Ano Korakiana
Two kilometres before Skripero, a narrow lane leads 2km up to Ano Korakiana, a large village that is draped across a surprisingly long slice of mountainside. Most of the buildings are fairly recent but the village does have a claim to fame as the birthplace of loannis Kapodistrias, the first president of newly independent Greece. A couple of kafenia and an excellent psistaria can assuage your hunger or thirst. Just over lkm southeast, off the road that leads down to Kato Korakiana and the northeast coast, are the stables of the excellent Trailriders. This friendly British-run riding school conducts guided two-hour outings for riders of all levels of experience from Monday to Saturday at 10am-noon and 5-7pm for €3
Ioannis Kapodistrias
The pleasant hillside village of Ano Korakiana was the birthplace of loannis Kapodistrias, the first president of Greece. Born into a noble family in 1776, the young Kapodhistrias studied medicine and philosophy in Padua between 1794 and 1797 before returning to Corfu to practise medicine and found the country's first medical association in 1802. His first taste of public office was as secretary of state to the short-lived Septinsular state, which was formed under the protection of Russia during the first decade of the nineteenth century. Several years after the French had reoccupied Corfu in 1806, he was admitted to the Russian diplomatic service and demonstrated his political skills by helping to draft the first Swiss constitution. While still working for the Russians, Kapodistrias managed to serve his native island as best he could by arranging for it to come under the British Protectorate in 1814 instead of falling under Austrian administration. Indeed his patriotism led to his resignation from the Russian diplomatic corps in 1822, when the czar refused to support the Greek War of Independence. In 1827 he was unanimously elected by the new Greek republic's National Assembly to serve as president at the provisional capital on the island of Egina. He immediately set about regenerating the state and implementing new agricultural and educational reforms. However, violent opposition to his policies from some quarters led to his assassination in the infant state's next capital, Nafplio, in September 1831 by members of the family of his rival Mavromihali. His body was returned to Corfu for burial at the monastery of Platitera.