Tradition is a very important element of the culture of Corfu. Naturally, the island and its traditions are influenced by Greek, Venetian, French and English culture, making Corfu's customs unique.
During the carnival season, the celebrations on the island are special, since they combine the ancient Greek pagan culture and the worship of Dionysus with the spirit of the carnival of Venice.
Easter is a very important and special holiday in Corfu, not only for its religious significance, but also because it is the time when the Orthodox and Catholics of the island celebrate together.
On the morning of Holy Saturday, residents throw jugs from the windows of their houses.
Tradition, faith and celebrations are inextricably linked to the piety of the inhabitants, their habits, work, anxieties and hopes. A prominent place in three neighboring villages (Visit - Nymfes - Klimatia) is occupied by the "dance of the Papades", on the Sunday of Tyrini, a dance only for men, the roots of which are lost in antiquity.
The spring litanies in honor of the churches but also because of Easter, are a unique experience. Choirs, believers, sacred relics and a blooming landscape, make up a heavenly procession, it astonishes the human soul.
In the summer, each settlement has its own festival. Accompanied by violin, guitar and accordion, the circle dances take off the fun and joy of life.

The people of Corfu are cultured people with a great musical and artistic heritage. There are 18 philharmonics on the island that often give outdoor concerts during the summer, and many mandolin players and choirs that sing in the town's cantons.

Opera has been loved since the days of the Venetians and the performances always attract large crowds. The many galleries host exhibitions of local and foreign artists of international repute. Today, the Municipal Theater and St. George's Square in the Old Fort, as well as romantic outdoor spaces, are used for the realization of many and varied events such as rock concerts, modern dance performances, concerts and theater performances. In Corfu, the past has been harmonized and lives in the present; events which were celebrated for hundreds of years continue even today in the same traditional way. The 4 annual litanies of the island's patron Saint Spyridon are the most beloved and two of them take place on these days (such as Holy Saturday at 10 p.m. when jugs fly from the windows). In the summer there are many festivals with traditional music and dances and local delicacies flavor the warm nights. While the people of Corfu like the holidays, they never forget their Greek Orthodox Religion. About 2,000 years of ecclesiastical tradition are recorded in the many churches with wonderful icons, in the small unnecessary chapels where a candle is always burning and in the whitewashed walls of the monasteries.

Source: University of Crete
http://www.edc.uoc.gr/

IONIOS ACADEMY

On Akadimias Street, in the southern part of Spianada, is the building where the famous Ionios Academy was housed. The Ionian Academy was the first Greek University and was founded in 1824 on the initiative of the English Philhellene lord F.N. Guilford, who was responsible for the Public Education of the Ionian Islands

Editor: Fotini Anastasopoulou