Corfu Town (Κέρκυρα/Kérkyra in Greek), is a Venetian city with overlays from the French and British presence, and is the most beautiful city, surrounded by some of the best scenery and greenery, in all Greece. A unesco World Heritage site, it's where many Athenians go on holiday – but at Easter or in August. A former capital (of the seven Ionian Islands, before they joined Greece in 1864), it is Greece's largest ‘living’ medieval town, with cobblestone streets and alleyways, historic buildings, statues and fountains. There is great relaxation and conversation to be had in the cafés along the French-built Listón arcade, looking out towards the Esplanade (Spianádha). There is an excellent range of family-run restaurants. This is Venice without the canals and the hordes.

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'Exploring Corfu on Foot' is both an introduction to the wonderful heritage of Corfu Town, and to the Durrell School of Corfu.

We will explore Old Corfu with a series of walking tours, starting each day from the Durrell School. 'DSC' (as everyone calls it) is aimed at everyone with an enquiring and adventurous mind who would enjoy learning about Corfu's ecology, culture and landscape, following in the foot-steps of the writers Lawrence and Gerald Durrell ('Larry' and 'Gerry') by learning to appreciate the beauty, culture, and special Mediterranean ambience of the island of Corfu. Its premises are in a Venetian building in the centre of the medieval town in a street only two metres wide. It is in a pedestrianised zone, like all the main areas of the old town. This allows the visitor to see the sights as they were designed to be seen: from the eye-level of the walker. We will see views of the famous bay of Paleokastrítsa from a pathway descending from the Venetian fortress of Angelókastro; and the former royal family's Mon Repos Estate. Here's the full schedule (subject to an changes the weather necessitates!). Those marked PS will be led by Paddy Sammon, those marked SMcC by Seán McCrum:

Day 1: Fri        24 Sept            Orientation and Welcome Reception in DSC at 1800 hours, 11 Filellínon (the 'Street of the Philhellenes')

Day 2: Sat       25 Sept            Talk: Venetian Corfu & the Venetian Empire                            PS

                                                Walk: around the Old Town of Corfu [2 miles]

Day 3: Sun      26 Sept            Talk: Ancient Kerkyra Paleópolis; Thucydides                        PS/ SMcC

                                                Walk: Mon Repos, Palaeópolis and its Museum [5 km]

Day 4: Mon    27 Sept            Talk: Dionísios Solomós – National Poet                                SMcC

                                                Walk: Byzantine Museum (Vouniótissa); Archaeological Museum

Day 5: Tue      28 Sept            Talk: Edward Lear in Ireland and Corfu                                PS

                                                Walk: Boat to Vídos island: walk to Serbian Mausoleum; swimming

Day 6: Wed     29 Sept            Talk: Irish links with the Ionian Islands: Lafcadio Hearn          PS

                                                Walk: Asiatic Museum

Day 7: Thu     30 Sept            Walk: along (shaded) coast near Durrells' White House in Kalámi

                                                Talk: The Durrells and Corfu over farewell lunch:                RP

The programme includes: welcome reception and farewell lunch; six guided walks in and from Corfu town; entrance fees and boat / bus transport; five 20-minute talks over morning coffee / Barry's tea; use of the Library of the Durrell School of Corfu.

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Since the programme starts and ends in Corfu Town, you can choose how to get there and where to stay. It is essential to have accommodation within easy walking distance of the DSC in Filellínon Street. We can assist you with travel and accommodation advice. Some travel suggestions are:

• Fly direct from Dublin to and from Corfu with Falcon
  (daytime flights; their best-value package tours include quite unsuitable accommodation in far-away Sidári (90 minutes by road!)
  Simply avail of the flights by booking the accommodation as a group of two/four, but don't make use of the accommodation).
  http://www.falconholidays.ie/holidays/corfu-holidays/
  Falcon is bonded with the Irish Aviation Authority. If there are problems with e.g. volcanic dust, the cost of your flights and any extra stay are covered by the bond - License TO.021  issued by the Irish Aviation Authority. 
  
  A Falcon charter flight leaves from Dublin on September 24th: dep 08:15, arr 14:05
  A Falcon charter flight departs for Dublin on October 1st: dep. 14:55 arr. 16:45
  
• fly via Gatwick with Easyjet (daytime); take a luxury ferry from Venice direct to Corfu. The airport is 2km from Corfu Town.
  
• For those who prefer not to fly it is quite feasible to get to Venice (as Oscar Wilde did in 1875): by ferries, and overland by train, and thence by ferry.
  
• We can also advise on a range of suitable nearby accommodation (including single rooms) at a range of prices.

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"The beauty of the villages here is something not to be described,

and I should certainly like to do one or two large paintings of Corfu –

for no place in all the world is so lovely I think.

The whole island is in undulations from the plain where the city is,

to the higher hills on the west side; and all the space

is covered with one immense grove of olive trees –

so that you see over a carpet of wood wherever you look...."

Edward Lear Letters (c 1855)

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