Things to see and do Iles grecques

How to describe such an authentic place?

Firstly, its history: that of Dr. Kavvadia, an orthopedic surgeon, who cultivated this place like a small secret garden, cherishing his olive trees of a local species called "Lianelia" with the certainty that they would develop curative virtues in response to his good treatments. A force of thought turned into a miracle of nature, as the olive oil produced today in this olive grove, in addition to being excellent, possesses antioxidant properties.

Then there's the hard work of the doctor's grandson, Apostolos, a good-natured and passionate fellow who has taken over. The grandfather was a forerunner in his time, unknowingly using permaculture and sustainable agriculture. The grandson has had his farm certified organic, and continues the family tradition by taking great care of these hundred-year-old trees.

So it's hardly surprising that Dr. Kavvadia's and his grandson's olive oil has won numerous awards and accolades. This dedication to a job well done is reflected in the labels, which are handwritten and numbered over 4,000 times per production run! It's a fascinating process with a unique result, and the humble owner is happy to show you around the farm.

The tour is well worth the detour! In an hour and a half, you'll learn all about the process of extracting oil from olives, permaculture and compost, in a bucolic and enchanting setting.

The visit ends with a tasting of the two types of oil produced here, and organic vegetables from the garden in the form of mezze.

A nice way to reward all the efforts made by Apostolos and his family is to drop by the store and take away with you some of this golden liquid, conscientiously produced under the sun of the Ionian Islands, with a love of terroir and tradition that commands respect.

In our opinion, it's a Corfu must!

The fountain was inaugurated in 1628 by the Venetian governor Francesco Morosini, hence its name, but it is best known as the "Fountain of the Lions", in Greek Liontaria. The water flows through the mouths of four lions, symbols of Venetian power, and the basins are decorated with representations of mythological scenes, carved in marble, where some classical figures such as tritons or nymphs can be found... This fountain was the first to bring water to the city of Heraklion, hence its current historical power. In spite of its appearance today rather banal, one can easily recognize that the work of its construction had to be considerable. The large statue of Poseidon, which occupied the centre of the fountain, was destroyed during the Turkish occupation. The square, where 25 Avgustou Street, the main pedestrian street leading down to the port, opens, is a very important cultural and tourist centre of Heraklion. But don't just look up at the four lions, also look under the fountain through the four hermetically sealed and lighted portholes: there you can see the foundations of the Venetian aqueduct. One of the emblematic places of Heraklion because of its history, the square of the Lions (or E. Venizelou) is not very impressive. However, it can be pleasant to have lunch in one of the taverns in the square where the fountain is located, especially those whose terraces on the first floor will give you a pleasant view of the surrounding animation.

It owes its name to the color of the sand. Less crowded than the beach of Matala, this beach with cliffs is beautiful, especially at sunset. The view over the Bay of Matala and the beach of Kokkinos is superb when you reach the top of the hill which separates them. Possible possible. A French hippie stayed there several years, we still see his sculptures in the caves, in the form of octopus, sirène…

The former main port of Rhodes has existed since ancient times and has been used by all the successive conquerors of the city. The entrance is guarded by two columns surmounted by bronze sculptures representing Rhodes' emblems: the stag and the deer. For centuries, legend has it that these two columns marked the site of the ancient Colossus of Rhodes. According to this widespread myth, the Colossus' feet were anchored at the level of the current columns, rising to 32 metres in height, the equivalent of a twelve-storey building. If the Colossus did exist, this somewhat whimsical thesis was defeated in a breach by all archaeologists... The dike that still protects the harbour today is dominated by Fort Saint-Nicolas, a jewel of defensive art established by the Knights of Saint-Jean in the 15th century. Three medieval windmills lead to it.

It is at the port of Mandraki that you will find the cruise and excursion boats that connect Lindos, among others. But the main interest is elsewhere: completely rethought during the Italian occupation, the quays offer a succession of buildings of fascist architecture, in various styles. Among the imposing Mandraki buildings designed by the Italians, you may notice the National Bank of Greece, the National Theatre, the Post Office, the Law Courts and the Town Hall, but you can't miss the eclectic New Market style building. In this former fish market established in 1925, today there are cafés and shops.

Even today, Kanoni is still the "postcard" and one of the most famous sights of Corfu. It is hard to resist. The proof is that it is still the most photographed site. About twenty minutes from the port and the old town, this islet, attached to the land by a long dike, shelters a cute little whitewashed church. If the place owes its name to a cannon abandoned by Napoleon's troops, history will remember that this is also where the capital of the island stood during Antiquity. However, with the exception of two excavation sites, archaeologists have never really conducted any research on the spot. The British occupants, on the other hand, turned the small point to the north-east of the peninsula upside down and built the Villa Mon Repos (which can be visited and houses a small museum, please stop by). This residence surrounded by a huge park was the birthplace in 1921 of Prince Philip of Edinburgh, husband of the Queen of England, before being assigned to the Greek royal family, then ceded to the state. It now houses a museum. The park (open from 8am to 7pm, free entrance) allows access to the islets of Vlacherna and Pondikonissi.

The popular tradition associates this island with the boat of the Phaeacians, which after having brought Ulysses back to Ithaca, would have been petrified by Poseidon. Look closely: according to Homer, this small piece of land would be nothing other than the boat that brought Odysseus back to Ithaca with his beloved Penelope... This island seems to have inspired the Swiss painter Boecklin for his work The Island of the Dead. Once there, visit the small church (13th century) surrounded by cypress trees. On the wall, plaques recall the passage of the Empress Elisabeth of Austria and her son Rodolphe.

But it is better to be warned, this landscape must be earned. The only (small) shadow to this idyllic picture: you will probably not be the only one on the spot... So to avoid the tourist buses, inevitable in Corfu in season, we advise you to go there early, very early. The ideal, if you have rented a car, is to go there in the morning at sunrise and to take a little height. You will not regret it. At this precise moment, the spectacle is magnificent, with the first rays of sunlight illuminating the two neighboring islets of Corfu: the Monastery of Vlacherna in the foreground, on the first islet, connected to the port only by a dike, Pondikonissi, the rock on which Odysseus would have failed, and finally the church of Pantokrator on the left.

Visitors are not allowed to stay in the gorge at night. Keep the ticket for the exit.

Sport access in mobylette, also prefer caicos. Sand beach where you can show yourself, where you'll even be exhale to triumph over the cult of the body. Gay vacationers, happily nudist, prefer the right side of the beach. At both ends of the beach, two bars take care of the atmosphere. Explosive!