Varypatades

“The sun always shines on Varypatades” That is what we say, looking over to the village on the hill
from vantage points on the west coast. As the sun goes down Varypatades catches the last rays
well into the evening and shines out as a whitewashed beacon; the red dome of the church like a
matchstick on standby, to keep the embers glowing.
Half way along the road from Corfu town to Pelekas, on the west coast, is a left hand turn which
will take you up a gradual climb to the village. This is a narrow road with what seems like a hundred
bends. There is a good size car park where you can leave the car and walk in to the square. The
village is a labyrinth of cobbled streets but - unlike in Greek mythology where King Minos kept the
Minotaur captive - you won’t get lost here.
The houses are beautifully painted and restored and stand side by side with the old houses now
deserted and empty. It is a delight to walk around on a hot day, as there is plenty of shade and the
views are different because you are in the middle of the island.
There are no shops there now, since the one in the square closed but there is a kafenion or café bar
which is open....sometimes... around 7.30pm. It stays open until the owner gets tired and wants
to go to bed. It’s pot luck. If you do visit in the daytime make sure you bring a drink and some food
with you. The main church here is Agia Paraskevi and if you walk up to the graveyard you can see
both sides of the island. The village festival takes place on 14th August for the population of around
350, in the summer months. 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