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Disappointing that only the gardens of the palace was open. It would have been nice to be informed before booking that the palace was under renovation and visitors were not able to view it. Then perhaps an informed choice could of been made whether to go ahead and book the day trip.
Northern Corfu is all idyllic villages, monuments and rugged coastline. Head into sun-dappled rolling hills to discover Achillion Palace, the scenic Paleokastritsa coast and many other delights. There's also a visit to a kumquat distillery to sample this trademark Corfu liqueur. Spiros, one of our local guides, says, ‘Kumquat liqueur is a uniquely Corfu phenomenon – it's made nowhere else in Greece. It's a part of our Corfiot identity. To learn how this Asian fruit came to the island is a real eye-opener.'
You'll visit some of Corfu's top attractions. First up is Achillion Palace. The palace boasts stirring views of the Corfu coast, and the meticulously landscaped gardens are a work of art. Spiros adds, ‘Empress Sissi of Austria was enamoured with Corfu and its mythological heritage, particularly the story of Achilles, and the palace and gardens are filled with sculptures of Greek gods and goddesses.' The vistas are also top-notch at the seaside village of Paleokastritsa. You'll have free time to visit the Orthodox monastery – admission is free – or the many coves with beautiful beaches. A boat trip can also be arranged here.
Plus, you'll get to sample the trademark flavour of rural Corfu. There's a visit to a family-owned kumquat distillery. Here, you'll learn everything there is to know about this exotic citrus fruit. Marmalade, soda drinks and syrup are just some of the products made from kumquat. But it's the sweet and fragrant liqueur – often sold in Corfu-shaped bottles – that's become an island icon.
