Corfu's past as the playground of royalty vies with its rugged coastline for top billing in this exclusive tour. You'll visit Achillion Palace, Corfu old town, a kumquat distillery and Paleokastritsa. Spiros, one of our local guides, says, ‘‘Empress Sissi of Austria was enamoured with Corfu and its mythological heritage, particularly the story of Achilles – for whom the palace is named, and the gardens are filled with sculptures of Greek gods and goddesses',
The tour kicks off at Achillion Palace. The palace was constructed in 1890 as a private residence for Elizabeth (Sissi), the former Empress. It was used as her summer getaway before her untimely and tragic assassination in 1898 in Geneva. Today, visitors can appreciate the powerful mural of Achilles carrying Hector's body, and remember the palace's appearance in the James Bond film, For Your Eyes Only.
We'll then make the short trip into the old town for a guided walk. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its urban and port ensemble, which boasts Venetian fortresses and British neoclassical architecture. Next, there's a visit to a family-owned kumquat distillery. Here, you'll learn all about this citrus fruit and products made from it – marmalade, syrup and liqueur among them. Rounding off the day is the seaside village of Paleokastritsa. You'll have free time here to visit the Orthodox monastery – admission is free – or the many coves with beaches. A boat trip can also be arranged here.
