Old Perithia Village
This historic ‘Heritage Protected’ village of Paleá (Old) Períthia is situated in the north-east corner of the island, just beneath the highest mountain, Mount Pantokrator. It is the oldest permanently inhabited settlement in Corfu, with records dating back to the 14th century. Once the wealthiest village on the island, by the mid 17th century there were 130 houses of Venetian origin, built entirely by hand surrounded by 8 churches. Originally the village acted as a hideaway from pirate attacks on the island during summer months, ‘to see the sea but not be seen‘. Then in the 1960s with the onset of tourism the inhabitants drifted back down to the coast. From 2010 until today, as the village begun its journey back to life, it continues to be loved by locals & visitors alike. As night falls, a gentle peace descends over the village, and there beneath the unpolluted night sky nestled in the palm of the island’s highest mountain, is silence. Only occasionally interrupted by the lullaby of natures song.
Today, Corfu is loved for its beaches, its crystalline waters and its picturesque seafront towns and villages. Life on the coast wasn’t always so attractive, however, as the Ionian tides brought with them a constant stream of unwelcome visitors, from marauding pirates to disease-carrying mosquitos. To avoid such dangers, many islanders headed for the hills, where they used the plentiful local stone to build agricultural villages at a safe distance from the turbulent shores below. One such, practically the only surviving example, is Old Perithia.
The village, which was built in the 14th century while the island was under Byzantine rule, is located on the northern flanks of Mount Pantokrator at about 400m above sea level. The surrounding land was ideal both for sheep farming and the cultivation of olives and vines, and Old Perithia was soon relatively prosperous.
Times were harder by the 20th century, however, and as tourism began to bring wealth and jobs to Corfu’s coastal areas, the village’s residents were drawn back down the mountain in search of work. Today, the village is a protected heritage site whose 130 houses, many built in a Venetian style, lie abandoned in varying states the village are eight churches, one for every 150 of the village’s 1,200 former residents.
Old Perithia is no ghost town, however, thanks to the presence of a bed and breakfast and a handful of tavernas serving excellent mountain fare. Apart from good food, the village offers visitors a fascinating insight into Corfu’s history, jaw-dropping views, and an ideal “base camp” for anyone wishing to hike up to the summit of Mount Pantokrator, which takes about an hour.





