Whilst some areas of Corfu have been developed for mass tourism since the 1960’s, much of the island remains untouched, boasting uninhabited olive groves, picturesque mountain and woodland landscapes, as well as some of the best beaches in the Ionian. Named in works by Shakespeare and Milton, as well as more recent writers such as Gerald and Lawrence Durrell, it has inspired many pieces of wonderful literature. The second largest, northernmost and greenest of the Ionian Islands, Corfu has a population of approximately 115.000 people, of which 40.000 live in the town of Corfu, the island’s elegant capital. Situated superbly on the east coast promontory of the island and flanked by the new and old fortresses; French, British, but particularly Venetian influences are apparent throughout the town. Legacies of these administrations can be seen in the “Liston”, modeled after Paris’ Rue de Rivoli the “Spianada” (Esplanade) where the green is home to Greece’s only cricket ground and generally throughout the town the pale pastels of shuttered dwellings in the narrow 18th century streets, have been compared more with Venice or Naples rather than any other Greek town. The island covers an area of 592 sq meters, with gentle, rolling hills in the south and rugged limestone mountains to the north, where Mt Pantokrator reaches 906m at its highest peak. The mild climate and heavy rainfall (the highest percentage in Greece) encourages the abundance of wild flowers, cypress trees, herbs and other flora and fauna. Due the rich vegetation and suitable climate the island’s main source of income is agriculture. On the other hand the beautiful scenery attracts many visitors, thus increasing the revenue from its tourism trade. Corfu is widely regarded as the nation’s most beautiful island.