Travel guide Ionian Islands

You will be amazed by the thousand and one ways of preparing coffee in Greece. To order it, ask for: éna elliniko, which means "a Greek"! In the summer, there is nothing like an iced coffee that is drunk iced (made with Nescafé) or freddo (made with espresso). Coffee can be ordered without sugar(sketo), a little sweet(metrio) or very sweet(glyko).

This endangered species of turtle, which lives between the coasts of the Peloponnese and Crete, has been coming every year for 150 million years to lay its eggs on the beaches of southern Zakynthos, on the peninsula of Vassilikos and the bay of Laganas. Thanks to the associations, it is back in Zakynthos and in all the Ionian islands!

We all know this cliché of the Greek islands: a small port, a white chapel and languid cats. These felines are indeed everywhere, especially near the fish taverns that border the ports of the Dodecanese. If you give them a few bones at the end of the meal, try to do it discreetly to avoid the reproachful eye of the manager.

The iconostasis is the set of icons hung in a particular place in each Greek house. Since the quarrel of the images in the VIIth century which saw the victory of the iconolaters on the iconoclasts, the orthodoxy devotes the cult of the icons. Moreover, the Greeks kiss the icon when entering a church, then sign themselves three times.

Comparable to Spanish tapas, mezzedes (the plural of mezze) is more a gastronomic habit than a culinary specialty. It is a very convivial part of the meal: dishes are cooked and placed in the center of the table, letting everyone choose what they want. The famous tzatziki and tarama are not the only delicacies.

Mythology is present everywhere when visiting Greece: for example, according to it, it is in Corfu that Hercules would have conceived his son Hyllus, future leader of the Heraclides, just before leaving to carry out his work. The stories of the gods of Olympus and other heroes still fascinate and statues pay tribute to these personalities

Homer's long poem, composed towards the end of the eighth century BC, tells the story of Odysseus' ten-year return from the Trojan War. He returns to Ithaca to find his beloved wife Penelope and their great son Telemachus. This long journey would have taken place for the most part between the Aegean Sea, Kythera and Cephalonia

The program includes the Epitafios procession on Friday, the Saturday evening mass followed by a big meal and mayiritsa (a giblet soup), lamb on the spit on Sunday, and on Whit Monday, 50 days later, a new celebration. In any case, being in Corfu during Easter week is an experience to be had!

In Zakynthos, the Bay of the Shipwreck has often been elected as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. In Kefalonia, Myrto Beach really looks like a postcard. In Lefkada, the endless white sand beaches like Porto Katsiki or Egremni give the impression of being in the Caribbean. And in Paxos or Ithaca, there are so many creeks with crystal clear waters...

Tavli is the Greek version of backgammon or backgammon. This game is very popular in Greece and is played for hours on end on the terraces of cafes. You usually order it with your drink or follow the sometimes colorful games played by your neighbors. Often the dice rolls are followed by flowery expressions.

The Venetian presence has left a lasting impression on the Ionian Islands. The local dialect is still punctuated with Italian words and the cuisine is largely inspired by Italian recipes. Opera and classical music are part of the culture of the Corfiotes. The Ionian Islands were conquered by the Republic of Venice in the 13th century.

The Venetians also left a variety of vines in the Ionian islands: the Robola, widespread in Corfu and Cephalonia, originally comes from the Friuli-Venezia region. In Lefkada, you will also find unique wines such as Lefkadiatki Hi (Land of Lefkada) produced from the Vardea variety and regularly awarded in the world