I, like most people I know, have recently spent some time holidaying in Greece. I hadn’t been to Greece since I was a young child when the family would sometimes spend a week or two of summer at one of a chain of activity resorts called Mark Warner (think Club Med). I have great memories of those trips, the friendly staff at the kids club, the sunny beaches (knocking myself unconscious every time I attempted a water sport) but 20 years on, still in the midst of a global pandemic, I really didn’t know what to expect.

My friend K and I both desperately needed a holiday after a pandemic full of cancelled trips and reunions, and after her first semester of college in Arizona and the completion of my solicitor training in Geneva. We (like all the people I know who did not go to Greece) were originally planning to go to Croatia, but at the last minute I felt that the covid price inflation was particularly notable there and we would get more bang for our buck elsewhere. The hotels seemed to be much pricier in Croatia than Greece and so we swiftly (and somewhat blindly) changed course a week before departure!

I decided on Corfu the ‘emerald island’ somewhat randomly having been reliably informed by google that it was Greece’s second largest island. K didn’t need much persuading as she (a Canadian national) has been keenly working her way around Europe whenever she has had the chance and had been wanting to visit Greece since she watched the film ‘Mamma Mia’ and crucially ‘Mamma Mia 2’ (neither of which I have seen, but which proved to be a reoccurring reference point throughout the trip).

When I booked the trip I was frantically finishing up my job as a trainee solicitor in Geneva Switzerland, where I had been working the previous 6 months and am honestly quite amazed that in my frenzy of packing up my life and flat I managed to book anything sensible at all. In addition to the normal preparations, I needed to book a host of covid tests to get back into the UK, be released, and get into and subsequently back from Greece. The tests were pricey and cut into the holiday budget a bit, but undeterred and with blind faith due to the minimal research on Corfu undertaken, I booked hotel and flights and hoped very hard that it would all work out.

Overall, I really recommend visiting this island! It is however, absolutely and unapologetically a tourist island, and so avoiding tourist traps and getting good recommendations for quieter beaches and authentic Greek restaurants (tavernas) is absolutely key to experiencing this emerald gem at its best!

Called the Emerald Island because of the lush greenery - Barbati — Called the Emerald Island because of the lush greenery - *Barbati*

Flights: 8/10 - smooth fairly short flight with easy and cheap private transfer to hotel

To make the most of our time away we took a super early 6 am flight into Corfu, packed with families and screaming children and when I reminded K that the hotel I had booked was ‘adult only’ she gave me a sleepy but appreciative fist bump. The flight was around 3 hours and our hotel was a 10 minute 12 euro cab from the airport. So far so smooth!

Hotel: 6/10 overall but 9/10 for location

We were staying at Hotel Mayor Mon Repos, a reasonably priced establishment with good bones, around 10 minutes drive from Corfu town. The hotel was spacious with impressive decor and a lovely terrace and pool area. There were certainly ‘budget’ elements to the hotel, such as the rationing of beach towels to one every two days, but luckily due to the frequently changing shifts of the reception personnel, they were unable to police this rule effectively and we got new towels every day. The hotel overlooked the water and boasted a number of beach clubs/bars/restaurants surrounding it offering fresh Greek cuisine and cocktails on the water front. The best thing about the hotel was the location. With a pool, the sea but a few metres away, and a plethora of restaurants and bars clustered around, one could happily spend time there day or night. However being a 10 minute cab or 25 minute walk away from town and crucially the big green bus station, made it the perfect base for exploring everything the island had to offer.

Beautiful Greek salad from beach restaurant and bar Anemomylos adjacent to the hotel

Ocean a few metres from the front of the hotel

Lovely food and ambiance at Nautilus restaurant by the hotel - homemade pitas were top notch as was the potato salad

If you, like us, do not have a car, staying near Corfu town is a good strategy. The town itself is bustling and diverting morning til night, and from the green bus station, you can catch a state of the art, fully air-conned coach to anywhere your heart desires.

There were even buses to Athens and other places in Greece, but we stayed within the parameters of the island owing mostly to the fact that K and I are normally violently ill when even minimal travel by sea is involved. Most bus journeys took between 30 and 50 minutes and provided helpful orientation and overall views of Corfu whilst en route. Driving up and down narrow winding cliffs in a super bus is a bit alarming at first as the drivers seem to hurtle round the many hairpin bends rather haphazardly, but you soon get used to taking your life in your hands in pursuit of beach bliss. And beach bliss we found! Keep reading to see the best beaches on Corfu island (and some to avoid!).

