Verdant Corfu Welcomes Walkers

Anyone accustomed to the harsh landscapes of rock, sea and sky on Greek islands such as Mikonos and Santorini will be surprised by Corfu’s lush beauty.

Corfu, the greenest of Greece’s more than 1,400 islands, has a colorful countryside, charming coastal villages and a bustling main city. Located in the Ionian Sea off Greece’s northwestern coast, adjacent to Albania, Corfu is perfect for walking. Mule paths, foot trails and dirt roads that crisscross the island provide access for hikers.

Rain clouds, trapped by nearby mainland mountains, regularly shower the island, which is covered with flowering shrubs and trees year-round. Buttercups, daffodils, marigolds, daisies, hollyhocks, cyclamens, poppies, larkspur and chamomile dot the countryside. In the villages, acacia, geraniums, oleander and grapes, as well as groves of orange, lemon and olive trees, grow around whitewashed houses.

The best hike on Corfu is the ascent of Mt. Pantokrator, the island’s highest peak. Golden eagles soar above the 2,972-foot summit, which is crowned by a beautiful monastery.

Get an early start for the eight-mile round-trip climb, accessible from two starting points. The first begins in the capital, Corfu town (known locally as Kerkyra, which is also the Greek name for the island). Hikers travel by car or bus 18 miles north to a trail that begins in the village of Strinilas; an alternative trail, which I recommend, starts in Viglatsouri, just inland from the beach resort of Nisaki.

Both routes are fairly steep, but wonderful sweeping views over the island, the mountains of mainland Greece, Albania and the deep blue Ionian Sea make the climb well worth the effort.

For a less strenuous walk, a jaunt around Corfu town is one of the best city walks in Greece. In the early morning, souvenir shops open their doors, hanging out wool sweaters, postcard racks and amber worry beads. At outdoor cafes in the main town square, townspeople sit at tables drinking strong Greek coffee and sharing conversation. Cats nap on sun-splashed balconies while women hang out laundry on clotheslines strung from one tall, elegant, centuries-old building to another.

Later in the day, this same town walk becomes a sensory assault. A cacophony of mopeds and motor scooters, church bells and taxi horns, belching buses and shouting peddlers dominates Corfu town. Perhaps Ambrose Bierce was thinking of Corfu town when he wrote that noise is “the chief product and authenticating sign of civilization.”

Corfu town is reminiscent of many European cities--especially Venice. The Venetians, who occupied Corfu for more than 400 years starting in 1386, built tall walls and houses that resembled those in their homeland. During that time, Corfu town was a walled fortress.

The island’s main landmark, the red dome of St. Spyridon’s church built in 1596, holds the mummified remains of its namesake, a former archbishop of Cyprus. St. Spyridon lies in a silver casket, his feet encased in richly embroidered slippers. Daily, he receives the devotions of the faithful, who kiss his sarcophagus and hope to be cured of all manner of illnesses. Four times a year, he is paraded through the streets of Corfu town in triumphant procession.

On the west coast, Palaiokstritsa is one of the many beautiful villages facing a shoreline of small sand coves carved from sheer cliffs. Perched on a steep hill above the village is a Byzantine monastery. The monks often can be seen herding their sheep up and down the wooded hills, a ritual performed today exactly as it was five centuries ago.

The once-perfect village has been overdeveloped (as have many of the island’s seaside towns), yet it retains its charm despite hordes of British tourists swarming the beaches.

From Palaiokstritsa, a footpath climbs past houses and through olive groves to the village of Lakones, then up to a small restaurant called Bella Vista. The spectacular view makes this a good spot to take a break.

The walk continues along the road out of Lakones, where it turns into a footpath that winds through vineyards and climbs a hill to ruins of a Byzantine castle, built in the 13th Century. The five-mile walk takes about two to three hours.

Mt. Pantokrator Trail

WHERE: Corfu, in the Ionian Sea off the west coast of Greece.

DISTANCE: 2 to 8 miles round trip.

TERRAIN: Verdant slopes, secluded pocket beaches.

HIGHLIGHTS: Vineyards, wildflowers and views of the coastline.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Moderate.

PRECAUTIONS: Corfu is very crowded in July and August. Don’t trample nets below olive trees.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact the Greek National Tourist Organization, 611 West 6th St., Suite 1998, Los Angeles 90017; tel. (213) 626-6696.