Ruined stone mansions and semi-ruined churches with long-silenced bell towers make up the landscape of Old Peritheia, a village that time has forgotten.
Strategically built to be safe from pirate attacks, the village is near the top of the island’s highest peak, Mount Pantokrator. It is surrounded by dense forest and has views of the Ionian Sea but, crucially, not the other way round – “to see the sea but not be seen”, as its website reads.
With houses from the 14th century, Old Peritheia is Corfu’s most ancient village. Once the wealthiest on the island, by the mid-17th century, there were 130 houses built entirely by hand.
In the 1960s, with the onset of tourism, the inhabitants drifted back down to the coast, leaving the village deserted, reclaimed and protected by nature.
Since 2010, it has been lovingly and gently coming back to life, and it continues to be loved by locals and tourists – including me.
Walking through the village today gives you a deep sense of travelling back in time. The natural beauty, unique Venetian architecture, and eerie atmosphere of another era have remained unchanged.
The ruins of homes give you a taste of a different period in time, with stately tapestries, fireplaces and old coats of arms, along with ceilings that are at least partially intact.
You can see the dates of houses eloquently written on the walls – dating from “1334” or even “1200”.
While sadly, little is known about the families that once lived in these beautiful houses, it allows you to use your imagination and draw conclusions about what life might have been like.
Eight picturesque churches belonging to various village families are preserved, highlighting the village’s strong religious character.
In 1966, the Ministry of Culture declared the village a historic monument.
A few traditional tavernas provide visitors with homemade Corfiot food and a chance to witness the unique and quiet side of the island. Visitors can enjoy lunch and homemade wine by the old abandoned monasteries. Here, I had the most incredible apple juice I’ve ever tasted – made fresh to order.
Today, the number of restored properties—or properties in the process of being restored—has risen from around 15% to over 35%.
The perfect hideaway from pirates, today it is just a 15-minute drive from the sea, just under five miles from Kassiopi on the northeast coast of Corfu. Several UK airports, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh, serve Corfu directly.
It indeed sits a world away from the busy tourist hotspots of the island, which welcomed an incredible 1.8 million inbound air arrivals last year.