Corfu town:

We had a great time exploring the winding streets of Corfu town. We did however get caught in a tourist trap imaginatively named ‘Meat Corner’ and felt quite sick about the disgusting food and filthy kitchen! Feeling dejected I asked two ladies working in a pharmacy for a recommendation for the following day, for a place where they themselves like to eat Greek food. Happily, they shared with me the name ‘Marinas Taverna’ which turned out to be absolutely earth-shatteringly good, and gave Greek food a whole new meaning and appreciation in my mind. I learned that most places in Corfu town are a tourist trap, so ask the locals where they eat. It is probably not good enough just to ask them for a recommendation as they assume (understandably) that you are looking for a touristy place that will satisfy your requirement of a minimum dose of one portion of spaghetti bolognese per week. If you are someone who can go without this fix for a week or two, let the locals know you want to try authentic Greek cooking, and see what they come up with! If you are in Corfu town for lunch or dinner go to Marina’s Taverna and order…everything!!! Particularly good was the moussaka and the aubergine in a pot. The tara and tzatziki were also top notch as well as the fresh and perfectly cooked grouper fish. The setting was lovely too, nestled into the bend of a winding and weathered backstreet. The service is exceptionally warm and sincere which dare I say it was a lovely change from being treated with at worst distain and at best disinterest for being the pesky tourists that we undoubtedly were.

Beaches:

The first beach we went to was Palaiokastritsa, the top recommendation by google and locals alike. It was undeniably a beautiful beach with gorgeous velvety soft sand and the warmest crystal clear waters I have ever swum in. The problem (like so many in life I find) was the people! It was packed and with all the sun beds long gone we were left to lay side by side on the sand with hundreds of others, tightly packed in like the daily catch! After a few hours of strange feet in my face and a lot of jostling for precious beach real estate as the tide edged in, both K and I felt we could do better. I give all credit to K for finding the beaches we went to after this initial sardine scenario, but am glad to be sharing them with you so you can really experience the best of this stunning island! Palaiokastritsa 5/10

Kassiopi - Batatia beach

In pursuit of a more serene day of sun we jumped on the bus at the green bus station and headed to kassiopi. We found an absolutely stunning cluster of beaches set into the edifice of the cliffs that created calm sheltered coves that were sparsely occupied and totally stunning.

Not only was the beach gorgeous, the water warm and calm, the sun beds plentiful and the people not, we also had a spectacular Greek lunch overlooking the bay. The restaurant was called Trilogia and despite its refreshingly modern and refined food, it didn’t cost the earth. We ordered the trio of taramasalata which included a truffle version (10/10) and a Greek salad and smoked salmon salad. The Greek salad was an elevated version of what we had been having so far, with the tomato and cucumber lovingly marinated in a slightly acidic liquid before being married with a sweet balsamic and honey glaze on a whipped feta and cream cheese base. Sprinkled on top were our newly favoured carob rusks, a slightly sweet crouton made from the carob plant. This meal and dining experience was really exceptional and paired with the lovely beach made for an unforgettable day. 10/10 for kassiopi beach and dining. On our way back to the bus we nipped into a traditional Greek bakery called ‘Nicolas bakery’ where we could only scratch the surface with our purchases owing to the incredible array of freshly baked products! The lady who runs the shop is delightful (although she doesn’t speak much English) and she is more than happy to engage in the universal sign language/charade necessary to select all the items that take your fancy! I would highly recommend a day in kassiopi and a bakery haul in time for the journey home! 10/10

Trio of Tara - white, squid ink, and truffle 10/10

Barbati 9/10

Next we went to Bahia Mare beach restaurant/bar at Barbati beach which is actually more like a beach club, with catered sun beds stretching out far across the shore. The beach was full but due to its vast size we were shown to some free sun beds and had plenty of space to ourselves! The beach was stunningly beautiful and the water clear and warm. The food and drinks service right to our sun beds was awesome and the whole place had a fun buzz to it that we hadn’t experienced yet. There was music leaking from the restaurant building with waiters ferrying cocktails and food to sun soaking guests along the water. The price and quality of the sun beds and food was standard and the vibe was cool! I give it 8/10. Worth a visit for sure.

