Wednesday 24 March 2010

Analipsi: A well-to-do suburb up the highest point of the Kanoni peninsula

Analipsi is a small leafy suburb of Corfu Town on the top of a steep hill which happens to be the highest point of the so called Kanoni peninsula. Archeologists say that on the top of that hill stood the citadelle of the ancient Corfu. Ancient corfiots evacuated the place in the first centuries after Christ in search of a better fortified place in which they could seek protection from the pirates. So after that move, the place remained vacant for many centuries. It was inhabited again a couple of centuries ago when the Analipsi(Resurrection of Christ) church was built and people begun to inhabit the place again.
Being on a higher ground and having a splendid view toward the town and its environs, the locality begun to attract wealthy residents. Still today it's a desirable place to live with some nice villas. To reach Analipsi you should follow the road right next to the entrance of the Mon Repois estate.



The road continues uphill passing through some walled estates (some of them have a villa in the centre). The wall on the left is the southern side of the Mon Repois, which building was a summer palace for the Kings of Greece.

Some beautiful and old iron gates could be seen as well, most of them actually are backdoors.



















On the right a beautiful villa could be seen through the greenery and from its garden Chalikiopoulou lake could be seen along with a chunk of southern Corfu.



Suddenly the road meet another ascending road with a street sign saying "Συνοικισμός Αναλήψεως" (Analipsi community).



By turning left, we are going uphill again towards the centre of this small community.


On the left there is an old house, probably one of the first built here. A bit further up on the right a cosy villa with a couple of palm trees make a good contrast between the old and the new.


Two hundred metres up, we reach the centre of Analipsi with its traditional church.


After passing the church, there is a small roundabout which is used to turn back downhill towards the town.



 But there is a small road starting from the roundabout, which leads to a open space with some fine views towards the sea. This is the site where the Analipsi festival is held every June celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus and its one of the most traditional and popular in the island.
The view is precious, the old Fortress could be seen at the left, the mountains of Epirus in the background and  looking down the leafy coastline of Kanoni peninsula reveals its splendour.







As a result of this picturesque view, some splendid villas with pools were built by some wealthy Corfiots.



It's about time to go back to the town. Driving downhill in the central road, the Old Fortress could be seen in the middle of the greenery.


After driving down the same road we've already ascended, we arrive to the official end of the Analipsi area, which is where Analipsi road meet Nausikas street. Some nice modern apartment dominate the spot.

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