Petriti: Cultural Routes, Local History and Seaside Fish

Petriti brings together the stories of a fishing village and cultural routes leading to historic settlements in the hinterland. The town’s history and fresh fish served by the sea also help define the place. If you would like to make these themes the focus of your trip, you can consider Petriti itself as a search location for a holiday rental.

Cultural Routes from Petriti to the Hinterland

A cultural route of the Petriti Ecomuseum starts at the Petriti information centre. There, you can learn more about the ecomuseum and the cultural routes developed as part of the Interreg Fish&Chips project. One route connects the fishing village of Petriti with the old settlement of Korakades and historic villages in the hinterland. This brings together two distinct points of interest: information and a cultural route at the centre, and a route whose described connection encompasses Petriti, Korakades and the villages in the hinterland.

The route is described as of 2020; its current maintenance and accessibility are not specified. Check local conditions before setting out. This will help you plan realistically for the cultural route as part of your day, without assuming that it remains unchanged and passable today.

Local History and Living Traditions

Petriti was originally called Erypos and lies at the mouth of the Evripos River. The present name is attributed to a Byzantine lord named Petritis or Petretinos, who owned the area for a time. The lord is said to have received Petriti, probably as a dowry from the Palatinos family; their name was later associated with the Byzantine Tower of the Palatines. These attributions and the qualification “probably” are part of this historical account.

The Petriti Cultural Association was founded in 2011 to preserve customs and traditions. Its larger events include the Panagia Vlacherna festival and the Varkarola event. If these dates are important to your trip, check the event dates in advance. This lets you include local culture in your plans without assuming a particular date or a regular event schedule.

Fish by the Sea

Several traditional tavernas in Petriti have been serving fresh fish by the sea for years. This gives the local food culture a tangible connection to the coastal setting and adds a culinary focus to the historical and cultural themes. Individual businesses and their availability may change; if you are planning to visit a particular place, check its current opening hours.

More Culture and Hiking Themes in the Wider Destination of Corfu

In the wider destination of Corfu, the Old Town offers a different historical focus: its urban fabric has been almost entirely preserved, its buildings date from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, and the Old Town, together with its two fortresses, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Museum of Asian Art is also located in the Old Town. Its collection comprises more than 11,000 objects from China, Japan, India, the Himalayas and Central Asia. From Corfu port, the museum can be reached by bus line 2 on the Mantouki–Kanoni route; check the timetable before travelling.

For a different kind of trip, the Corfu Trail offers a hiking option on Corfu: the 180-kilometre route passes through several settlements and includes Benitses as one of its 13 overnight stops. These examples complement Petriti’s local themes with distinct cultural and hiking highlights in the wider destination of Corfu. You can decide which ones suit your trip based on whether you would most like to focus on Petriti’s local history and cultural routes, collections and architectural history, or a longer hiking route.

Discover more destinations: Peritheia, Argyrades, Kanakades, Lefkimmi, Kavos, Corfu, Ermones, Arillas Magouladon.

Back to the main travel overview: Corfu.