Achilleion Palace & Garouna

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

The neo-classical Achilleion Palace was designed and built for the Empress Elisabeth of Austria, a woman obsessed with Greek culture. Like every other European royal, she had Byzantine emperors among her distant ancestors and she spoke Greek better than any of the Greek queens who were her contemporaries. After losing her only son to suicide in 1889, Elisabeth threw herself into the building of a dazzling summer palace just outside Corfu Town.

The palace was designed with the mythical hero Achilles as its central theme. Italian architect Raffaele Caritto combined Pompeian design with many parallels to the Russian imperial residence in Crimea and famous German sculptor, Ernst Herter, added majestic statuary inspired by Greek mythology. His sculpture Dying Achilles created in Berlin in 1884 forms the centerpiece of an Italian garden that is a work of art in itself. Take it all in during your guided tour and be sure to photograph the panoramic views of the surrounding green hills with the Ionian Sea sparkling in the background.

At Kato Garouna, a traditional Greek village, you'll stand high on the mountains of Corfu in a lush green camouflage of tall pine, cypress and olive trees. Here you will be guided to a small municipal museum housed in an old olive oil factory. View the mill that is still in place and learn how the olive oil was made. The olive has always been a central feature of Greek culture with the olive branch serving as the sacred symbol of peace, olive trees being protected by law, and many uses for olive oil being recorded by the ancients for both culinary enjoyment and medicinal and therapeutic treatments. Another bit of local color comes during a demonstration of the traditional art of carpet weaving by a village artisan.

Your itinerary, which features a stop at a local tavern for a glass of local wine with traditional fare such as fresh bread with olive oil, feta cheese, olives and salami also brings you to the beautiful Old Town of Corfu. Stop at the famous Church of St. Spyridon to honor the island's patron saint and to take photos of the distinctive bell tower. The beauty of this captivating half-day tour is that it provides you with the option to return to your ship or stay in town for shopping, dining and independent exploration. We definitely recommend that you take some time to see the old fortresses, the Town Hall Square, the Square of the Saints, and more. And perhaps you'll want to linger along the Liston facing Esplanade Square, still the only place in Greece where one is able to watch a cricket match being played.

Special Notes:

Please note that this excursion does not include a guided tour of the town, however you may wish to remain in town and make your own way back to the ship; if you choose to do so, please ensure that you advise your guide.
Use of an audio headset (included) will enhance your tour experience.