July 26, 2024 • 8 mins
"It is the greenest of Greece’s islands, lush and verdant with emerald mountains and breathlessly blue waters lapping rocky coves and sandy bays. This northeastern outpost of Greece lies across the Ionian Sea from Italy’s heel, while Albania is just 3kms away. Corfu has long enticed conquerors, as much as holidaymakers. British and French influences can be seen in Corfu’s atmospheric Old Town – however, it’s obvious that the Venetians, who stayed around for 400 years, exerted and left behind the greatest legacy. Their calling card is everywhere, with an alluring mix of neoclassical villas, Venetian palazzo and pastel-painted hill towns."
Read Mike's full article here.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks A b M.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
The Man with the Best Job in the World that
travel corresponded Mike Yardley's here.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Hey Mike, good morning Jack. I'm so pleased you had
such a great time. And Rara Tongua. How much ikamata
did you consume?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
I consumed a lot of ikamata, I do you know.
I basically just alternated between the fruits ikamata and like
fried fish, sandwiches or burgers. I just, oh my god,
this is so there is just there is there are
a few things in this world that I think can
compare with them. With raw fish and with deep fried
(00:46):
fresh fish. Oh my god. Yeah, yeah, absolutely delicious. So no,
I loved my time there. Actually, you know, it felt
and felt silly. It's just like the obvious things I
was saying earlier in the show that you know, like
I'm always surprised, and I don't know why I'm surprised
when I go to Pacific Islands, and I'm always surprised
by how lush and green they are.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Yes, and those those peaks that's I kind of look
like Jurassic I.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
That's exactly it. So I did that. Of course, I
did the cross island walk and through the needle on
on Raratonga and when I got to up the top
there I my wife was getting a massage while I
was doing this, So I did alone, each to their
own and I met a lovely young couple up there,
and that was what they said to me. And they said, oh,
this is kind of like Jurassic PARKA. How is that? Yeah, exactly,
(01:33):
it's beautiful. Anyway, we are focusing on another fairly warm
island this morning, Corfu your top bites and sites and
Corfu and Corfu is I mean, like ludicrously close to
the coast of Albania, right you come on, You could
swim it, couldn't you.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
You could, you really could it and you wouldn't have
to be an Olympian. It's just three kilimeters across the water.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
So this north stretch to work out three k's of
swimming is not nothing. Yeah, yes, but I mean it's
yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
But about car Fevers, it feels so on Greek even
though it is Greece's northeastern outpost. And if you look
at a map you'll notice that Italy is so much
closer than Athens. So even though it is Greek, the
architecture is just a mishmash of all the conquerors who
have been enticed to corfe as much as holiday makers.
(02:28):
It's Venechean bench. In fact, it's the Venetians who left
the bigness calling card because they ruled the roost for
four hundred years. So you've got these magnificently colored toundhouses,
neoclassical villas. The landscape, the countryside is just crowned with
all these pastor painted hilltowns. It is a gorgeous, gorgeous island.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Oh nice, would you say it's the greenest of Greeks,
of the Greek island?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Yes, rare tongue of green, actually, Jack, It is probably
because of the climate. It's more Adriatic than Mediterranean, so yeah,
a lot more rainfall. At times when you're on the
Corfu Trail around the island, it's like you're looking at
an Impressionist painting because there's all of these time outed
(03:16):
farmhouses and cottages virtually swallowed in boogamvillia and wisteria and jasmine.
It is just so verdant. And the high you climb
on that Corfu trail, the more achingly beautiful. The perspectives
become between sea and sky. So yes, definitely at some
time to hit the coastal trailers around the island.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Mike, what's so impressive about the Old Fortress?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Well, I'm a James Bond junkie, so when I went
to the Old Fortress, I thought, oh my god, I
can see that Mercedes being kicked off the side of
a cliff and for your eyes only, So yes, if
you are a James Bond aficionado, you may well know
that for your eyes only was shot almost entirely on Corfu,
(04:05):
and a lot of the scenes happened around the Old Fortress,
and it's this incredible fortification which the Venetians built to
keep the Ottomans at bay. But the thing to do, Jack,
because it is a really good purch to buy the
old town. The thing to do is go there really
early because Corfu is a big cruise port, so you'll
(04:27):
get dow for people disgorging from those ships. At around
nine o'clock in the morning. Go there before that, walk
across the moat, head up the tower of the Old
Fortress and you will get the most magical view across
the watercolor patchwork of terra cotta rooftops of the old
town as the sun pops up.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Okay, that's a great tip, thank you. They played cricket
on Corfu.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yes, next to the old Fortress, they've got this sprawling
square they call the spi Andada. It's the biggest public
square in Greece. It's lash, it's leafy, it's full of life,
but pricks the curiosity and apparently Corfiots as they are called,
are cricket and it's obviously a hangover from British rule.
(05:09):
But if you go there on a Sunday you will
see so many people playing cricket. They are just obsessed
by it and then flinking one side of the square.
