Ipsos

Ipsos has long been the port of the mountain villages of the wider region, a place of development of trade and fishing but also an easy target for pirates and invaders.
At the beginning of the 20th century there was the small port of Ypsos with the church of Agia Paraskevi, a police station, a few fishermen's houses, a doctor and a couple of taverns. Next to the church there was since then a fountain, a spring where the water came down from the mountain and the women from the surrounding villages came in the evenings and washed the blankets and carpets with songs, teasing and laughter. You have certainly heard this before from Homer as he describes the meeting of Odysseus with Nausicaa. It is an ancient process of washing clothes that was followed throughout Greece. The first country houses appeared in 1930, initially around the port and then peripheral to the road.
The ship that used to transport King Paul a few years later, who lived in the summers with his family at Castello Mimbelli, for hunting in Epirus, moored at this port.
Today the harbor and the church of Agia Paraskevi are perhaps the only evidence of life in the previous century. In fact, in August, the "Sardella Festival" takes place here, an excellent street food festival that you should not miss. Otherwise, Ypsos has developed into a coastal village with intense tourist traffic mainly of young people from Italy and Central Europe. It is crossed by a long straight road that divides Ypsos into land and sea. Vibrant life with all possible means of water recreation for the day and an endless array of bars for the night. Restaurants , cafes, shops open all the time to cover every shopping need .
The straight line ends at Pyrgi, an old fishing village that has now been homogenized with Ypsos and from here on the road becomes uphill with hairpin turns as it enters the mountainous north-eastern Corfu, formerly known as the area of Mt.Korakio.

1.How many inhabitants does the village have?

The village has about 900 inhabitants.

2.What do the inhabitants do for a living?

They are private and public employees, entrepreneurs, and also engage in technical professions alongside agricultural work.

3.What products are produced in the area?

Olive oil is produced, which some people trade. Almost all vegetables and many fruits for family consumption.

4.Is there anyone who sells products?

Only at home.

5.If yes, is the point of sale visitable and how many people can it accommodate?

-

6.Are there vineyards in the area?

Nowadays, there are very few (pergolas in houses).

7..If yes, what varieties are cultivated?

-

8.Is there a lake, river or waterfall?

There are some small waterfalls next to the pilgrims’ path.

9.Is there a point of interest with acoustic peculiarity [e.g. reed bed, gravel, stream with nightingales etc.]?

There are some streams and reed beds with acoustic peculiarity, but due to the wild vegetation, they are now difficult to access.

10.What animals are around the village, in which season and where?

Birds,

Reptiles,

Vipers, lizards, foxes,

Frogs, etc.

There are many species of snakes such as saita, viper, astrita, and dendrogalia.

There are species of lizards such as the large green and the large gray lizard. There are also turtles, hedgehogs, frogs, nifitses, and mosquitoes.

11.What does the vegetation of the area include, in which season and where?

Flowers,

Edible [vegetables, mushrooms, tea, chamomile, oregano, capers, figs, etc.]

Trees and shrubs

It is the olive trees that exist in all points in the cultivable areas. There are also lemon trees, orange trees, mandarin trees, and many mainly summer fruits such as apricots, bourneles, berries, figs, etc. There are almond and walnut trees on the hills and around the village there are blackberries, koumaria, and many aromatic plants such as oregano, thyme, laurel, sage, etc.

12.How many churches are there and which ones?

The church of Agios Markos in the new settlement. The church of Panagia in the old Agios Markos. Panagia Lampovitisssa, Pantokratoras and Agios Nikolaos. There is also the private chapel of Agios Merkourios. This chapel is the most important Byzantine monument in Corfu after the temple of Agioi Iasonas and Sosipatros. It is hidden in an olive grove on private property and according to the preserved ownership inscription, it was built in 1075! It is a single-room rectangular stone temple with rich, although worn, frescoes from different chronological periods. The oldest are contemporary with the construction of the temple and the later ones date back to the second half of the 14th or the beginning of the 15th century.

13.Is there a festival, procession or other event and when?

The procession and festival take place in the new settlement of Agios Markos on April 26th and the festival of Panagia Lampovitisssa in the old settlement on September 8th.

14.Where does the water in the area come from?

From drilling.

15.Are there public sources or fountains with drinking water?

There are very few public fountains.

16.Is there a point of historical interest?

The old settlement of Agios Markos. Also, several mapped paths start from our village. The most characteristic is the “Path of the Pilgrims” (Proskenitadon) which starts from the port of Ipsos and reaches the summit of Mount Pantokrator (917m) where the homonymous monastery is located. History says that pilgrims from Central and Southern Corfu gathered at the central port of the city of Corfu and with “benzines” they reached the port of Ipsos and from there followed the path to the monastery of Pantokrator to worship.

17.Is there a bridge, threshing floor, olive press, or other landmark?

There is the bridge of the old Agios Markos, but the whole old village of Agios Markos is also a landmark for visitors.

18.Did any famous person live or pass through here?

No.

19.Is there anyone from the village who became famous elsewhere?

No.

20.Do you remember any stories from the past that your grandmothers used to tell you?

No.

21.Is there any particular custom?

No.

22.What food do you usually eat?

Greek cuisine and Corfiot dishes such as pastitsada, bourdeto, etc.

23.Is there any local peculiarity in your cooking [e.g. orange salad]?

No.

24.Is there any cultural, musical, dance, theatrical, or other club?

There is the Cultural Association of Agios Markos.

25.If yes, what activities does it have and when are they held?

It organizes festivals and various other events.

26.What would you like foreigners to know about you?

Agios Markos is one of the oldest villages in Corfu that bears the name of the patron saint of the Most Serene Republic of Venice in honor of him. The village belongs to the protected areas by the Ministry of Culture, thanks to its long history and its special Venetian architecture. It is a hospitable tourist village with a plethora of rental accommodations. Most of them extend from the beach and throughout the new settlement of Agios Markos, and those located on the outskirts of the hill that offer stunning views towards the sea, Southern Corfu, and Albania.