halikiopoulos – it is the trademark of Corfu. On this tiny islet is the Byzantine Church of Pantokrator surrounded by dense vegetation.
It is easy to visit as from the beach below Kanoni several small boats sail there regularly.
Homer tells in Odyssey, that this was the boat of Phaecian Corfiots carrying Odysseus home to Ithaca, the gods became displeased by this and transformed the ship into stone when it entered the port and before the sailors could embark.  The boat was then changed into an island, so according to Greek mythology, Mouse Island is a petrified boat.

Kanoni

One of the most famous attractions in Corfu, located south of the town in the peninsula next to the airport, named by a French cannon battery-type which is left there.
From Kanoni there is fantastic view of the Mouse island and the Monastery of Panagia Vlahernas next to it, also the airport on the side and Perama and Benitses towards.

The Kaizer`s Bridge

The Kaizer’s bridge was built at the beginning of  the 20th century and  was used by Kaiser Wilhelm the second to moor his yacht, and also to go from the Achilleion Palace to the sea and enjoy swimming away from prying eyes, It lies 2 km north of Benitses, and was blown up during World War 2 as the German troops could not get their tanks through the low arch.

Spianada square and Liston

The Esplanade is the central square of Corfu and a meeting place for residents and visitors, surrounded by the streets of Iroon Politecniou at the east and north, Eleftherias and Kapodistriou to the West and Akadimias Street in the South, and crossed in the middle by Dousmanis street .
Built in the style of the Royal Gardens of Europe it is the largest square in the Balkans and one of the largest in Europe.  In  the  square`s bandstand there are often concerts and other events, especially during the summer.
Cricket matches are also frequently played there. Cricket is purely British sport  which has been enthusiastically adopted by the Corfiots since the period of English domination of the island.  There are 12 cricket clubs and two other pitches on the island.
Corfu Cricket team is the only cricket team in Greece and so is the Greek National Cricket team also.
To one side of the square is the popular pedestrian area of  The Liston with its French architectural buildings (modeled on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris) and numerous cafes.
The construction of The Liston began in 1807 by Napoleon, the sole purpose of the buildings construction was to house the French army.  It was completed in 1814. The buildings were designed by French architect Lesseps and implemented with the assistance of the Greek engineer Ioannis Parmezan.











It is a complex of buildings facing the Esplanade, with arched ground-floor galleries which the locals call "Volta"
The name was given by the word "lista" and probably comes from the word "list"  as in the list of the Nobles (Libro d `Oro) as the old days only the nobility were able to walk in this part in the city.
Today, the arcades of Liston are the busiest part of Corfu, it is filled with cafes, restaurants and craft shops in general, and one that is busy all year round ..
The walk in front of the Liston`s arches is something that every Corfiot does and taking  coffee in one of The Liston`s cafes is a daily habit for many Corfiots...

Aggelokastro in Paleokastritsa

This is the westernmost outpost of the Byzantine Empire and the Despotate of Epirus to which Corfu belonged until 1267 AD, it is near the village of Krini above Paleokastritsa next to a monastery.
Built in the early 12th century AD and in its prime, in an emergency it could protect the population of the region, about 4000 people.
Inside the castle two large water tanks and the churches of the Holy Archangels and Agia Kiriaki are preserved.
The church of the Archangels was built in 1784 on the site of an older church.  Agia Kiriaki was built inside a small cave and has 18th century paintings.
Aggelokastro saw many sieges but never fell except once to the Venetians after a six month siege in 1386. In 1537 only 8 soldiers of his guard with the help of the residents were needed in order  to repel the attack of Barbarossa.  The Turks tried again and failed to conquer the Castle in 1571.
The names of the villages around got their names from the soldiers who took pieces of land to settle on when they retired.  Examples are: Makris-Makrades, Vistonas-Vistonas, Doukas-Doukades, Aspiotis-Aspiotades, Kabbadias-Kabbadades etc.

The Church of Saint Spiridon

The most famous religious monument of the city, its construction clearly influenced by Italian art, is on the street of Kalochairetou in front of the Heroes square known as 'plakado toy Agiou".
In this church lies the remains of the patron saint and protector of Corfu, Agios Spiridon, which was moved to Corfu from Constantinople soon after the Turkish conquest in 1453.
Saint Spiridon, according to tradition saved the inhabitants from famine, pestilence, and twice from the incursions of the Turks in 1673 and 1716.
The roof of the church is impressive depicting scenes from the lives of saints and evangelists.  The relics of Saint Spiridon are stored in a 19th century silver casket.  It is a sacred relic of the church and the reverence shown to it is a mark of the religious faith of Corfu.





Among the many Corfu churches, the Cathedral, in the old port, is also very interesting.

Mon Repo

This  palace built at the start of the peninsula of Kanoni is opposite the ruins of Paleopolis, and has well laid out gardens and spectacular sea views.
After the union in 1864 was granted to the former royal family and was used as their summer residence.
Today it belongs to the Municipality of Corfu and has been transformed into a museum and a historic place which can be visited by all,  It is open on weekdays from 8 am to 7 pm. the telephone number is +30 26610 41369

Old Perithea village

This is an abandoned medieval village located just below the majestic peak of Pantocrator on a plateau at an altitude of 400 meters.
The village is visible from nowhere except from the top of the mountain and is a typical example of how inhabitants built their villages in the Middle Ages to avoid the attacks and depredations by pirates.
It's full of old stone houses that reveal a rich past, so it has gained archaeological value and in recent years buildings have been restored.  There are several restaurants offering local specialities and it is full of people especially at the weekend., Curious Corfiots and other tourists come to stroll along the narrow streets of the village which is being brought back to life.
There are also two local residents remaining there to complete the scene, an old couple, Ms. Matela and Mr. Gerasimos.

Monasteries

In Corfu additionally to the many churches there are many famous monasteries  also worth visiting.
Among the most important is definitely that of Paleokastritsa, one of the most beautiful monasteries to visit on its rock above the sea.  There is also the monastery of Myrtiotissa between Pelekas and Vatos villages, and the Monastery of Pantokrator-Kamarelas in the village of Nymfes, with 5 very friendly hospitable nuns always willing to show you around.

Sights - monuments - museums

Besides the above, around the island are dozens of other monuments, sights, attractions and museums for you to visit- the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Asian Art, the Byzantine Museum and Museum of Antivouniotissa, the Banknotes Museum, Solomos Museum, The fledgling museum of Ioannis Kapodistrias at the village of Evropouli, the Municipal Art Gallery, the Reading Society and others, detailed information about all these in the page for museums in Corfu.

You should also definitely visit attractions such as the Old and New Forts, the Palace of St Michael and St George at the top of Spianada square which houses several museums and exhibitions, the building of the Ionian Parliament ,the city hall, the Ionian Academy, and of course the Achilleion palace in Gastouri village.  For more information about all these and others please look at the page about the cultural heritage monuments in Corfu