Sets for filming and shooting locations from the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding3 on the island of Corfu

The movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding3" is already playing in theaters, and interest in Corfu is growing. Nia Vardalos tells how to best spend time on the island..

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding3"

The first part of the franchise filmed in Greece. We found some locations used in the film so you can follow in the footsteps of the Portokalos family.

Movie description

The third installment of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" by American-Greek writer, director, and actress Nina Vardalos sends the Portokalos family to an unknown Greek island for a family gathering that turns into an impromptu wedding. This is the first romantic comedy franchise filmed in Greece. The other two parts were filmed in Toronto (and set in Chicago).

Scenes in Corfu

With the exception of a few scenes shot on the island of Santorini, the movie takes us away from classic Greek brochure landscapes - white buildings against blue skies - and shows pastel-colored village houses against emerald olive groves and winding mountain roads.

Most of the island scenes are filmed on Corfu, the northernmost island of the Ionian chain, close to the coast of Western Greece and southern Albania. Known as the "Emerald Isle" of Greece, the landscape here is much more lush than on other famous islands such as Mykonos and Kos, and being alternately Venetian, French and British, there is a rich history and mixture of architectural styles.

Varipatades Village

In the movie, Tula and her family return to the village where her father Gus grew up. It is a village that has lost much of its splendor after most of its inhabitants emigrated. The scenes are partly filmed in the traditional village of Varipatades, located west of Corfu town. Varipatades itself has a dwindling number of permanent residents and has become an authentic backdrop for the story. The narrow streets are dotted with yellow, pink and amber houses, some with green or brown wooden shutters, most of which have seen better days. The village overlooks olive groves and cedar trees, and the church of Agios Stefanos offers a magnificent view of the surrounding Ionian Sea.

Danilia Tourist Village

Other scenes in the village were filmed in the tourist village of Danilia, in the district of Kyra Chrysikou, 10 km from Corfu town. This reconstruction of a 1930s Corfiot village was created in the 1970s and is now owned by the Grecotel Hotel and Resort Group.

Corfu Town

In the movie, the Portokalos family visits the island's capital, which with its narrow streets of stores selling brightly colored leather bags is very reminiscent of the city of Corfu. The scenes were actually filmed in the Plaka district of Athens, located under the Acropolis and containing narrow cobbled streets of neoclassical buildings with traditional restaurants and workshops. Corfu's old town also has a similar atmosphere, especially in the old town, where cafes sit in the shadows of grand Byzantine and Venetian buildings and stores display their wares on the street, including brightly colored linen garments, brightly woven towels, and bright blue anti-jinx windows on key chains, bracelets, and bags sparkle everywhere.

Beaches in Corfu

On Corfu, there is a beach for every mood, from windy sandy spots with waves for kitesurfing to pebbly coves for snorkeling. In the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3," all the scenes on the waterfront were filmed in Benitses, a beautiful coastal village south of Corfu Town and north of Messonghi. Benitses was a bustling resort town in the 1980s, but in recent years it has become more charming, and now it's the place to try Corfiot fish specialties like biancho (cooked in a garlic-lemon sauce with potatoes) and bourdetto (in a spicy tomato sauce). Try the Klimataria restaurant; the locals call it "Bellows" after the family that owns it.

Olive tree and Greek cuisine

During the film, Tula's brother Nick discovers the oldest olive tree in his father's village. Ultimately, he finds a monstrous, gnarled tree that looks like something straight out of "The Lord of the Rings." This tree is located in the groves owned by the Daphnis family, who produce Governor olive oil in Corfu. You can book a tour and tasting, as well as visit the magnificent tree called Miterra - Gus's tree in the film, which the family believes is around 2000 years old.

Greek cuisine is one of the main attributes of the film, starting with the classic grilled meat souvlaki (which Aunt Voula hands out on the plane) to moussaka, tiropita (cheese pie), and gemista (stuffed vegetables with rice and herbs). To try some of these traditional dishes, head to the Alonaki Bay tavern in Chalikounas, where you can enjoy lunch with a sea view.

The best wedding tips for Corfu

Planning a wedding abroad can be nerve-wracking, but Anglo-Greek Chryssa Poupard and her team of wedding planners can organize the perfect wedding in the fairy-tale setting of the recently renovated Venetian villa, Courti Estate.

A beautiful 9-bedroom villa is nestled among 10 acres of olive groves, where you can host both an intimate wedding for 20 guests with everyone staying on-site, as well as a larger wedding for 500 guests. Additional accommodation includes five-star Olivar Suites just a few minutes' walk away.

Since the ceremonies on the estate - and many others, if you are getting married elsewhere - can only be symbolic, the legal ceremony can be arranged at the Town Hall in the city of Corfu on the morning of the wedding day.

Wherever you get married, make sure you provide the correct documents. You should also arrange for the publication of your marriage intentions, which will be published in the local newspaper, as is customary in Greece (to allow for any objections).

For more information on what to see in Corfu, visit visitgreece.gr.