Spartilas

The village of Spartilas nestles at a height of 400 metres and sits under the looming peak of Mount
Pantokrator. Despite being only 23km north of Corfu town, the winding road uphill will make the
journey seem much longer. Like many of Corfu’s settlements, Spartilas lies at the “olive line” the
contour above which the tree will not grow. Such a location meant that the inhabitants, in past days
reliant on their crops and animals, would not have far to walk to their daily toil; downwards to their
olive groves and up to their pastures. As villagers used to rely on donkeys for transport, the alleys
which wind between the houses are narrow and just wide enough for a donkey and its panniers.
The old kafeneion is a place where the men still gather to discuss politics, while sipping Greek
coffee and ouzo with water. Everywhere you look, architectural features catch the eye. Sandstone
arches that lead to a storeroom under a ‘bodzo’, a first floor balcony which gives access to the
living quarters. Stucco is painted on the walls, with multiple layers of colour, peeling and faded.
Traditionally walls were lime washed, a practice still followed today by those wishing to preserve
the integrity of older buildings. There are staircases of old marble and arched gateways that lead
into overgrown gardens. Spartilas has been called the window of Corfu. With views that look south
to the crescent shaped bay of Ipsos, Dassia, Gouvia and Kontokoli and to Corfu town. On a clear day,
Paxos and Lefkada can also be seen in the distance. Being set between the mountain and the sea
and oriented south, Spartilas enjoys a mild climate, neither too hot nor too cold.
The population of around 575 have two main Orthodox churches that are those of Saint Prophet
Elijah and Saint Spyridon. There are a couple of tavernas with great views, and some wonderful old
buildings which are slowly but elegantly decaying in dispersed amongst the occupied ones. All this information was kindly supplied from the books written by Steve Ford and the money raised from sales of these goes to Corfu Charities. Please use the link below to download your own copy and find more information on all the villages listed and more from Steve