Corfu Island Off The Beaten Path

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Sinarades is an ancient Greek village that has been forgotten by tourism. It is situated in the middle west of Corfu Island and clings to the mountainside, with an almost Alpine appearance. A cluster of graves and other graves scattered around the area dating back to the Roman age leads to the conclusion that this area might have been and ancient village during the Roman conquest. The village at its current location was built between the 10th and 11th century by the inhabitants of a seashore village which was abandoned because of the terrible and repated attacks of the Sarakin pirates. When we arrived at Siranades it was immediately clear to us that it has had its moments of flourish and decline. We were told in advance that this is an village that is not to be missed, which is true!

So, the beautiful view aside, what makes Sinarades so worthy of a visit in our opinion? It's a truly traditional, rural and peaceful village where the ladies still wear traditional dresses and use their donkeys on a daily basis.

Address:
Village of Sinarades

Directions:
Situated at the middle west side of the island. It is a 25 km drive from the capital of Corfu, Corfu Town.

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The derivation of the word Sinarades comes from the Byzantine surname Sinaras. Although the village was built much earlier, nothing was documented about its existence prior to the 15th century. From Theodora we learned that most stories, with history lessons, have been handed down from generation to generation.

We parked the car at the central square of the village. Right there you'll find the village's one bar (Café Olympia), bus stop and mini market. After our walk through the village we had a nice cuppaccino at Stellios' Taverna and enjoyed the peace and quiet atmosphere.

Sinarades is one of the biggest villages on the island and probably the most traditional one. It is still a very "lived in" village with traditional ways of life and architecture. Sinarades once again is a lovely village for a gentle walk with some breathtaking coastal views from "Aerostatos" a viewpoint on the outskirts of the village. So for us Sinarades was the most beautiful one!

Address:
Village of Sinarades

Directions:
Situated at the middle west side of the island. It is a 25 km drive from the capital of Corfu, Corfu Town.

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We read in our travel guide that "Kassiopi has the magnificent backdrop of Mount Pantokrator and hills covered with olive groves, vines and citrus plantations. It is a colourful place reached by picturesque coast roads." Quite a discription and for us a good reason to visit it.

When we drove to Kassiopi by car we observed the little houses of the small villages in the region, situated behind olive and fruit-bearing trees. Kassiopi seemed far away from the tourism and by the time we neared the North East of the island we noticed that the roads started to narrow and bends became worse. It required quite some of mine driving skills, but we made it safe :)

But once we arrived we concluded that Kassiopi is a picturesque seaside town with a fascinating history which goes way back. In roman times a thriving town stood there which had a port, a theatre and a temple dedicated to Kassioso Zeus. Besides being the largest town in the north of the island of Corfu it has three attractive beaches. So do walk along the many lanes leading into the beautiful surroundings.

Address:
Village of Kassiopi.

Directions:
Situated at the north east side of the island. It is a 17 km drive from the capital of Corfu, Corfu Town.

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In my never ending search for school warning road signs, I was glad to find in remote villages of Corfou two interesting ones. Sorry, I do not remember the name of the villages.

I like especially the first one which must have been locally made. The artist has given an unusual and ambiguous attitude to the two profiles!

The second photo has a more “usual” look for road signs hand painted in the 50s.

I have tried to identify this amazing bush growing around the Mediterranean, always next to the sea. The fruits look almost like flowers. It has an amazing greenish wing all around that looks like a wide skirt. I have not found its name yet but will add it as soon as possible.

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While driving around the countryside up and down mountains on the west side of Corfu you will pass through several villages and on to very small roads,this one particular rd was nothing more than a dirt track in most spots but we carried on driving to see where it would take us,the result is Paramona beach a very well hidden place and not something you would notice on any map.
There is a small car park and a cafe nearby and then its just you the sea and the golden sand,very peaceful and perfect if you want to get away from the crowds and spend the day relaxing.
The road down to the beach is very narrow with sharp turns but managable,as for directions i would say about ten to fifteen minutes drive west of Agios Matteos.

One of the biggest beaches at the island. It has a couple of all-inclusive hotels that has access to the sea, and that part of the beach is the best with grass and palms. (Also you can for free walk in to hotel and use their pool and jacuzzi.)

If you are not familiar with the Mediterranean, you will not be able to name that plant, though you are most likely to use it as a condiment. It grows on cracks of rocks and the flowers have a delicate and strong scent. Something close to vanilla and chocolate but that will not help! The buds are the capers that are used as pickles. The bush is Capparis spinosa (yes, mind, it is spiny!)