The tour begins with a scenic drive through the heart of town, leading you into Corfu's lush and verdant countryside, a striking contrast to most Greek islands. As you travel, you’ll pass groves of olive, orange, and lemon trees, interspersed with tall, elegant cypress trees. Your first stop is the Mon Repos Palace, perched atop Analipsis Hill near the Kanoni area. Built in 1826 by British Commissioner Frederic Adams as a gift to his Corfiot wife, Nina Palatianou, this charming palace combines colonial architectural elements with a picturesque, green setting. Originally a summer residence for British governors, Mon Repos was later gifted to King George I of Greece when the Ionian Islands were united with Greece in 1864. The palace also holds historical significance as the birthplace of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on June 10, 1921. During World War II, it served as the residence of the Italian governor of the Ionian Islands. Over the years, ownership of the palace was disputed between the Greek government and the former royal family of Greece. In 2002, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of the former King Constantine, awarding him compensation for the properties lost after the monarchy was abolished in 1975. Today, Mon Repos is a beautifully restored tourist attraction managed by the Municipality of Corfu, welcoming visitors from around the world. Surrounded by a large park, the palace offers a serene environment, and across from it lie the ruins of ancient Corfu, suggesting that Mon Repos may have been built on the site of the island’s original city. The tour continues to Kanoni, where you’ll see the old cannon that gives the area its name. From this vantage point, you'll enjoy views of the Vlacherna nunnery and Mouse Island in the distance. On the return journey, you’ll take a different route back to town, where you can stroll through the narrow, balconied streets of the old district. The tour concludes with a visit to the beautiful church of St. Spiridon before returning to the quayside.