Spianada Square and Liston

The Spianada is the largest square in Greece and the social heart of Corfu Town in Kerkyra. It began as an open military glacis, a cleared field of fire between the Old Town's walls and the Old Fortress, and over the centuries was landscaped into a broad green promenade. Its long open lawn is shaded by trees, and it still hosts the island's cricket ground, a legacy of British rule, where matches are played in the summer. Other features include a bandstand used for concerts by the town's philharmonic societies, the Maitland Rotunda, a monument to Corfu's first Lord High Commissioner, and the Palace of St Michael and St George on the northern side. On the west side the arcaded Liston, modelled on Paris's Rue de Rivoli and built under French rule in the early 19th century, forms a row of cafes and restaurants under elegant arches. Visitors can sit at a table with a coffee or an iced frappe and watch the passing crowd, the pedestrian lanes of the Old Town behind them and the Old Fortress rising across the green. The square is free and open at all hours, and a stroll through it takes about an hour including time at a cafe. The best light for photography comes early in the morning, when the arches are quiet, and in the evening, when the Old Fortress is lit up. The busiest period is the early evening passeggiata, when locals and visitors fill the Liston and the lawn, and during religious and civic processions, including those on Easter weekend. Midday in summer is hot, and cafe prices on the Liston are higher than in the side streets, which is the price of the view. The Spianada also serves as a hub for events, from concerts to festivals, and it provides an easy starting point for walking to the fortress, the museums and the cathedral. Paths are flat and paved, so the area is easy to walk for most visitors.