The town really resembles an Italian city though their are other influences such as the Liston, the building which borders the main esplanade or Spianada, built by the French, which houses some of the finest cafes and
restaurants in Corfu. On the esplanade itself the men compete in weekend cricket matches, the only place in
Greece where the sport is played. If you can't have baseball then watching a visiting British team in a cricket match, drinking the local ginger beer or a gin and tonic is the next best thing. The French were the ones who turned the Spianada into a public square. Before the nineteenth century it was a large empty lot that was used for defensive purposes. The French planted trees and created one of the most attractive town squares in all of Greece.
Bordering the south side of the Spaniada is the Ionion Acadamy the first University in Greece, founded by Ioanis Capodistrias in 1808. The acadamy had a library and a botanical garden and classes were taught in Italian. It was almost completely destroyed by German bombs in 1943. On the south side of the Spianada is the Palace of Saint Michael and George built by the British in 1824 and used as the official residence of the high comissioner, the seat of the Ionian Senate and the headquarters of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, created for the purpose of awarding medals to residents of Malta and the Ionian islands who had performed important service for the Great Britain.
There are several interesting museums in town and two major fortresses as well as numerous small squares and fountains. The town itself was built so that it could be defended. The buildings in the old city remain intact and wandering through the narrow streets is like a lesson in history and architecture. Even though some buildings were destroyed in the German bombings of the second world war, the town of
Corfu contains a large number of buildings which have survived the centuries and is on the list of Europe's most historic cities. You can rent a horse drawn carriage for a tour of the town or take the little train that rides through the old city.