World Report

Ancient artefacts are exhibited in the Museum of Asiatic Art.

orfu Town is the island’s elegant and charming capital. A bustling place with a unique atmosphere, it has been described as part Venice and part Naples, with a touch of England and France, but still Greek.
The town is the main port and the largest capital to be found in the Ionian Islands, with a population of around 37,000. The historic old town, built during the period of Venetian rule, boasts two remarkable fortresses: the Old Fort, parts of which date back as far as the 6th century, and the New Fort, built between the 16th and 19th centuries.

The hub of the town’s social life is the Spianada, the largest square in Greece, extending from one end of the town to the other and bustling with a constant parade of passers-by. On the west side of the square is the Liston, an arched terrace, sheltering cafes and bars, built by the French. At the lower end of the square is the only cricket pitch in Greece, still in use long after the British have left.

The cobbled streets of the old town are lined with fine Venetian houses and ancient churches. Small gift shops are to be found down the narrow alleyways, while the latest styles and fashions are to be found in a variety of cosmopolitan shops in the modern town.

Treasures at the Archaeological Museum include the Gorgo pediment, the oldest preserved large stone pediment in Greece, dated to around 580 BC, from the Doric temple of Artemis, and the Lion of Menecrates, a funerary statue dating back to the 7th century BC.

Another remarkable museum is the Museum of Asiatic Art. Housed in the neoclassical Palace of St Michael and St George, it contains 10,500 items ranging from Chinese ceramics, porcelain, sculptures and paintings to Japanese screens, masks, lacquer ware and Samurai arms.

Aglaia Karamanou, the museum’s Director, says: “Our aim is to exhibit at least 3,000 items from this vast collection, and to present it in its entirety through exhibitions at regular intervals.”