After a handful of trips into Corfu Town, it is often thought that visitors have seen it all; they have navigated the small cobbled streets of the old town, witnessed the unmeasurable beauty of the venetian architecture, and even eaten or drunk in some of the many traditional tavernas and restaurant’s that the city offers. This week we thought we would explore some other accessible areas of Corfu Town, which are steeped in history – namely, the Mon Repos Palace, and the Island of Vidos.
Whether you visit Corfu with a hire car, our weekday trip, or by private transfer, this is sure to inspire you with something different to see!
Mon Repos Palace
Mon Repos Palace is situated on the top of Analipsis Hill, near the Kanoni area, in the middle of a beautiful setting full of a myriad of exotic greenery.
The Palace was built in 1826, on 258 acres of fertile land, by the English Commissioner, Frederic Adams, as a gift to his Corfiot wife, Nina Palatianos. Frederic intended for the palace to be their summer residence, in order to fulfill his beloved wife’s dream to live in a palace in the countryside. Despite it’s small stature for a building of it’s type, the architecture was unique for the time, with colonial impressions evident amongst it’s structure. The palace was renowned for its receptions, often hosted in the gardens, throughout much of Greece, England and India, and it even caught the eye of the infamous, Empress Elizabeth, commonly known as Princess Sissi, who went on to build her own palace in Corfu – now the well-known Achilleion Palace.
In 1964, it was given to King George I of Greece, as a gift from the Municipality of Corfu, he re-named it ‘Mon Repos’, translating in French, to ‘my rest’. This remained in King George’s occupation until 1973 when monarchy was abolished in Greece, and several officials took up residence, making it a landmark location for many reasons. In 1921, Philip Maudbaden, later known as the late Prince Phillip was born in the Palace, and resided in Corfu until 18 months later, when his father, Prince Andrew, was exiled from Greece for life. Following his marriage to the late Queen Elizabeth II, Phillip relinquished his Greek title, and became a British Citizen.
The palace has since been restored to house a great museum, which hosts a huge number of ionian treasures, and reflects its original and classical features. Now, it welcomes thousands of Tourists each year, who visit the palace not only for its history, but for its incredible grounds.
Getting to Mon Repos from the Old Harbour.
The easiest and quickest way to Mon Repos is by walking up to Liston Square, and catching the Blue City Bus Number 2A to Kanoni, which takes approximately 10 minutes, getting off at Mon Repos on the way. The buses run every 20 minutes to return you to Liston square. Below, you will find a map of the Mon Repos Estate for your day.
Otherwise, the distance from the harbour to Kanoni is 3.2km, or 1.9miles, taking the coastal route through Garitsa, via the Liston. The walk takes approximately 1 hour.
The Island of Vidos
Residing just half a mile from Corfu’s Old Port, the Island of Vidos is small and enveloped almost entirely in woodland trees. This tranquil isle, bursting with a glorious feeling of local escapism, was once not so peaceful. In fact, under the venetian rule, which dominated Corfu between the 15th and 18th centuries, this small island served as a prison, much like ‘Alcatraz’, and tunnels were built linking it to the main Island. Prisoners were tried in the Old Fortress, before being escorted to Vidos (aka. Death Island), via the tunnels, to serve their sentence away from the rest of civilisation. The isolated remains of the prison, and it’s solitary confinement area can still be witnessed today.
Delving deeper into the Island’s history, 1915 saw the retreat of the Serbian army and a population of civilians to Corfu, following the Austro-German-Bulgarian invasion of Serbia in WW1. The sick, and uncurable refugees, and soldiers were transported to Vidos Island, which acted as a quarantine hospital to prevent epidemic of illness and plague. Despite the help of their allies and all the materials they could muster, the medical facilities of the time and the severe condition of the patients meant that many did not return from the island. It is said, that due to the islands small size, it soon became necessary to bury many of those lost, in the sea surrounding the Island. In the 1930s, a serbian mausoleum was erected in monument to the thousands of soldiers and civilians, who perished to plague and starvation, whilst defending Corfu’s freedom.
Today, the island of Vidos is home to tranquility, nature, and Corfu’s scouts, who have improvised their camps on the north side of the Island. Whilst walking the Island’s pine-strewn paths, you can spot some of the Scout’s wooden creations! Beautiful beaches and secluded forest clearings can be found, in addition to a taverna to grab some lunch – experience a day in the beauty of the island, that is enshrined in so much tragedy.
Getting to the Island.
A small ferry runs between Vidos and Corfu Old Harbour, and departs Monday to Friday every half an hour, leaving Corfu on the hour, and departing Vidos on the half hour. The journey takes approximately 10 minutes. A map of Vidos Island is included below.
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