The lush and verdant island of Corfu is midway between Greece and Italy, and there lies a long and colorful history. First colonized by settlers from the city-state of Corinth, Corfu has been ruled by the Romans, the Venetians, the French and the English. Whew! Corfu today boasts fortresses bearing the insignia of the Venetian Republic, a lavish esplanade planted by the French during the Napoleonic Wars, and even an English cricket pitch. The island also offers some of the finest coastal scenery in the entire Mediterranean.