The island is bound with the\u00a0history of Greece\u00a0from the beginning of\u00a0Greek mythology. Its Greek\u00a0name,\u00a0Kerkyra\u00a0or\u00a0Korkyra, is related to two powerful water symbols:\u00a0Poseidon, god of the sea, and\u00a0Aesopos, an important Greek mainland river.<\/p>\n
According to myth, Poseidon fell in love with the beautiful nymph\u00a0Korkyra, daughter of Aesopus and river nymph\u00a0Metope, and abducted her. Poseidon brought Korkyra to the hitherto unnamed island and, in marital bliss, offered her name to the place:\u00a0Korkyra, which gradually evolved to\u00a0Kerkyra\u00a0(Doric). Together, they had a child they called\u00a0Phaiax, after whom the inhabitants of the island were named:\u00a0Phaiakes. This term was transliterated via\u00a0Latin\u00a0to Phaeacians.<\/p>\n
The island’s history is laden with battles and conquests. The legacy of these struggles is visible in the form of castles punctuating strategic locations across the island. Two of these castles enclose its capital, which is the only city in Greece to be surrounded in such a way. As a result, Corfu’s capital has been officially declared a\u00a0Kastropolis\u00a0(“castle city”) by the Greek government. Corfu was long controlled by\u00a0Venice, which repulsed several\u00a0Turkish\u00a0sieges, before falling under\u00a0British\u00a0rule following the Napoleonic Wars.\u00a0(source Wikipedia)<\/em><\/p>\n The second-largest of the Ionian Islands was one of the first Greek destinations to embrace mass tourism. Yet Corfu has far more to offer than just sun, sea and souvlaki. It is located just west of the Greek mainland and the southern coast of Albania. Shaped like a sickle, with its hollow side facing inwards, the island is about 65 kilometres long and 32 kilometres across at its widest point. Grouper and moray eels will be seen at most of our sites alongside octopus, crayfish and large and small scorpion fish. Look out into the blue and you may see tuna, dentex and swordfish. Take a torch to look inside the caves and watch the red shrimp hurry away into a dark crevice. <\/p>\nWHY CORFU?<\/h2>\n
\nThere are 217 kilometres of coast, although anyone venturing inland will find that the interior has at least as much to offer as the shore. Much of Corfu is mountainous. At 906 metres above sea level, its highest peak, Mount Pantokrator, is visible from most places on the island.
\nThese days, Corfu caters for everyone, including those who prefer to travel independently or who want to elude busy resorts.\u00a0(Source:\u201dThe Independent\u201d)<\/em><\/p>\nDIVE CORFOU<\/h2>\n
\nThe underside of the overhangs and caves are filled with parazoantas, sponges and coral forms offering bright colours on the faces of the rocks. Anemones and spirographs wave gently as you pass. Look into the depths to see large sponges and pena nobilis.
\nIn shallow waters, damselfish, peacock wrasse, parrotfish and small golden grouper will satisfy your desire to see what lies beneath the surface in Corfu.<\/p>\nDIVE SIGHTS<\/h2>\n