During your stay on Corfu, do not miss out on the opportunity to visit at least one of the many Greek Churches and Monasteries. Inside you will be amazed by the stunning architecture and ceiling paintings - if not the religious significance.
You will be made very welcome, but out of respect make sure that you are suitably dressed. Beach attire should stay at the beach! Shorts are perfectly acceptable, but you must wear at least a t-shirt. For the girls it is essential to have shoulders covered.
Saint Spyridon's church, the patron of Corfu Island – Corfu Town
Saint Spyridon (28 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 16km) was born in Tremithous of Cyprus in 270 AC. He was a shepherd. He married and had a daughter by the name Irini. After his wife died, he became a monk. He was persecuted and He worked as a convicted in mines. Afterwards he was appointed as Bishop of Tremithous of Cyprus. He participated in the Ecumenical Synod in 325 in Nice of Vithinia, where the heretical Arios was convicted. He died on the 12th of December 350 AC. In 648 AC, the Holy relic was transferred to Constantinople in the church of Saints Apostles. In 1453, after the fall of Constantinople, the priest Georgios Kalohairetis transferred the Holy relics of Saint Spyridon and Saint Theodora to Paramythia and then to Corfu.
The church is located between Ag. Spyridon str. and Kalohairitis str. near to Spianada square. The church was originally built in 1528 in Sarocco spuare, but due to the fortification of Corfu Town, it was destroyed in 1577 and it was built again during 16thcentury on the current location.
The church belongs to the type of single-aisle basilica. There are two entrances framed by white stone arches. The saint step is separated from the main church with a high marble temple. It has three niches and the last has become a cache hosting the silver casket with the body of the saint. The main temple is a rectangle and divided into two parts. The bell tower with the red dome on the east side of the temple was built in 1590, bearing a wall clock, which is similar to the one of Saint George of Graikon in Venice. The illustrations on the roof by the painter P. Doxaras (1727) are impressive. The Corfiot hagiographer N. Aspiotis restored the paintings from the damages caused by the humidity in the middle of 19th century.
Every year, the solemn processions of the holy body of St. Spyridon take place on Palm Sunday, Easter Saturday, August 11th and the first Sunday in November.
Corfu Address: Saint Spyridon str – Corfu Town
Metropolitan Church Theotokos Spileotissa –Corfu Town
The church (26 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 14,5km) is three-aisled basilica in Renaissance style. It was built in 1577 and it is located near to the New Fortress and the port. The church was originally dedicated to Saint Vlassios. During the Britich rule the church dedicated to Panagia (Holy Mary) Spiliotissas. The decapitated Holy relic of Saint Theodora Augusta, which was transferred from the Constantinople with the holy body of Saint Spyridon is kept in a casket at the Metropolitan church. The procession of the Holy relic of Saint Theodora takes place on the first Sunday of the Lent of the Orthodox religion every year. Saint Theodora was empress and wife of the emperor of the Byzantine, Theofilos. She lived during the difficult years of iconoclasm. Her husband, Theofilos, was one of the vicious iconoclasts and opposed to Saint Theodora’s faith regarding the icons of the Orthodox Church.
The same day, the church gives to the religious people a little piece of watermelon in remembrance of a miracle of Saint Vlassios, who cured the children of Corfu by a disease.
It is celebrated on the 11th of February as well as on 15th of August, as the church is dedicated to the Assumption of Holy Mary. The church preserves impressive works of hagiographers such as the icons of Holy Mary and Saint George by Michael Damaskinos (16th century), the Holy Supper by P. Paramythiotis (18th century) and Saint Govdelaas by E. Tzane (17th century).
Panagia ton Xenon – Faneromeni (Virgin of Foreigners) – Corfu Town
The church (26 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 14,8km) is three-aisled basilica. It is located close to Saint Spyridon’s Church. It was the parish church of the refugees from Epirus during the Turkish domination. The ceiling is a masterpiece of work created by N. Koutouzi in 18th century. The church has rare pieces of art, such as the icon of “Ypapanti” hagiography created by M.Mantzavinos in 1814.
The custom of the earthquake is revived in remembrance of the earthquake created after the Resurrection, as described in the Holy Bible.
