The Tuscan island of Elba has many faces. Of course, there are the beautiful beaches, but when you head inland for its mountainous interior, you’ll be rewarded with splendid hikes. And that’s just what I did.
I set out to walk the Corfu Trail but an inflamed hip joint kept me from doing so. Luckily I reserved a couple of days in Corfu Town (also known as Kerkyra) before starting the – interrupted – journey. And glad I did! I visited the major highlights in the town’s surroundings and in Kerkyra itself.
Ulysses’ ship Pontikonisi Island is situated just south of Corfu town near the resort of Perama and Kanoni. In summer, fishing boats depart frequently from the church of Panagia Vlacherna and go to the legendary Mouse Island, just 5 min boat ride. This lush green island took this name due to its tiny size. Pontikonisi Island means ‘Mouse Island’ in Greek. According to mythology, this rocky island is the ship of Ulysses that was stoned by god Poseidon. In the centre of the Mouse Island, there is the 11th or 12th century Byzantine church of […]
The Venetians’ Alcatraz Vido island has played an important role throughout the centuries in the history of Corfu and has always been a strategic point in Corfu’s defences. The Venetians, who occupied Corfu from the 15th to the 18th Century, decided that the island could serve as an Alcatraz. According to legend, during their occupation there were tunnels built between Vido and Corfu Town and criminals were transported though these tunnels to the island, where they were imprisoned.
In this post I follow in the footsteps of Napoleon. A man that still intrigues many today. To put it mildly. There exists a genuine Napoleon cult. How do you explain a Napoleon apron? 🙂 Elba gets it right when it comes to merchandising.
Situated at an altitude of 375 m, Marciana is the highest town on the island and one of the oldest, as testified to by the Pisan Fortress that dominates the town, and in which the population took refuge during pirate attacks.
Elba, where Napoleon was first banished to and escaped from and St Helena where he was banished to a second time and eventually died. Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held captive and… Pianosa, where the most dangerous mafiosi serve(d) time. This post is dedicated to the lovely island of Pianosa, a stone’s throw away from the Tuscan island of Elba.
If you ask me, Maréttimo is one of Sicily’s best kept secrets. Even in high season, you’re lekely to have much of the place to yourself. And yes, it’s a hiker’s and diver’s paradise.
It’s not uncommon to come across virtually deserted villages throughout Paphos Region. Many of these villages became ghost towns after the Turkish invasion of Northern Cyprus in 1974. As the Turks-Cypriots fled north, they left their homes as they were. The land and property being held protected for the day they might return. The result is that villages stand empty for nearly 40 years now, during which time they have decayed to the point of being ruins.
