Corfu's past as the playground of royalty vies with its rugged coastline for top billing in this exclusive tour. You'll visit Kouloura, Achillion Palace and gardens, a kumquat distillery and Paleokastritsa. Sofia, one of our local guides, says, ‘The views over Paleokastritsa and its heart-shaped bays will reveal why locals call it the Balcony of the Gods.'
You'll kick off the day at Kouloura, where a tiny horseshoe-shaped marina is shaded by pines. From here, we'll head to the seaside village of Paleokastritsa. You'll have free time to visit the Orthodox monastery – admission is free – or the many coves with beaches. A boat trip can also be arranged. Next, there's a scenic drive to Bella Vista, so-called for its views over Paleo Bay. We'll drop into a family-run taverna, where Spiros, the owner, will offer you meze with tzatziki, taramo salad, cheese pie, tomato, feta, olives and ouzo.
Then we'll continue to the Achillion Palace to the south of Corfu town. Empress Sissi of Austria was enamoured with Corfu and its mythological heritage, particularly the story of Achilles, and her palace and gardens are filled with sculptures of Greek gods and goddesses. If it seems familiar, it may be because the James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only was filmed here. After a pit stop at Kanoni to see Mouse Island, we round off the day with a visit to family-owned kumquat distillery. Here, you'll learn all about this exotic citrus fruit and products made from it – marmalade, syrup and liqueur among them.
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