Another really cool area to check out is this enormous
long arcape building called the Leston and it was actually
built by Napoleon. He wanted it to resemble the Rue
(05:30):
de Rivoli in Paris. So it is absolutely stuffed with
the best coffeehouses in Corfu. Good.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
So, what are some of the highlights in the old town.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Well, it is a jumble of Venetian style of buildings,
but really cheerfully painted in Oka and Rose Hughes and
I just love getting lost in the old town. I've
got a fabulous medieval quarter called the Kimpiallo and that
is all you know, your skinny hoes and at Moscow
Lore they do great gelato in Corfe. Definitely check out
(06:02):
the kumquat shops in Corfu. It is quint senral Corfou
so come quote. Those tiny egg shaped fruit are like
they like miniature gods. They found you away from China
to Corfu sometime in the eighteenth century, and Corfu has
made up their own So come quat liqueur absolutely delicious,
(06:23):
but even better jack the candied and glazed kumquats. Buy
a box of those. They are the perfect companion on
the Corfu trail.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yeah, okay, I'm convinced. Why is Corfoud so popular at Easter?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Oh my goodness, they go totally crazy. It's just a
riot of festivity and a lot of locals. They celebrate
Easter by having clay pots from higher above out there
apartment buildings, smashing them onto the cobbled lanes below. So
if you are going there for Orthodox Easter, keep that
in mind, keep an eye up at what could be
coming down. But it's all about expelling evil spirits. Then
(07:00):
they get sloshed on the kumquat licure and they have
eighteen philharmonia orchestras that to the streets around Easter. So
it's it's pretty pretty loud, Yeah, pretty zy, very good.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
What about good eats in town?
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, two signature corfe itt bite. I do recommend pesta sado.
It's wretch beef and tomato stew. But they serve it
with pasta. It is such a good mix. And if
you are a fan of eggplants, and the Greeks do
love eggplant, in Corfu they do what they call pasta
kio egg plants. So this egg plant is fried up
(07:37):
with cheese porks and army sliced boiled eggs. It's baked
in the oven then topped with tomato sauce. That is
a melon a half.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
That sounds great, oh good. And beyond the old town
where is good?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Well, obviously Corfo is loaded with lots of dreamy bays
and beaches. My pick would be a place called Palo Castritza.
It's this chic beachfront village backed by dramatic claffs, mountains
carpeted and cypress and fur. But the thing about it,
it's west facing, So it's the primo spot for long evenings,
(08:12):
perfect sunsets and lots of kumquat cocktails.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I go, hey, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Mike.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Oh that sounds incredible, Beck, Yeah, oh very good. We'll
put Mike's tips for enjoying the pints and sites in
Corfu up. On the News Talk, he'd be Website News Talks.
He'db dot co, dot z ed Ford slash Jack for
everything from our show, next up Jason Pye a very
excited Jason Pie and ahead of weekend sport with all
of his picks for the twenty twenty four Olympic Games.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, Listen live
to News Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks A b M.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
The Man with the Best Job in the World that
travel corresponded Mike Yardley's here.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Hey Mike, good morning Jack. I'm so pleased you had
such a great time. And Rara Tongua. How much ikamata
did you consume?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
I consumed a lot of ikamata, I do you know.
I basically just alternated between the fruits ikamata and like
fried fish, sandwiches or burgers. I just, oh my god,
this is so there is just there is there are
a few things in this world that I think can
compare with them. With raw fish and with deep fried
(00:46):
fresh fish. Oh my god. Yeah, yeah, absolutely delicious. So no,
I loved my time there. Actually, you know, it felt
and felt silly. It's just like the obvious things I
was saying earlier in the show that you know, like
I'm always surprised, and I don't know why I'm surprised
when I go to Pacific Islands, and I'm always surprised
by how lush and green they are.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Yes, and those those peaks that's I kind of look
like Jurassic I.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
That's exactly it. So I did that. Of course, I
did the cross island walk and through the needle on
on Raratonga and when I got to up the top
there I my wife was getting a massage while I
was doing this, So I did alone, each to their
own and I met a lovely young couple up there,
and that was what they said to me. And they said, oh,
this is kind of like Jurassic PARKA. How is that? Yeah, exactly,
(01:33):
it's beautiful. Anyway, we are focusing on another fairly warm
island this morning, Corfu your top bites and sites and
Corfu and Corfu is I mean, like ludicrously close to
the coast of Albania, right you come on, You could
swim it, couldn't you.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
You could, you really could it and you wouldn't have
to be an Olympian. It's just three kilimeters across the water.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
So this north stretch to work out three k's of
swimming is not nothing. Yeah, yes, but I mean it's
yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
But about car Fevers, it feels so on Greek even
though it is Greece's northeastern outpost. And if you look
at a map you'll notice that Italy is so much
closer than Athens. So even though it is Greek, the
architecture is just a mishmash of all the conquerors who
have been enticed to corfe as much as holiday makers.
