Glyfada Corfu

Pelekas village lies on the west coast of Corfu some 15 kilometers west of Corfu town and the airport.
Taxi to the village is currently 25 euros or you can catch the number 11 bus from San Rocco Square for 2 euros.

It is not exactly known when the village was founded, although the name Pelekas can be found in the historical archives of Corfu as far back as the 16th century and in church records dating from the 17th century.
It is also unknown where the name Pelekas comes from, although one suggestion is that it derives from the word "pelekis" which was a type of ancient axe, used by the villagers for cutting wood or carving stone.

In the lower part of the village is the Theotokos Odigitria church where the service takes place for the yearly panayiri or festival on 23rd August. This swells the local population from around 500 to over 1,000 in the main plateia or Square.

In the upper part of the village is the Saint Nikolaos church and a 15 minute walk uphill will bring you to the Kaisers Throne viewpoint and a third church called Thetokos Evangelistria. Two further churches fall in to the Pelekas area and they are Saint Anargyri and Saint Onoufrios. All these churches date from around 1750.

There are many tavernas and cafe bars in Pelekas which is unusual for a village inland.

This is a legacy from the late 70's and 80's as scandanavians and europeans alike took advantage of cheap student bus and railway tickets to visit Corfu.

As Pelekas beach, known locally as Kontagialos became the backpackers daytime paradise, the village 20 minutes uphill became the centre for their nightlife.
Hundreds of young backpackers crammed the streets, the local people embraced them and duly supplied them food and drink by opening more tavernas and bars, many of them still surviving today.

The Pelekas Cultural Society promotes cultural awareness, maintains local traditions and organises festivals, as well as running choirs and dance groups.

There is also a costume museum on the main road up to the village which houses a private collection of traditional Greek dress dating from the 19^th century.

Now Pelekas is back to a traditional village where life ambles along at a slow pace. In the summer months there is a free bus service that will take you from the village down to the beaches of Pelekas and Glyfada.

All the traffic have to give way as the bus to Corfu Town does a multi point turn around in the square. Cats walk in the road as tourists come through on their way to Glyfada and Mirtiotissa beaches. Cars slow down to let Spiros from the souvlaki grill room cross the road to serve his customers.

So, next time you are in Corfu, take a trip to Kaisers Throne, have some lunch in the village square and then head down to the beach for a well deserved swim. Sunbathe on the sandy beach and watch the dramatic sunset over the sea.

Stevie,