Agios Gordios

Not to be confused with Agios Georgios which we didn’t make it to, Agios Gordios was a lovely area with a fun beach! The waters are rougher on this beach than others we went to, so may be better for confident swimmers! We had the best Greek fast food so far on the trip at Funky Land beach restaurant which was a big tick for us as we were keen to try a good version of the famous Greek souvlaki! We both had the chicken souvlaki that had been marinated in olive oil and herbs overnight and flashed on the grill a la minute resulting in an insanely juicy and flavourful bite of chicken. The tzatziki was the real deal (none of that fake garlic mayo sorcery we had been subjected to on occasion cough cough Meat Corner) and the fries were suitably indulgent and crisped to perfection. We saw and unfortunately sampled a few very disappointing and frankly criminal versions of this dish so we were so happy to finally eat some delicious Greek junk food that was worth every single calorie! If you want to tick a succulent souvlaki off your bucket list, Funky Land is the place! The restaurant is right on the beach and has some really cool whimsical decor with swinging egg chairs and white curtainy cabana situations scattered along the sand. We stayed on the beach until sunset (around 20:15) and it was truly spectacular with the sun setting on this side of the island. A great place to soak up a sunset (and a souvlaki!) 8/10

Juiciest chicken souvlaki of all time! 10/10

Liapades

Finally we went to Liapades another reasonably quiet little bay. Not densely populated with tourists, but not empty either we spent a few hours on the beach there. The water was cold compared to the other beaches but was still pleasant and refreshing! There was food and drinks service to the sun beds and overall was a pleasant little nook. The steep walk down to the beach takes around 9 minutes from where the bus leaves you and is quite manageable . The walk up again afterwards is less pleasant I imagine. We had arranged for a taxi to fetch us from the beach ahead of time to avoid finding out! 7/10

Corfu checklist:

Activities

There are so many things to have on your to do list for Corfu! If you are not seasick like K and I there are a number of boat trips and boat days you can book. A visit to Canal D’amore is also worth it to take in the breathtaking views, or if you are brave enough, jump off the cliffs like K did! We also heard about kumquat and olive oil farm tours and tastings and cookery classes but sadly weren’t able to book any. We visited ‘Corfu pottery ceramics workshop’ (Sgombou) on the way back from Liapades to peruse some handmade and then handpainted plates by a local couple.

Food
In terms of sweet treats, you have to try Greek coffee, soft nougat, homemade halva, and as much baklava as time will allow! There is also another unmissable Greek pastry that I do not know the name of, but that consists of two soft sponges with cream sandwiched in between. UPDATE: I have been informed by the lovely M that this is called ‘kok’!

The Greek version of Turkish delight could be found gleaming in majestic chunks in the windows of a lot of places, but I didn’t get to try any sadly. Kumquat is grown abundantly on the island so definitely try it in any of the 100’s of ways it is prepared (jam, paste, alcohol, candied…). I had a kumquat liqueur that was added to my aperol spritz. They sell it by the bottle and also do a very intriguing cream of kumquat liqueur that is on my list to try next time! We also saw a rather curious ingredient in the shops that we were told was a kind of tree sap used in Greek baking to add a specific flavour. I have yet to find out exactly what this is and investigate further. Stay tuned for that!

For savoury food, you have to try moussaka, grilled octopus, a fresh local white fish (we had amazing grouper), taramasalata, pita and of course tzatziki. If you are on the go get your hands on gyros or souvlaki to take away. Sofrito is a very typical dish of the island, and although I didn’t get to try it, pastitsada is on my list for next time! The olives and olive oil produced throughout the island are both out of this world good. Try as many versions as you can! In restaurants where they didn’t provide olive oil with our bread we always asked for some…you know for scientific purposes!

UGD - unidentifiable Greek dessert (the sponge and cream sandwich, here also dunked in chocolate!) UPDATE: this has now been identified as ‘kok’

I saw so many varieties of baklava, there must be hundreds out there

“Life is too short to eat boring sweets and pies” - I would have to agree, when in Greece anyway!

Been to Corfu or planning to? Let me know your favourite places or places on your bucket list!