I'm mulling adding a week or a bit more in Corfu to a September visit to Venice and around surrounding areas (courtesy of cheap RyanAir flight). I'm interested in history, life-style, culture and scenery, walking and good food, not partying and nightlife. I'd very much appreciate suggestions about where to locate myself and how long I might want to stay. I'm aiming for long enough for a solo traveler to get a feel for the place and see the sights, but not so long that restlessness sets in !
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3320 posts
You might do better on a travel forum with more non-US contributors. RS is largely N. Americans, many of them going on RS tours, or newcomers to overseas travel. Corfu is well-known as a UK "hive" -- a legacy of Britain's 19th Century protectorate, and its post WW II development as a UK package-holiday destination. However, there still are independent travelers interested in culture & history, and many on Trip Advisor threads tell where to find scenery and good food & avoid "resort" centers ... easier in September of course.
Posted by
New York City, NY, USA
5678 posts
Okay, many, many years ago I spent several days in Corfu. We had a wonderful time despite sprained ankles and traumatic ferry rides. The island is lovely. We rented mopeds and went all over the island. If you are thinking of this you need to read Gerry Durrell's books My Family and Other Animals is the first one. He is the brother of Lawrence Durrell and these books are about their time living in Corfu between the wars with their mother, sister and other brother. There is a PBS series as well. I love that the Telegraph has an article on the search for Gerry Durrell's Corfu. And look! You can rent the Strawberry Pink Villa!
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9420 posts
Good call Pamela, the book and the PBS series is called The Durells in Corfu. Both exceptional. The show is on iTunes and well worth the $18 for 6 episodes.
I'd say this forum is at least 50% independent, experienced travelers in addition to RS Tour takers and first time travelers.
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3320 posts
OK, Susan, maybe 50% experienced independent travellers (a lot of us migrated over from 2 other forums), but mainly from North American and thus, not many habitues of Corfu -- the UK predominance may be influenced by the many direct (bargain) flights from Britain. As for the Durrell books they are a great delight, but my English friends say that that ambience is long gone. I myself, long before I was able to visit Greece, fell under the spell of Lawrence Durrell's memoir of Rhodes in 1946, "Reflections on a Marine Venus" ... but when I finally made it to Rhodes in 2006, I didn't expect to find Durrell's Rhodes, that world long gone also.