Corfu Address: N. Theotoki str. at the Cypriot Heroes Struggle square
Antivouniotissa Church / Byzantine Museum – Corfu Town
The church (29 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 16,2km) is dedicated to Panagia (Virgin Mary) Antivouniotissa and it is one of the oldest churches with the richest ecclesiastical heritage. It was built at the end of 15th century to the type of single-aisle basilica with a surrounding exo-narthex. It was a private church, which donated to the state from the families Alamanou, Mylonopoulou, Risikari and Skarpa in order to be a museum. It consists 90 hagiographies of 15th until the 19th century of the Eptanisian School of arts and a unique collection of Byzantine icons from the Museum of Asian Art. Some of the most admirable pieces of work are the icons of Epitaph, by E. Tzanfournaris, the Saints Sergius, Bacchus and Justine the icon of Virgin Hodegetria by M. Damaskinos, the Dodecaorton icons of E. Tzanes, the icon of Virgin Hodegetria and many others. The church houses the Byzantine Museum of Corfu and two liturgies take place every year, in 26th of December and 23rd of August.
Corfu Address: Mouragia, Opened: 8:30 – 15:00 (daily except Monday) Telephone: +30 26610-38313
Church of Panagia Kremasti – Corfu Town
The church (29 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 16,3km) dedicated to Virgin Mary, is located at Cambielo, above the Venetian well. It was built in 16th century in the type of basilica with exo-narthex in three sides, but only the one is still preserved. The stone temple of the sacred and the oil paintings (18th century) of S. Sperantza are remarkable pieces of work. The name “Kremasti” was given to the church from an icon of Panagia that was hanging on the wall.
Corfu Address: Cambiello Corfu Town
Church of Panagia Mandrakina – Corfu Town
The church (27 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 15,8km) is located near to the palace of Saint Michael and George and the central square of the town. Built in mid 16th century in basilica style and it is dedicated to Panagia Mandrakina (Virgin Mary). Its name is due to an icon of Virgin Mary that was found in the sea by the fishermen at the small port of Mandraki. The architecture of church and the tower are impressive.
Church of San Nicolo dei Vecchi (Agios Nikolaos ton Geronton)– Corfu Town
The church (26 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 14,8km) is one-aisle basilica, which was built between 14th and 17th century, with the carved stone temple, the altar and shrine in baroque style. Until 1712 was the cathedral of head priests and it is possibly the reason of its name. In 1916 was granted to the Serbs as a Cathedral. Remarkable pieces of work
Corfu Address: Ag.Nikolaos str, Campielo
Church of Agios Georgios (Saint George) - Old Fortress
One of the most beautiful churches (26 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 15,6km) in Corfu, Agios Georgios, is located within the grounds of Old Fortress and built in 1840 by the British in basilica style. It use to be the parish of the garrison. The exterior is decorated with six long stone columns in Doric architecture. During the bombings of World War II suffered serious damages and it was restored in 1956.
Corfu Address: Old Fort
Church of Saints Jason and Sosipater – Corfu Town
Located in Anemomylos (windmill) near Garitsa (24 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 14,7km), the Byzantine church is dedicated to Saint Jason, Bishop of Tarsus and Saint Sosipater, Bishop of Iconium, disciples of the Apostle Pavlos, who lived in the 1st century AD and brought Christianity in Corfu Island. The church, built in early 11th century, is the oldest Christian church in Corfu and the most important Byzantine monument. It is a two columned cross-shaped church is a tablet with an octagonal dome. Inside the temple are preserved frescoes painted by the 11th to the 14th century as well as icons of the famous hagiographer Emmanuel Tzane, in 16th century.
Corfu Address. Str Saints Jason and Sosipater 23, Anemomylos
The Holy Trinity Anglican Church – Corfu Town
The Holy Trinity Anglican Church (25 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 14,5km) was founded in 1864 for the British community.
Corfu Address: 21L Mavili Str
Saint Jacob's Catholic Cathedral (Duomo) – Corfu Town
This classic Venetian building of 16th century is dedicated to Saint Jabob (San Giacomo) and Saint Christopher. The Catholic Church (26 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 14,7km) is impressive with the baroque curve at the upper front, the gothic tower and the bell tower. It was suffered serious damages from the bombings of World War II and the rebuilding dated in 1969.
