Colors of Corfu island - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

In order to spent time on Corfu with maximum comfort and without any conflicts with the locals, tourists should consider some peculiarities of Greek mentality. As in the most Mediterranean countries, Greece has siesta time. From 2(3)p.m. till 5(6)p.m. most of the public places are closed or cut the staff which affects customer service time. Remember, that the Greeks do not like the fuss and prefer to do everything substantially. That is why in taverns and in restaurants you should have patience and wait calmly for food and beverages to be served. And there is something about beverages too. To have too much to drink and to lose self-control is the easiest way to repel the locals.

Though the Greeks themselves love wine and ouzo, the culture of drinking is something solid here. That is why the attitude to those, who are not low-key, when the drink, is very negative. On Corfu, as in other parts of Greece, there is a concept called “philotimo”, which is close in meaning to the word “honor”. Deception and debt loss are unacceptable for the Greeks, at least towards people, who are close to you. Nobody here will try to trick or cheat on weighting tourists on purpose. Moreover, pay-it-later practice, when you can pay for your today’s dinner tomorrow, apply also to tourists in some taverns. Just consider, that all the mentioned above is true about the Greeks, but the Albanians, the Macedonians, and the Bosnians may be unfriendly and even hostile.

Don’t get confused if a salesman looks you directly in the eyes – this is not a sign of aggression, this is a courtesy. It is common here to keep eye contact during the whole important meeting. If your eyes are just wondering around, people will think you are not interested in the conversation. When having personal conversations, the Greeks don’t tend to touch the person they talk to, but entering a tavern, they greet all the people in there, whether they know them or not. Don’t expect local people to strictly respect the time-frame. Everything is quite approximate here, and the morning tends to end at noon. You also should remember that too provocative clothes could make a contact with the locals more difficult, especially in the little villages. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

What you are definitely not recommended to do on Corfu is to say no to refreshments if you’ve been invited to the house. The Greeks are very sensitive in the subject of hospitality, so they will consider this as an insult. The same will follow when you try to pay for yourself at a restaurant if you’ve been invited there. You shouldn’t also in any form, even as a joke, make critical comments about Greece, even if the locals are cursing it. Please note, that at the taverns and the restaurants the tips are expected to be 10% of the check, but not less, than 1,5 euro, and a little bit less in cafes.

Almost 90% of Corfu population are Orthodox, that’s why most of the festivals and celebrations are held according to the church calendar. By the way, if you plan to visit any cathedral or a church, don’t wear shorts or a mini-skirt. Otherwise, you may not be allowed to enter. The Feast of St. Spiridon, who is considered to be the patron of the island, is celebrated in a big way. But the biggest festivals take place in the times of Pascua and Christmas. For example, on Good Saturday, right after the church in the morning, people start bombarding streets with pottery, throwing it out of the windows.

Pascua is also celebrated on a large scale, and the feast continues late into the night. On Epiphany Day, that the Greeks call the Magi Feast, brave young boys and girls compete on who will get the cross from the bottom of the reservoir first to get the present from the priest. There is a carnival in all Greek cities three weeks before the Lent. Folk dances, games, and contests are organized on Ascension Day, that is celebrated for three days, starting from the fifty’s after the Pascua. There is also an art festival in September, during the time of which the guests may see the best ballets, operas, and theatre performances.