General Information

An insular region extended at the western coasts of Greece until southern Peloponnese. From north to south the Ionian Islands are: Corfu, Paxoi, Lefkada, Ithaca, Kefallonia, Zakynthos and Kythira.

The mountains of the Ionian Islands are the westerner parts of the Greek mountain ranges.

The highest mountain is Enos in Kefallonia (1628m). The region of Ionian Islands in one of the most seismic regions of Greece.

The climate of Ionian Islands is Mediterranean, with soft winters and cool summers.

The economy is based on tourism and agriculture (olive trees, citrus fruits, almond trees, vines and grapes).

History

The Ionian Islands have a distinctive culture influenced from the Venetian dominance. Their history and culture are a mix of western forms of social conscience and traditional forms of culture.

Common historical bonds united the Ionian Islands in the first Byzantine years, when they were part of the empire.

From the 11th century the Ionian Islands suffered from the raids of pirates and various sovereigns from the West. At the period of the Crusades they were extracted from the Byzantine Empire and had many Frank captors, until the end of the 15th century, that they were conquered from Venetians, except Lefkada.

The Venetians emerged a local aristocracy, in which were assigned the local affairs. In time a register of nobles was established, that excluded tradesmen and each one that his ancestors had manual professions. These discriminations led to acute social oppositions.

The Italian influence is obvious mostly in music. The “Eptanisian Music School” elevated personalities, which distinguished in the international music. Moreover in the Ionian Islands bloomed a characteristic type of popular song, the “kantada”, with a characteristic melodic structure.