Corfu Address: Town Hall Square
Church of Agios Ioannis Prodromos (Saint John the Baptist) –Corfu Town
The church (21 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 12,9km) is a monument of the 15th century. It is four-sided cubic church, in basilica rhythm, surrounded on three sides by the narthex. The interior presents great works of famous hagiographers of the Eptanesian Schools of Painting. It was one of the first Cathedral churches of the Head Priests and it was renovated in 1710. It is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, St. Paraskevi and St. Dionysios. The temple of Saint Ioannis the Precursor, like the other churches of Kerkyra, belongs to the type of one-aisle royal churches with a wooden tiled roof. The church was built in the 15th century (1480) and the exterior is simple without shutters in the windows. Characteristic architectural elements of the temple are the bell tower and the roof in stages
Corfu Address: N. Theotoki str. opposite the church of Panagia ton Xenon
Church of The Saints - Agioi Pantes – Corfu Town
The church (28 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 15,9km) of All Saints and Panagia Vlaherna was built in 1688 and it is characteristic in valuable relics and hagiographies. It was built in the year 1688, by Ieremias Sporos. A small fraternity gave life to the church. In the year 1851 the Fraternity of The Butchers, who used to have a small church consecrated to the Panagia Vlaherna in the New Fortress of Corfu, proposed to All Saint’s fraternity the unification of the two churches, as theirs had been destroyed by the British.
Corfu Address: All Saints str near the Esplanade
Church of Agios Antonios & Andreas (Saints Anthony and Andrew) –Corfu Town
The church (25 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 14,5km) is dated in 14th century and rebuilt in 1753. The masterpiece of the church is the chancel made from Carrara marble, by the architect and sculptor A. Trivoli – Pierri, one of the most impressive works in Greek churches. The holy Temple of Saint Antonios and Saint Andreas was rebuilt in 1753 in place of an older temple, which possibly was first built in the 15th century. Historically it is identified with the church in which the emperor Ioannis Palaiologos functioned when he visited Kerkyra as an intermediary stop in his travel for Florence in 1439, in order to resolve the matter concerning the union of the two churches
Corfu Address: N. Theotoki str
Church of Virgin Mary of Carmel (or Tenedos) – Corfu Town
One of the most historic churches (26 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 14,4km) in Corfu Island is the Latin church of Virgin Mary of Tenedos, built at the end of 15th century. Its name is coming from an icon that refugee Catholic priests brought to the church from Tenedos, when the Turks conquered the island, after the fall of Byzantine Empire. It was renovated in 1723, and in 1797 housed the Public Library, later on (1805 –1824) the first Public School, which was established by I. Kapodistrias and in 1808 the Ionian Academy.
Corfu Address: end of Solomos str., close to the gate of New Fort.
Church of Panagia Kassopitra – Kassiopi
On the ruins of the ancient temple of Cassius Zeus (1 hour and 2 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 36,9km), it is built in early Christian years, the church of Panagia Kassopitra from the Saints Jason and Sosipater. The Turks caused serious damages to the church, after they pillaged it twice and then destroyed it in 1537, but the Venetians rebuilt it in 1580. The holy icon of Panagia is miraculous and patron for the seamen. The church celebrates every year in May 8th , as remembrance of the miracle on the 8th of May, 1530, when Virgin Mary healed a blind man called Stefanos and on the 15th of August, Assumption of Virgin Mary.
Corfu Address: Kassiopi Village
Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Platytera – Corfu Town
The monastery (20 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 13,1km) was built in 1743 from the monk Chrysantho Spyropoulo. After its destruction in 1798 by the bombings between French Russian and Turks, the Abbots Nikodimos Deladetsimas and later on, Nektarios Nakos restored it. The monastery disposes priceless relics, such as vestments, two icons of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel made in University of Moscow, offers of I. Kapodistrias and icons of the eminent hagiographers Tzane, Kandounis, Poulakis, Koutouzi, Prosalendi and many others. The monastery houses the tombs of both Abbots, as well as the tomb of I. Kapodistrias, the first governor of Greece, the tomb of the historian Andreas Moustoksidis, the tomb of the hero of 1821, Fotis Tzavellas.
Corfu Address: Mandouki, Corfu Town
Monastery of Panagia Vlaherna – Kanoni Corfu
It is part of one of the most photographed and picturesque scenery in Corfu (29 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 16,8km), connected with a long narrow passage to the main land, opposite the mouse island. It was probably built between 17th and 18th century. There is a church dedicated to Virgin Mary Vlacherna, a monastery, which it was a nunnery until 1980, a cemetery and a cypress tree.
Corfu Address: Kanoni
Paleokastritsa Monastery – Paleokastritsa Corfu
The monastery (27 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 19km) dated in 13th century, when an icon of Virgin Mary was found in its place. It is located on the top of a peninsula in Paleokastritsa. The year 1228 is engraved at the gate of the yard but the cells, the warehouses and generally the complex is dated from 18th century. The monastery is considered as an example of monastic architecture. Outside the monastery, a canon is still preserved bearing the coat of Arms of Romanof, probably since the 1799 from the short presence of Russians. In 19th century, during the British rule the monastery use to be a military hospital. During World War II, the Italians installed a military checkpoint outside and in 1943 the Germans transferred it inside the monastery, vacated it from the monks and turned the cells into barracks.
