Kato Korakiana or Katomeri village (meaning the lower place) is situated on the North East coast about 13 km from Corfu Town and around a 15 minutes drive by car. It is set off the main road and slightly away from the sea but near to the resorts of Dassia, Ipsos and Kommeno and set in the shadow of Mount Pantokrator. There are two villages in the area with the same name, with Kato Korakiana being the lower lying village and Ano Korakiana being set higher into the foothills of Mount Pantokrator.
The village is a wonderful cultural place set around a village square with a wide choice of bars, tavernas and shops. There is plenty to see and do around the village which also has many festivals through out the year.
Due to its geographical position, being close to Corfu town and the coast but set in a beautiful verdant wooded area its history is varied and interesting. There are many ancient remains in the area including medieval buildings, byzantine churches, monasteries, the bridge of Ora which is made of carved Corfiot marble and brick and the medieval Polylas Tower. This tower was set in an area with unusual and rare trees and in 1890 was renovated following the original Venetian plans and was renamed villa Mibelli, in the1950s it became Castello Hotel. Over the years many famous people have lived in and stayed here including Keiser Willelm, the Greek kings George I and II, Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis to name a few. It is now a branch of the National Art gallery which hosts a cohesive collection of modern Greek art dated from the 18th until the late 20th century.
Ano Korakiana is a historic settlement located 19km north of Corfu Town. The village was first inhabited during the medieval times and today it maintains a lot of traditional aspects of that time. Ano Korakiana was mainly populated by noble families who still give a dynamic presence with the well-preserved houses and the fine details from the 18th century. The village flourished economically during the British occupation where the majority of the local residents worked in trade contributing to the cultural development of the region. Today, 900 people live permanently in Ano Korakiana, most of them working at the local shops. The terrain is rough with narrow paved streets, surrounded by emerald trees and a couple of nice taverns. The village is known for the considerable number of churches, 37 in total, the long tradition in folklore music and ceramic art. Ano Korakiana keeps a great balance among the rich spiritual life and the natural environment overlooking the island’s eastern side filled with olive groves and fruit orchards. Just over 1km southeast is the village of Kato Korakiana and 3 km away are the beaches of Ipsos and Barbati.
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