NIKOLAS TRADITIONAL TAVERNA

The building which now is the present taverna, has been in the possession of Perikles and his family for more than a century. The building was build in 1892 by the grandfather of Perikles. The top floor was the house that the family lived in and downstairs was the “kafeneion” with the dread oven and the olive press.

The kafeneion thrived throughout difficult economic times and through the two world wars. Perikles grandfather used to tell him that in comparison with other places during the Second World War, life in Agni was much easier, despite the fact that German and Italian forces had two army stations in the area. The one in Agni can still be seen on the headland, next to the taverna in the bay. Times though were hard due to the lack of food because of the occupation. The villagers used to secretly slip over to Albania with boats once a week in order to trade their local products with some basic food like rice.

Perikles remembers that life in 1960 before tourism in Corfu was harsh, with a few opportunities of work, families would help each other. The day started very early for Perikles family.

Perikles mother used to pick olives with her hands and also picked olives for other families in order to increase her family’s income.
Perikles was leaving for school at 7.00 am walking through the mountains of Agni in order to reach the school of the village.
When school was finishing Perikles was returning back home in order to collect olives with his grandfather. All the villagers used to gather their olives to the communal olive press to make olive oil.
During those days transport was limited with only two choices, either by sea, if weather permitted, or by land with buses running twice a week with destinations Corfu or Kassiopi. Due to very old vehicles and bad conditioned roads, the timetables were inaccurate and the buses always over – crowded.