(02:28):
It's Venechean bench. In fact, it's the Venetians who left
the bigness calling card because they ruled the roost for
four hundred years. So you've got these magnificently colored toundhouses,
neoclassical villas. The landscape, the countryside is just crowned with
all these pastor painted hilltowns. It is a gorgeous, gorgeous island.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Oh nice, would you say it's the greenest of Greeks,
of the Greek island?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Yes, rare tongue of green, actually, Jack, It is probably
because of the climate. It's more Adriatic than Mediterranean, so yeah,
a lot more rainfall. At times when you're on the
Corfu Trail around the island, it's like you're looking at
an Impressionist painting because there's all of these time outed
(03:16):
farmhouses and cottages virtually swallowed in boogamvillia and wisteria and jasmine.
It is just so verdant. And the high you climb
on that Corfu trail, the more achingly beautiful. The perspectives
become between sea and sky. So yes, definitely at some
time to hit the coastal trailers around the island.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Mike, what's so impressive about the Old Fortress?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Well, I'm a James Bond junkie, so when I went
to the Old Fortress, I thought, oh my god, I
can see that Mercedes being kicked off the side of
a cliff and for your eyes only, So yes, if
you are a James Bond aficionado, you may well know
that for your eyes only was shot almost entirely on Corfu,
(04:05):
and a lot of the scenes happened around the Old Fortress,
and it's this incredible fortification which the Venetians built to
keep the Ottomans at bay. But the thing to do, Jack,
because it is a really good purch to buy the
old town. The thing to do is go there really
early because Corfu is a big cruise port, so you'll
(04:27):
get dow for people disgorging from those ships. At around
nine o'clock in the morning. Go there before that, walk
across the moat, head up the tower of the Old
Fortress and you will get the most magical view across
the watercolor patchwork of terra cotta rooftops of the old
town as the sun pops up.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Okay, that's a great tip, thank you. They played cricket
on Corfu.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yes, next to the old Fortress, they've got this sprawling
square they call the spi Andada. It's the biggest public
square in Greece. It's lash, it's leafy, it's full of life,
but pricks the curiosity and apparently Corfiots as they are called,
are cricket and it's obviously a hangover from British rule.
(05:09):
But if you go there on a Sunday you will
see so many people playing cricket. They are just obsessed
by it and then flinking one side of the square.
Another really cool area to check out is this enormous
long arcape building called the Leston and it was actually
built by Napoleon. He wanted it to resemble the Rue
(05:30):
de Rivoli in Paris. So it is absolutely stuffed with
the best coffeehouses in Corfu. Good.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
So, what are some of the highlights in the old town.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Well, it is a jumble of Venetian style of buildings,
but really cheerfully painted in Oka and Rose Hughes and
I just love getting lost in the old town. I've
got a fabulous medieval quarter called the Kimpiallo and that
is all you know, your skinny hoes and at Moscow
Lore they do great gelato in Corfe. Definitely check out
(06:02):
the kumquat shops in Corfu. It is quint senral Corfou
so come quote. Those tiny egg shaped fruit are like
they like miniature gods. They found you away from China
to Corfu sometime in the eighteenth century, and Corfu has
made up their own So come quat liqueur absolutely delicious,
(06:23):
but even better jack the candied and glazed kumquats. Buy
a box of those. They are the perfect companion on
the Corfu trail.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yeah, okay, I'm convinced. Why is Corfoud so popular at Easter?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Oh my goodness, they go totally crazy. It's just a
riot of festivity and a lot of locals. They celebrate
Easter by having clay pots from higher above out there
apartment buildings, smashing them onto the cobbled lanes below. So
if you are going there for Orthodox Easter, keep that
in mind, keep an eye up at what could be
coming down. But it's all about expelling evil spirits. Then
(07:00):
they get sloshed on the kumquat licure and they have
eighteen philharmonia orchestras that to the streets around Easter. So
it's it's pretty pretty loud, Yeah, pretty zy, very good.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
What about good eats in town?
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, two signature corfe itt bite. I do recommend pesta sado.
It's wretch beef and tomato stew. But they serve it
with pasta. It is such a good mix. And if
you are a fan of eggplants, and the Greeks do
love eggplant, in Corfu they do what they call pasta
kio egg plants. So this egg plant is fried up
(07:37):
with cheese porks and army sliced boiled eggs. It's baked
in the oven then topped with tomato sauce. That is
a melon a half.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
That sounds great, oh good. And beyond the old town
where is good?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Well, obviously Corfo is loaded with lots of dreamy bays
and beaches. My pick would be a place called Palo Castritza.
It's this chic beachfront village backed by dramatic claffs, mountains
carpeted and cypress and fur. But the thing about it,
it's west facing, So it's the primo spot for long evenings,
(08:12):
perfect sunsets and lots of kumquat cocktails.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I go, hey, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Mike.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Oh that sounds incredible, Beck, Yeah, oh very good. We'll
put Mike's tips for enjoying the pints and sites in
Corfu up. On the News Talk, he'd be Website News Talks.
He'db dot co, dot z ed Ford slash Jack for
everything from our show, next up Jason Pye a very
excited Jason Pie and ahead of weekend sport with all
of his picks for the twenty twenty four Olympic Games.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, Listen live
to News Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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