The
Explore
Sunny
Corfu
South
from a local Kalami resident who was
church sporting yet another spectacular
almost speechless at the small size of his
view). Once through the village, the road
Could this be Corfu’s
bill, last summer down at Fisherman’s
surprises you by turning into a dual car-
Haunt in Psarras). Check out also Bou-
riageway and speeding south, bypassing
best kept secret?
kari Beach Restaurant which serves
Lefkimmi as it leads down to the ferry
perhaps the best fresh squid on the
port (1 hour to Igoumenitsa). If you turn
planet! When you reach Petriti, there
off to the right, either towards Kritika, or
By Diana Giannoulis
is the excellent Stamatis Restaurant on
Spartera, and then follow the signs for Ag.
the harbour, which is also open daily
Gordis (not the usual one, the southern
all winter, and is absolutely mobbed
one) the road wanders through some
with ‘in the know’ locals on Sundays.
truly traditional rural villages and then
descends to the sandy beach – the empty
From here the road wanders inland,
sandy beach!
Y
es really, in over 25 years of living in
then down through the village of Ag. Ni-

Corfu it always seems to me that we
cholas and on to Notos, where on an even
Ok, so it’s ‘another sandy beach’ and I
have sunshine in the south of the island,
smaller road, you can wind up and down
have to say, there are so many in the
when clouds are lurking above the north;
along the hills, looking down to the to-
south, it almost gets boring. However, if
I really do not think it is my imagination,
tally clear water and small shingle beach.
you follow the little road winding along
as I often speak to friends who are in the
This eventually leads you into Lefkimmi,
the beach, the views become more
north, and they have clouds and rain,
which still looks as if it is firmly fixed
stunning by the minute, climbing and
while we have wonderful sunshine!
in the last century, with two spread-out
descending through unspoilt forest

villages forming the town, and small
land, down to yet another beach, then a
It always seems that when you read
shops lining the road, all the way down
pretty fishing harbour. Then a newly con-
anything about Corfu the main applause
to the river – another suitable stop to sit
structed road ascends steeply yet again,
is given to the north east coast and, oc-
and have a coffee or ouzo and watch the
and when you reach the summit, you are
casionally, the north west. The south
world go by – slowly!
looking down onto a rock formation in
hardly ever seems to feature, except

the clear blue sea; only it looks like a par-
linked with the words ‘tourist resorts’ or
even worse, ‘Kavos’.
“This road now boasts at
tially flooded airport runway!


least ten great fish restau-
Once you decide to move on, and prob-
This is not to say that I wish everyone
ably by then you feel the need to swim
would suddenly start rushing south to
rants, all on the beach, of-
in the sea you have been looking at for
live; we quite like having some villages
fering a fantastic choice of
the last hour or so, the road descends
where the locals are not blasé about
to the beach – and ends! Two crescent-
foreigners passing through, but stop and
the day’s catch, at prices shaped, empty, sandy bays, with shallow,
stare, or ask if you need help when you
not seen on the north east
clear, blue water – the Corfu of postcards
pause to have a look at the scenery. I just
and holiday brochures; yet if you back-
want to point out a few ‘gems’, if people coast for some years!”
track just a little up the hill, and follow
feel like getting a bit adventurous and
the signs to the Fantasia restaurant, in
braving the south coast road, past the
Spartera (and here the word ‘track’ is
hotels, to sample some of the sights that That takes care of the south east coast;
absolutely accurate) the road brings
the rest of Corfu has to offer. picturesque – even stunning – in its views,
you, about 10 minutes later, to Kavos! I
especially if you drive up the hill to the
know the very word seems to strike fear
To begin with, the road is fairly com- village of Hlomos. There, one side of the
and horror into many people’s heart,
monplace, but it is worth a coffee stop hill gives you one of the classic Corfu
as symbolising the ‘ruin’ of Corfu, but
in Benitses, now offering a wide choice views down the east coast to Boukari, the
actually it is fairly unobjectionable. Not
of coffee shops and restaurants around salt flats, and on to Kavos, and the other
pretty in the main village, too many bars
the new marina. From there on, the road side shows the beautiful conservation
– all trying to entice the ever dwindling
trundles on and after a few kilometres Lake Korission area, and the endless
number of young tourists – but certainly
you have the opportunity of branching sandy beach on the west coast.
no worse than any UK city on a Saturday
off down the ‘real’ coast road which
night. After all, it is good for us, and for
winds from Messonghi to Boukari, and Which leads me on to the other area to
them, that they have their place, just
now, on to Petriti. This road now boasts explore; this route continues through
as we have ours, whatever it is; on an
at least ten great fish restaurants, all the central south, through the village of
empty beach, in a fishing village, up in
on the beach, and offering a fantastic Argyrades (worth parking in the council
the mountains. Corfu truly does offer
choice of the day’s catch, at prices not car park and turning right to walk into
something for all, which means we can
seen on the north east coast for some the old village, with its winding street,
all have our special place on the island.
years! (I have that on good authority old shops and an enormous hilltop
4 ISLAND ISSUE 9
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