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Lemon blossom and fruit in the orchards on Walk 21
A mix of private rooms and hotels can be found along the Corfu Trail: these are referred to in the stage descriptions as well as in Appendix B. Not all have a website or email address, so some phone calls will be necessary.
Camping is definitely an option for the Corfu Trail. Walkers suitably equipped and used to lugging around the extra weight will enjoy the freedom and versatility. Most villages en route have a small grocery shop. There are a couple of buts to wild camping on Corfu: finding water can be a problem, wandering livestock are not uncommon, and permission should always be requested before pitching a tent on private property.
Communications
If you don’t have overseas coverage with your normal mobile phone provider, consider buying a Greek SIM card for those local calls. (You will need a photocopy of your passport for this.) This is especially important for Corfu Trail walkers who may need to phone day by day to arrange accommodation. Phone credit is easily purchased at newspaper kiosks and local shops.
These days the majority of hotels and rented rooms have WiFi.
Food and drink
Flavoursome, simple and healthy is the best way to describe the food on Corfu. Expect plenty of locally grown vegetables, salads, meat and sometimes fish, all accompanied by the island’s tasty olive oil. Ubiquitous unmissable classics include Greek salad – crunchy chunks of cucumber, tomato, green pepper and feta cheese with onion and black olives. Then there’s moussaka – a baked pie of aubergine and minced meat topped with a thick white sauce and cheese. Souvlaki are grilled skewers of meat while stifado, sofrito and pastitsada are delicious home-style stews or casseroles with beef, veal or rabbit with onions and pasta. Meze refers to a snack such as a small plate of olives and cheese to accompany a glass of wine. Apart from the traditional crumbly feta cheese, made from sheep or goat’s milk and stored in brine, cheeses tend to be mild.
For picnic lunches village cafés and shops will usually rustle up a sandwich or roll for you. It’s a good idea to learn the Greek terms for bread, ham, cheese and so on (see Appendix C). Savoury pastries – such as spanakopita with spinach and feta or tiropita with cheeses – make a delicious lunch if you’re lucky enough to find a good bakery.
Riverside cafés at Potami (Corfu Trail, Stage 1)
Sweets are never lacking, especially in Corfu Town and larger villages that have a café-cum-cake shop. The mouth-watering array of Greek desserts includes the all-time favourite baklava – layers of flaky filo pastry and chopped nuts, drenched in honey. Luscious thick Greek yoghurt is a common dessert. Walkers will appreciate pasteli – bars of honey with sesame or almonds – as they travel well.
As regards drinks, locally brewed and bottled ginger beer, originally introduced by the British, is especially refreshing after a walk: freshly squeezed orange juice is another contender. Portokalada is orangeade and lemonada the lemon equivalent.
Red, white and rosé wines are available, many home grown or hailing from other regions of Greece. Kumquacello is a bright orange sweetish liquor made with the rind of kumquats. This tiny citrus fruit, resembling a smaller version of a mandarin, was introduced to Corfu from Southeast Asia in the 1860s.
Tap water is fine to drink, unless specified otherwise. Bottled water shipped in from the mainland is always on sale.
Taverna at Agios Stefanos (Walk 7)
As in other parts of Greece, local restaurants are known as tavernas and they serve lunch and dinner. Rare is the village without a coffee shop, usually the exclusive realm of the menfolk who gather around a table to pass the time of day. Traditional Greek coffee is dense, short and sweet, made with ground coffee boiled with sugar: visitors are usually offered instant coffee or international styles in hotels and restaurants.
Be aware that tavernas, cafés and local shops tend to close between 2 or 3pm and 5.30pm, as many people take a siesta then.
What to take
Give careful thought to gear for walking. Here are some suggestions:
Lightweight walking boots are essential for the Corfu Trail as well as for routes over rough ground with loose stones. They will help avoid twisted ankles and sore feet and are safer on wet and slippery terrain. Good trainers with thick soles are fine for shorter simpler routes. Apart from Walks 18 and 20 keep sandals for the beach as they can be downright dangerous on mountain paths
a medium sized rucksack for the Corfu Trail, or a small day pack for the shorter walks
long lightweight trousers protect legs from a scratching on overgrown paths
T-shirts and shorts – remember that you’ll often be walking through villages so avoid anything too revealing
a light fleece
a whistle, headlamp or torch for attracting help in an emergency: don’t rely on your mobile phone as there is often no signal
snack food such as dried fruit, halva, muesli or sesame bars on sale in village shops
trekking poles are useful for the Corfu Trail
rain and windproof gear such as lightweight jacket, rucksack cover and over-trousers
sun protection – a hat, high factor sun cream and sunglasses
a swimming costume and a lightweight towel or sarong come in handy on those coastal walks when you want to stop for a swim; a mask and snorkel are a boon for exploring the underwater realms
lightweight plastic sandals for walking on pebble beaches
a compass for those places where waymarking is scarce and route directions need to be closely adhered to
a water bottle
a supply of tea bags or instant coffee and biscuits for a DIY breakfast
a first aid kit including insect repellent, as mosquitoes can be a pest during the summer months. Also take something to deal with wasp or other insect bites: the island’s chemists are well supplied.
On a paved stretch of the ‘Secret Path’ (Walk 5)
Maps and place names
Sketch maps are provided with each walk in this Guide. Key landmarks and as much useful detail as possible have been crammed in, dictated by limits of space and graphics. In most cases these maps, along with the route description, are sufficient for the walks. However, it is always a good idea to get hold of a larger commercial map for many reasons: they are helpful when planning your trip, put places in a wider context, help you identify points of interest, and are essential in orientation if you lose your way.
The Anavasi 1:56,000 scale map is the best for walking. It is widely available on the island as well as online from www.anavasi.gr
