| 8 days trekking Corfu, the island of Phaeacians |
The quasi sickle-shaped island lies near the continental coast of Epirus, from which it is separated by the Corfu Sea. Wide and mountainous in the north, narrow and hilly in the south. Olives and cypresses mark its landscape. Homer introduced it to the world as Scheria, homeland of the legendary Phaeacians. Ulysses is washed up on their shore. The shipwreck was saved from Poseidon’s anger and the force of the elements in a sheltered creek surrounded by high cliffs, and a princess took care of him. His hosts provided the ship for his trip back to Ithaca. Arrival in Corfu, transfer to the hotel where we spend 7 nights. By bus or taxi to Palaiokastritsa, where we start walking through olive trees and cypresses to the village of Lakones and then to the medieval fortress of Angelokastro, 300m. Through the village of Krini we continue on a path with excellent views to the large sandy beach of Agios Georgios Pagon (3, 5 hours walk). Time for a swim, before we drive back to our hotel. Transfer to Benitses where we start walking: Through olive groves, bushes we climb the Agii Deka-mountain, 576m. Near the peack, in the middle of orchards stands the abandoned monastery of Pantokrator. We continue through the villages of Agii Deka and Gasturi to Achilleion, 130m, which was the summer-palace of Elisabeth, empress of Austria (4hours walk). We drive back to our hotel and have free time for swimming in the afternoon. We will visit the town by bus and on foot. Each era left its traces. The old town has a strong Venetian character. Two fortresses were built to protect it. On the esplanade, the Liston-building with its arcades reminds the period of the French administration, its green cricket-pitch the period of the British occupation. The splendid Gorgo-pediment of the ancient Artemis-temple is kept in the archaeological Museum. From the medieval Byzantine era date the beautiful church of the Saints Jason and Sosipatros.The Kanoni-quarter with its excellent view-point to the „Mouse-island“stands on the hill of the ancient acropolis. In the middle jungle-like gardens stand the former king’s palace of „Mon Repos“and two ancient sanctuaries. Turquoise, transparent water, olivetrees and cypresses spreading all the way to the sea, a picturesque main village on a deep creek with a small monastery-island in front of it and some very quiet villages: This is Paxi. We drive through Benitses and Moraitika, past the medieval fortress of Gardiki to reach the sandy beach of Alonaki. We walk on a trail and on dunes between the open sea and the Korissia-Sea to the holyday-resort of Agios Georgios. We continue through olive groves to Chlomos (250m), a traditional village with panoramic view, situated on the Chlomos-mountain, and then to Chlomatiana, 110m (4hours walk). Transfer back to our hotel. Short drive to the Spartilas-village, 340m. First we go through the picturesque village, and then we climb on a path with panoramic view on slopes covered with shrubs, past a ruined monastery and through a laurel-forest to the rocky plateau of Pantokrator. Finally we reach the summit, 911m, where stands an aerial-forest and an uninhabited monastery (2+hours walk). Panoramic view of theGreek and Albanian mountains and coastline. Afterwards we drive to Kassiopi and continue on a panoramic road around the north eastern part of the island heading back to our hotel. Transfer to the airport All accommodations, all meals from dinner on day 1 through breakfast on day 8, all picnic lunches, group transfers from and to the airport, all transportations throughout the trip, luggage transportations, the tour leader - guide, all taxes and VAT. Air fare to and from Corfu, personal travel-health insurance, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, personal expenses, entrance fees in Museums, and other sites of interest that are not included in the trip description. Excursions described as “optional”. Participants should be covered by their own personal travel-health insurance prior to the trip. The personal insurance must at least cover medical expenses as well as air rescue and the cost of repatriation. From April to October 2011. All transfers during the trip are included. 7 nights HB in a simple, well-kept Hotel of the middle class in a quiet surrounding on the beach of Gouvia, only 7km from the centre of Corfu-town. Very close by, stand the imposing ruins of the Venetian ship-yards, at small distance is the marina of Gouvia Every morning we have breakfast in the hotels, picnic lunch en route and a dinner at local tavern. (Vegetarians are welcome on the trips) 6-16 participants. |
