Exploring the Monastery of Paleokastritsa
We start our tour from the Monastery of Paleokastritsa. One of the most famous and popular spots of Corfu has been standing for centuries, the Monastery of Paleokastritsa. It dates from the 13th century, when, according to tradition, the icon of the Virgin Mary was found in the place where the monastery was built. Proof of its antiquity is today the year 1228, which is engraved on the church gate, although the rest of the buildings date from the 18th century.
The church is a single-aisled basilica with a wooden roof and is considered a classic example of monastic architecture. A typical Heptanisian bell tower is located in the forecourt. Priceless images from the Byzantine and post-Byzantine periods adorn the interior, while a sample of the monastery’s wealth can also be seen in the small museum that operates inside. In the museum of the Paleokastritsa Monastery you will also see a skeleton of a whale, said to have been killed by a fisherman in the 19th century.
The Monastery of Paleokastritsa is located at the top of the peninsula in Paleokastritsa, at a point from where the view of the lacy shores and Angelokastro opposite will take your breath away. The road there starts from the edge of Paleokastritsa beach and passes through the green nature of Corfu, with tall cypress trees and olive trees. The old Russian cannon with the coat of arms of the Romanovs, reminds of the presence of the Russians in the area, in 1799.
Exploring Panagia Vlahernon and Pontikonissi
We continue our tour to Panagia of Vlahernon, one of the two elements that make up the most popular image of Corfu: Panagia of Vlahernon is the picturesque little church located near Pontikonissi. It is built on a small island in the Halikiopoulou lagoon, but it is connected to the mainland by a narrow stone path so that Panagia Vlachernon is accessible by pedestrians. On this small bridge, the boats and boats that take the visitors near Pontikonissi, which is forbidden to visit for reasons of protection, are tied up.
Panagia Vlachernon is located below Kanoni, one of the most beautiful areas of Corfu, from which you can also go down the staircase that leads to the sea. It is a monastery and was built according to the testimonies in the 17th century. Around 1980, the last monk who lived there also left. To enter Panagia Vlachernon, one passes under the arched gate that forms its bell tower. Panagia Vlachernon and Pontikonisi are among the most photographed landscapes of Corfu.
Discovering Agios Spyridon in Corfu Town
At the end of our tour, we visit one of Corfu’s most important Byzantine monuments and the most important Christian pilgrimages, the temple and the tabernacle of Agios Spyridon. Agios Spyridon in Corfu It is located in the cantons of the Old Town, in what is called the “canton of Agios Spyridon” and you will find it easily, entering from Liston and Spianada.
The construction of the church was completed in 1589, and at that time it was the founder’s church of the Voulgaris family, to which the shrine of Agios Spyridon also belonged. It is a simple oblong church on the outside, in the style of a single-aisled basilica, with an impressive marble frame on the door. The bell tower of Agios Spyridon in Corfu, which stands out in the narrow cantonments, is tower-shaped and was built in 1620. The impressive towering marble iconostasis of 1864 is made of Parian marble, while the 17 impressive paintings of the sky (ceiling) are the work of the Corfu artist Spyros Prosalentis or according to others of Aspiotis and were made in 1852. These gilded panels represent scenes from the life of the Saint and from the Gospels. The silver urn where the body of Saint Spyridon is kept was made in 1867 in Vienna in 1867 and today it is placed inside the crypt. The old stone iconostasis of Agios Spyridon in Corfu was moved to the church of Agios Georgios in the Old Fortress of the city, where it remains today.