Page 113 - ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL 2022

CORF U

What Not to Miss in Corfu

Be amazed of the grandeur of an island so surprising
that you will treasure it in your memories.

Asian Allure
What is the connection of Corfu with Asian culture and
history? A really deep one, as the unique Corfu Museum of
Asian Art proves since 1928. Housed in a building that stands
as a landmark for the city of Corfu, the museum embraces the
collection of Gregorios Manos, its historical founder, who
donated 9500 objects of Japanese, Chinese and Korean art to the
Greek state that formed the first nucleus for the creation of the
Sino-Japanese Museum of Corfu in 1928. Later, many important
donations were followed that significantly expanded the
Museum, renaming it as Museum of Asian Art and contributing C
to its worldwide recognition. (matk.gr) M
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Unique Charm
Visiting Corfu is like visiting three different eras and cultures CY
on the same island. Imbued with grace and elegance, historic CMY
Corfu Town (also known as Kerkyra) is found in the middle of K
the island’s east coast. The name Corfu [“peaks”] refers to its
twin hills, each topped by a massive fortress built to withstand
the Ottoman sieges of the 16th century. Built on a promontory,
the town has a unique architecture that reflects the various
influences – Venetian, French and English – that have left their
mark on the island. A multi-ethnic vibe at the same location!

Leaves of the Past
Meet the Corfu’s Ents! They do not move like Tolkien’s, but
these ancient olive trees have the same wisdom and leave you
in awe when you look at them. Counting more than 400 years
old, they were planted from north to south during the Venetian
rule of Corfu. Clustered together in cool olive groves, they are
estimated over 3 million olive trees on the island. And if that
left you speechless, wait until you see “Evdokia”, an olive tree SHUTTERSTOCK
of 1086 to 1200 years old at Strongyli town and one of the ten
largest and oldest living trees in all of Europe!

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