The church is a single-aisle basilica with wooden roof with a typical Eptanisian tower bell. The church houses rare icons of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine period and exceptional hagiographies and relics. Today, the monastery houses 11 monks. It attracts numerous tourists every year.
Corfu Address: Paleokastritsa
Monastery of Pantokrator – Mount Pantokrator Corfu
The monastery (1 h 26 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 39,1km) is located on the top of Mountain Pantokrator on height of 917 m. The name of the mountain was given during the period of Angevins in 1347 after the people of 23 villages founded the church in the place that a villager from Sokraki discovered a marble column with a tactile representation of the Transfiguration of Christ. The church was destroyed in early 16th century and rebuilt in 1689. The facade of the church dates from 19th century and a big part has been restored recently. The church is single spaced with arch shaped roof and the visitors enter through three portals. A tall marble temple dated in 1711 separates the sanctuary. The silver covered Pantokrator in the Great Gate is impressive as well as the hagiographies, which covering all the church.
Corfu Address: Mount Pantokrator
Mirtidiotissa Monastery Glyfada
The Monastery (10 mins away from Serenità Apartments approximately 3,5km) owes its name as “Monastery of Virgin Mary of Myrtidiotissa”, from the icon of Virgin Mary that was found by father Daniel, after a vision he saw, in a cave between myrtles at the same point that the monastery was built later. The Monastery exists until our days surviving from raids of pirates, robberies, natural destructions and the biggest and more important enemy for every human creation, the deterioration of time. Today, a young monk, father Daniel is serving at the monastery. His dream and daily struggle is to eliminate the marks of time left over the years on the Monastery.
He began a big effort the summer of 2006, that already has yielded admirable improvement in the functional problems that existed in the buildings but also the remainder places of the Monastery. With minimal financial resources he hopes, with the help of God and the support of people, to find the courage to continue and complete his work.
Approximately fifteen kilometres westwards of Corfu town, between the villages of Pelekas and Vatos, under the mountain of Agios-Georgios and directly after the idyllic beach of “Myrtiotissa”, stands the monastery of Virgin Mary of Myrtidiotissa. The Monastery is placed in the verdurous side of the mountain few tens of meters above the sea, in a place of wild beauty surrounded with pines, olives and wild vegetation. All these in combination with the enormous rocks that hang from the mountain above the Monastery they initially cause the visitor a feeling of awes and concern, however very soon is getting floated with feelings of peacefulness and devoutness that help him feel the greatness of nature, the uniqueness of the place and to approach intelligibly closer to the Creator.
Ways of access:
The Monastery is found in an isolated place which means for somebody who wants to visit the place for the first time, perhaps it could take some effort to find the road that leads to the area of Mirtiotissa. Here we provide a few advices hoping they will offer some assistance.
If you come by bus:
You can get it from the central station of the green buses in the city of Corfu (near the new harbour) and you get off at the bus stop of Mirtiotissa. There you will see a sign that shows the way, therefore following the direction of this sign in approximately 25 minutes you will reach the beach of Mirtiotisa. Then continue uphill for 300 meters more and finally you will face the entrance of the Monastery.
(Remember that daily the last bus to Corfu, except Saturday and Sunday, passes from the bus stop at 20:30).
If you have a car:
A) Move westwards from the city of Corfu with direction to the beach of Glyfada and Pelekas. Approaching and about 2 kilometres before the junction for Glyfada beach you will see signs that show the direction to the beach of Mirtiotisa.
Follow these signs and you will find yourself at the entrance of the street that leads to the beach and the monastery.
B) From the city of Corfu take the national road of Pelekas and direct yourself to the homonymous village.
Once you get to the village of Pelekas follow the downhill to Glyfada for approximately 2 kilometres.
In the junction of Glyfada turn right towards Mirtiotissa and continue for 2 more kilometres. In the next junction, you just continue to the left and in a few metres you will get at the entrance of the street that leads to the beach and the monastery.
Note: We have tried to make this list as up to date as possible but phones change from time to time. We cannot be held responsible if any of this information is innacurate. We strongly advise that you double check all times with your accommodation or in the resort itself.
If you consider to visit Corfu for your vacations you should not lose the opportunity to book a room at Serenità Apartments close to sea Apartments that will relax you and revitalize you. Book the vacations of your dreams now...
