Paid internship abroad on Corfu – wide beaches, sporting activities and fascinating views
Corfu is situated in the North West corner of all the Greek islands. It is to the west of Albania and mainland Greece. It is the most forested island of Greece and is therefore also called the “Green Island”.
General Information:
Capital: Corfu Town
Population: approx. 95 000
Size: Approx. 600 km2
Climate: Due to the Mediterranean climate the winters on Corfu are very mild. From May to September the daily temperature is between 25 ° C and 31 ° C. Therefore, these months are the most popular travel time. From June to October the water temperature is above 21 ° C and it can be bathed in the sea.
Location: Corfu on Google Maps
Excursions on Corfu throughout your paid internship abroad
Mount Pantokrator
This is a wonderful day trip, up the mountain on the island with many tour buses making this trip daily to see the wonderful ´gem´ at the top – the monastery. The name Pantokrator means the “Almighty“. You can walk around the monastery and there is a small souvenir shop and café to stop, relax and take in the surroundings. Eagles are seen daily soaring around and there is a tranquil peace being up in the mountains with spectacular views.
Sissi’s Palace
The palace was built in 1890 by the Empress of Austria and the Queen of Hungary Elisabeth (called Sissi), which she attended every now and then until her assassination in 1898. Here there are many artwork pieces and statues that are on display. With fantastic views of Corfu Town, it is a great way to delve into the more cultural side of Greece. There are many coach tours that visit daily, so make sure to book ahead of time, or choose a time when it is less crowded. It makes for a great calm Saturday afternoon excursion.
Aqualand in Agios Ioannis
The water park, Aqualand, in Corfu is a great day for everyone to enjoy! In addition to many water slides, large swimming pools and baby paddling pools, it offers many more great attractions and plenty of space for sunbathing. With a lot of cafes, bars and restaurants, which are located on the terrain, there are many options for lunch and snacks.The admission is 25 € (age 13-65 years) and from 3:00 pm a discount is available for all ages. For more information please visit their website: www.aqualand-corfu.com
Church of Saint Spiridon
This is one of the more cultural sites on the island. The church was built over 300 years ago and is home to some rare relics and religious artifacts. For those of you who want to explore more of the Greek history, this is a great place to start.
Paleokastritsa Monastery
This is home to a very tranquil and relaxing part of Corfu. This monastery is set on the top of Mount Pantokator. To visit the monastery, you should be there no later than at 8:30 am, since it is already full at 9:00 am after the first coaches arrived.
Olive tree
Corfu has an abundance of olive trees – estimated to 4 million! It is famous for its black olives and the products derived from it. The special here – Corfu has a very different olive culture than in other well-known olive areas. The olives are not cut off and being harvested – no, you wait until they fall from alone. Therefore the most areas of Corfu are covered with a blackish veil in the period from January to June.
Boat trip around the Island
There are many tour boats located on the north coast that offer trips around the Island, to small inlets and coves that are only accessible by boat. You could also opt to hire a boat yourself, but be sure to check the safety equipment and insurance cover.
Aquarium
This is a day trip for everyone. It is situated in Paleokastritsa and there is an array of many international species here. For more information please visit their website: www.corfuaquarium.com
4 x 4 Tour
This is a new phenomenon on the Island. These jeep tours explore the north-west of the Island, near Mount Pantokrator. This is a great way to see spectacular views of Corfu. It’s a whole day thing, lasting about 4-5 hours, depending on which provider you book with.
Paid internship abroad on Corfu – Ways of getting around the island
Car hire:
This is one of the easiest ways to get around the island and it offers the freedom, that you can stop anywhere you like. The main places that you can rent a car from are the Airport. Some companies do “deliver” the car to a convenient place for you. Make sure that you check rules and regulations regarding insurance and license.Boat hire:
You can hire a small motor boat from many places on the Island including Paxos, Lefkas and Corfu town.
Paid internship abroad on Corfu – Beaches
Barbati Beach
This pebbly beach is great for those who love swimming and diving. There is a small cliff which people dive from. The water is crystal clear, however there are a few large rocks that are on the waters edge at times; so take care when getting into the refreshing water.
Pelekas Beach
This beach is one of the sandy beaches on the Island and is a great place to relax on your days off. It is quite an isolated beach but if you can get the bus here or hire a car and make the journey it is well worth spending some time here.
Halikounas Beach
This beach is less spoilt by tourism than others on the Island. There are 2 smaller beach hut style bars on the beach. The sea is quite shallow for an easy way out in the water, making it a perfect place to swim or just relax. It is worth visiting throughout your paid internship abroad.
Kassiopi Beach
This is one of the more popular beaches on Corfu. It has a wide variety of cafés and beach huts. There is also a harbor here for you to walk around and enjoy the scenery or choose from one of the many restaurants and cafés to sit and relax taking in the view with a coffee. In the summer this beach can get very full of people and exudes a great holiday atmosphere.
Paid internship abroad on Corfu – Sports activities
Water sports
There are a plethora of water sports to choose on the Island from Canoeing to Parasailing. For the adventurous ones there are many great sports to get involved with. Jet skiing, water skiing and parasailing are a few of the more popular sports. For the less adventurous ones, there are pedalos and stand-up paddle available. Most water sports are available on the beaches and are run by small companies. Check their websites out online to get more detailed information: www.aspro-kavos-watersports.com
Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
Whether beginner or professional – many companies offer their individual service here. With more experience you can dive in the caves. Online you can easily find the diving school in your area and you can also inform yourself about the prices, training courses and further details. Or you simply ask your colleagues at the reception of your hotel or at the nearest tourist information office.
Paid internship abroad on Corfu – Nightlife
Bars
There are many bars on Corfu – including British Pubs, Irish Bars and places playing upbeat and popular music for the tourists. If you are looking for a more authentic cultural bar, look for a “Tsipourathiko” or “Ouzeri”, these are small taverns which will give you a small portion of tapas, or a selection of nibbles with each drink – Ouzo (a typical shot in Greece) in the summer or Tsipouro (similar to Vodka) in the winter. These places will give you an insight into a different side of Greek culture whilst having a paid internship abroad on Corfu.
Clubs
Greek nightclubs are known as Bouzoukia. The more famous ones are in Athens; they are very different to any other kind of European “Clubs”. If it´s all night dancing and drinking you are looking for then you are right in such a nightclub.
Below is a list of some of the clubs on Corfu: