Magnificent, verdant Corfu was Homer’s ‘beautiful and rich land’. Mountains dominate the northern half where the coastlines can be steep and dramatic and the island’s interior a rolling expanse of peaceful countryside. Stately cypresses, used for masts by the Venetians, rise from shimmering olive groves, whilst in the south the island flattens and narrows. This wonderful natural scenery is enriched by the islands long heritage that has been shaped by Byzantine, Roman and Venetian influences and, later, by both the French and the British. In the early days of modern Greece Corfu was a seat of European learning. While the rest of the nation struggled simply to get by, the Corfiots established cultural institutions such as libraries and centres of learning, and many major Greek figures like Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first head of independent Greece, hailed from Corfu. To this day, Corfiots remain proud of their intellectual and artistic roots. This legacy is visible in its fine museums and its rich cultural life, which ensure a friendly, cosmopolitan atmosphere in which the visitor is always made to feel at home. Our tour is designed both as a historic and a scenic trip to predominantly discover Corfu but, being based in Corfu, also provides the opportunity for a visit to the fascinating ancient site of Butrint in Albania, a UNESCO recognized world heritage site and an important settlement in Hellenistic and Roman times.Click here for explanation of the footprint symbols