So far, the only culture we have had this holiday has been the Greek yogurt! So Chris, Marisa, Jane and I headed for Achilleion, a palace built in Gastouri by Empress of Austria Elizabeth of Bavaria, also known as Sisi [Marisa’s nickname!]

This beautiful Palace is perched high on a hill with stunning views of Corfu and Albania.

There were quite a few coaches full of passengers from visiting cruise ships, but there was still plenty of space to explore.

And at times, moments of solitude……………….

….. to enjoy the views.

After our trip around the palace we went to one of Jane’s favourite places to watch the planes taking off from Corfu airport. On our way across the narrow causeway we were nearly knocked down by a mad motorcyclist!!!

We managed to get a table with a great view of the airport and surrounding area; the view was better than the food.

Marisa was so excited that she stood and waved to the plane for hours!

Albania

We took a day trip over to Saranda in Albania. The tour guide that took us on the ferry was called Yoda and Chris remarked that she was even more scary than Jane……… however who knows now after she reads this !

Albania was far quieter than we were used to on Corfu. The places we got to see were lovely and clean, and the people very friendly. The was a lot of history here to take in!

Marisa and Chris sat patiently waiting for the show to start, only to find they were 2,000 years to late!

Butrint is a UNESCO  world heritage site and was a colony inhabited since prehistoric times.

Butrint has been a Greek colony, a Roman city, it experienced a period of prosperity under Byzantine administration, then a  brief  occupation by the Venetians.

The city was abandoned in the late the late Middle Ages after marshes formed in the area.  There you are I, took it all in!!! ( with a little help from Google!)

After a lunch with views over Saranda,

we headed to another National Park.  The road to the site was tricky to say the least, especially in a coach ! Many of the cars we saw seemed to be struggling with the gravel surface and the hairpin bends. When we finally arrived we saw the Blue Eye. a spring which supplies most of the drinking water for this area.

They have dived 50 metres in the spring and there is yet more to explore. The water comes out at a cool 10 degrees and is lovely to drink straight away.

A 40 minute ride back on the hydrofoil and we were back in Corfu. A great day out!