CORFU, GREECE
Corfu, is a city and the capital of Corfu Island and capital for the region of the Ionian Islands. In 2007, the old town of the city was inscribed on the
World Heritage List. The city (population 24,838 in 2011) is a major tourist attraction. In recent years Corfu has become one of the favorite destinations for Greek tourists too, especially during the Easter holiday. The northern part of the island is mostly mountainous and is dominated in the north east by Mount Pantokrator (the ancient Istone mountain).
Pantokrator Mountain The highest peak in Corfu, altitude is 1000 meters (3280 ft) and if visibility and the weather is good you can see as far as the Italian coasts. This island, comparing size and population density, is the third most populated place in Greece after Athens and Thessaloniki. The first modern Greek university was established on the island, The Ionian Academy, the first university of Greece founded in 1824. Of the thirty-seven Greek churches the most important are the cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of the Cave, and
St. Spiridon's, with the tomb of the patron saint of the island. The city of Corfu has a long tradition in the
fine arts and is home to The
Philharmonic Society of Corfu. Corfu is the only place in Greece where
cricket is popular. It was imported into the island during British rule. The
Hellenic Cricket Federation is based in Corfu and it is the only Greek sport federation that is based outside Athens. Other major sports include water polo, water sports.