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Practical information for travel Ionian Islands

À chacun ses envies et surtout ses disponibilités. L’île de Corfou - et surtout la Vieille Ville - peuvent s'aborder pendant un weekend de quatre jours. Si vous pouvez y consacrer cinq ou six jours, vous profiterez davantage de l’ambiance de l’île. Louer une voiture permet de sillonner plus facilement l’île et de découvrir des petits villages pittoresques dans l’arrière-pays. Pour visiter plus d'îles, un séjour plus long s'impose. Plusieurs combinaisons sont possibles pour découvrir deux îles Ioniennes différentes. Certaines, comme Céphalonie et Ithaque, ou Leucade et Ithaque, sont assez proches pour être combinées. Vous devez cependant bien vérifier les horaires de bateau, surtout hors saison où les liaisons peuvent être moins fréquentes. Enfin, vous pourrez prévoir votre voyage selon vos envies. Les îles Ioniennes permettent d’allier vacances reposantes à la plage, randonnées dans la nature, et visites culturelles.

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Discover Ionian Islands

Did you love the Cyclades? Then you'll love the Ionian Islands too, but no doubt for many other reasons. Here, there are no whitewashed houses or blue-domed churches. Nature is more rugged, with colossal mountains whose peaks plunge into the sea. It remains magnificent even after the heatwave and fires of July 2023 on Corfu's north-eastern tip. Mainly located in the eponymous sea that separates Greece from Italy, the Ionian Islands are also the fruit of their history. The Ottomans, but above all the Venetians and the British, have left a lasting mark here. Influenced by their neighbors, they also offer a gastronomy all their own. Their inhabitants have been the birthplace of many great poets and writers. And of course, from one to the other, the Ionian islands are ideal for travel, even boat cruises.

Pictures and images Ionian Islands

Plage de Paleokastritsa. Balate Dorin - Adobestock.com
Le Mont Ainos. Gelner Tivadar - Shutterstock.com
Tzatziki, spécialité de Grèce. Marian Weyo - Shutterstock.com
Plage de Zakynthos. rusm - iStockphoto.com

The 12 keywords Ionian Islands

1. #Greek Coffee

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You will be amazed by the thousand and one ways of preparing coffee in Greece. To order it, ask for: éna elliniko, which means "a Greek"! In the summer, there is nothing like an iced coffee that is drunk iced (made with Nescafé) or freddo (made with espresso). Coffee can be ordered without sugar(sketo), a little sweet(metrio) or very sweet(glyko).

2. #Caretta caretta

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This endangered species of turtle, which lives between the coasts of the Peloponnese and Crete, has been coming every year for 150 million years to lay its eggs on the beaches of southern Zakynthos, on the peninsula of Vassilikos and the bay of Laganas. Thanks to the associations, it is back in Zakynthos and in all the Ionian islands!

3. #Cats

We all know this cliché of the Greek islands: a small port, a white chapel and languid cats. These felines are indeed everywhere, especially near the fish taverns that border the ports of the Dodecanese. If you give them a few bones at the end of the meal, try to do it discreetly to avoid the reproachful eye of the manager.

4. #Iconostases

The iconostasis is the set of icons hung in a particular place in each Greek house. Since the quarrel of the images in the VIIth century which saw the victory of the iconolaters on the iconoclasts, the orthodoxy devotes the cult of the icons. Moreover, the Greeks kiss the icon when entering a church, then sign themselves three times.

5. #Mezzedes

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Comparable to Spanish tapas, mezzedes (the plural of mezze) is more a gastronomic habit than a culinary specialty. It is a very convivial part of the meal: dishes are cooked and placed in the center of the table, letting everyone choose what they want. The famous tzatziki and tarama are not the only delicacies.

6. #Mythology

Mythology is present everywhere when visiting Greece: for example, according to it, it is in Corfu that Hercules would have conceived his son Hyllus, future leader of the Heraclides, just before leaving to carry out his work. The stories of the gods of Olympus and other heroes still fascinate and statues pay tribute to these personalities

7. #Odyssey

Homer's long poem, composed towards the end of the eighth century BC, tells the story of Odysseus' ten-year return from the Trojan War. He returns to Ithaca to find his beloved wife Penelope and their great son Telemachus. This long journey would have taken place for the most part between the Aegean Sea, Kythera and Cephalonia

8. #Easter

The program includes the Epitafios procession on Friday, the Saturday evening mass followed by a big meal and mayiritsa (a giblet soup), lamb on the spit on Sunday, and on Whit Monday, 50 days later, a new celebration. In any case, being in Corfu during Easter week is an experience to be had!

9. #Beaches

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In Zakynthos, the Bay of the Shipwreck has often been elected as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. In Kefalonia, Myrto Beach really looks like a postcard. In Lefkada, the endless white sand beaches like Porto Katsiki or Egremni give the impression of being in the Caribbean. And in Paxos or Ithaca, there are so many creeks with crystal clear waters...

10. #Tavli

Tavli is the Greek version of backgammon or backgammon. This game is very popular in Greece and is played for hours on end on the terraces of cafes. You usually order it with your drink or follow the sometimes colorful games played by your neighbors. Often the dice rolls are followed by flowery expressions.

11. #Venetian

The Venetian presence has left a lasting impression on the Ionian Islands. The local dialect is still punctuated with Italian words and the cuisine is largely inspired by Italian recipes. Opera and classical music are part of the culture of the Corfiotes. The Ionian Islands were conquered by the Republic of Venice in the 13th century.

12. #Wines

The Venetians also left a variety of vines in the Ionian islands: the Robola, widespread in Corfu and Cephalonia, originally comes from the Friuli-Venezia region. In Lefkada, you will also find unique wines such as Lefkadiatki Hi (Land of Lefkada) produced from the Vardea variety and regularly awarded in the world

You are from here, if...

Your palate has Greek and Italian accents. In fact, you like to spend time, but a lot of time, at the table, and especially at any time!

You never order one dish for yourself: you prefer to have several and to stick your fork into all the dishes and mezzedes on the table.

In general, you like to talk, debate and argue (for real).

You are religious, superstitious or both. Impossible to pass by a church without signing.

You often arrive late. You love the expression "para pende". In Greece, everything ends at "minus five", meaning at the last minute... or a little later.

You value your personal freedom. It's okay to stop smoking in bars, but as for the compulsory seatbelt or helmet, we'll see..

In general, you should not bother driving. Turn signal is optional and double parking is still quite practical, isn't it?

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