Corfu: Vibrant and Historic

The summer holiday of 2021 took us to Corfu, a Greek island renowned for its vibrant nightlife as well as its captivating historical and natural treasures.

At the outset, I was planning to embark on this journey alone. However, in July, my friend Nicola contacted me and expressed his desire to join since he couldn't find travel inspiration in time. This turned out to be a fortunate turn of events, as it allowed me to simplify my plans by dividing the search for accommodations into two.

Corfu is renowned for many things - its pristine beaches, vibrant nightlife, and historical charm. But does it truly live up to its reputation and all the stories surrounding it?

When I booked my vacation at the end of May, thanks to the affordable flight prices, I began searching for cost-effective accommodations in Corfu. Among the highlighted areas, Kavos was suggested as an option. However, it should be noted that the average age in that area hovers around 21 years old, and the quality of the sea is not among the island's best. Nevertheless, I wanted to give it a try, as a dear friend of mine had regaled me with stories of wild nights spent there a decade ago.

Due to a few personal oversights, just before departure, I had to cancel the car rental I had booked online (still awaiting my new Danish driver's license). Consequently, I had to find an alternative method to travel from the airport to my accommodation, which entailed a one-hour journey by car.

Usually, one could take a public bus (GreenBus) or a taxi to the central bus station in Corfu City, and from there, catch a bus to Kavos. Unfortunately, the "Green Bus" operates from 7 in the morning until 8 in the evening, with intervals of approximately 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. Since my flight landed at 11:30 p.m., I had to turn to a private transfer company called ShuttleDirect and purchased round-trip tickets for 35 euros.

My friend, on the other hand, arrived a few hours earlier and also had to use ShuttleDirect, so we agreed to meet directly at the hotel.

Fortunately, our intended accommodation was fully booked, so we were upgraded to a better one, the Seaside Resort, which is also managed by the same group. Upon arrival, we were greeted not only by my friend Nicola but also by the owner, whose name is Michele in Italian (I have no idea how it's spelt in Greek). He was a bright young man who immediately explained the available excursions and provided us with helpful do's and don'ts.

What surprised me the most, and is not a common occurrence, was that the prices offered by Michele were better than those of many local travel agencies. So, if you choose to stay at the Seaside Resort, I recommend booking your transportation, excursions, quads, scooters, and more through them as soon as possible.

The first evening had already passed, but nonetheless, we ventured into Kavos to get a sense of the area and grab a snack before going to bed. The accommodation was a 10-minute walk from the center of Kavos, but since it was our first night, we decided to walk. Despite the main restriction being that we couldn't dance and were only allowed to sit in the venues, many bars and clubs were still closed, which made the area less bustling than usual. We celebrated our first night with a large Gyros pita costing around 4 euros and a beer. By 3 a.m., we called it a night, eager to wake up refreshed the following day.

The first full day began with a classic espresso for breakfast by the pool, just to get into the vacation mood. Since I had arrived in the evening, I hadn't had the chance to explore the resort and the beach yet. So, right after my coffee, I set off to wander around the Seaside Resort.

Although I had initially booked at their sister property, which was fully booked, they moved us to this adjacent one that had recently been renovated. I must say, it was a significant improvement. Despite the restrictions, I couldn't complain at all because practically everything could be done outdoors.

Immediately after breakfast, our first priority was to find an independent way to get around the island. So, after visiting the hotel's beach, my friend and I headed towards the second quad/buggy rental shop we came across along the way.

From the outside, this shop seemed rather rustic and old-fashioned compared to others. However, their courtesy, pricing, and service convinced us to step inside. They had various quad models and some buggies on display, reminiscent of the "dune buggies" from Bud Spencer and Terence Hill movies, which immediately caught our attention. Despite never having driven one before, we decided to go for these models.

Once we rented the buggy, we set off towards Marathias Beach, which is about a 20-minute drive from Kavos. However, as soon as we hit the long road, we realized that the buggy didn't perform as well as we had imagined, and it took us 45 minutes to reach the beach. Despite the long journey, it was well worth the effort. We chose the Wave Beach as our preferred spot.

Unlike Italy, where beach clubs charge around 20–30 euros for access, here the beach loungers and umbrellas were free but with the obligation to make a purchase. It could be as simple as a coffee delivered directly to your umbrella for about 2.50 euros. The sandy seabed, crystal-clear waters, and the joy of basking in the warm sun made our time at the Wave Beach highly enjoyable. However, considering that the buggy took an eternity to return, we left the beach around 5 p.m. and headed back to the hotel to relax by the pool, have a refreshing drink, and plan our evening activities.

Immediately after sunset, we got ready to go to a restaurant for dinner and indulge in some local Meze. However, after choosing one of the highest-rated options online, the Aristos, we were informed upon being seated that the Meze was not available due to the kitchen being too busy. My friend and I were quite surprised, but undeterred, we decided to try other typical dishes. Considering our expectations based on the online reviews, we were left slightly underwhelmed. Perhaps I would recommend it when it's less crowded.

For the after-dinner experience, we were hoping to find a nice place suitable for our age group. Due to the restrictions, many clubs, bars, and discos were closed, and the only option was to sit at tables and enjoy drinks in the ones that were open. After exploring Kavos with the buggy, we stumbled upon a Bali-style bar that didn't have a name.

We settled at an outdoor table and read about their signature cocktails, each with its own backstory. To this day, we still don't know the name of the bar, but you can recognize it as it is located just after the restaurant where we had dinner and has climbing plants on the façade. After trying a couple of their drinks, we took a stroll around the area and then went to bed to recharge for the following day.

On the second day, we wanted to visit a beach near Kavos that had been recommended to us and had a sanctuary nearby. After having breakfast, we headed towards the beach with the buggy. Unfortunately, about 1.5 km before reaching our destination, the road surface transitioned from asphalt to a rough dirt path with potholes and gravel, making it impossible to proceed with the buggy.

We had to park the buggy and continue by foot, and after a futile attempt to reach the sanctuary by walking due to the intense heat, we decided to head towards Potamia Beach instead.

After walking for about 25 minutes under the scorching sun, we finally reached the beach, where many others had ventured with scooters and cars.

Potamia Beach is still relatively untouched, with only a small kiosk offering drinks and snacks and a few straw umbrellas and beach loungers set up. The crystal-clear sea and the mixed sandy and rocky beach, with a rocky promontory in the background, created a natural and serene atmosphere. The sanctuary that we were originally aiming for was supposed to be located in this area, but we never reached it.

After spending some time at the beach, we decided to head back to the buggy and explore the Kavos area again. We wanted to get a better sense of our location and whether the buggy was the right choice, considering that Corfu is a large island.

After stopping at a supermarket to do some grocery shopping, we decided it was time to change the buggy for something that would allow us to move faster and reach places that were further away from Kavos, even 1 or 2 hours away. So, on the way back, we arranged with the owner of a rental shop to pick up a 400cc quad the next morning and finally be free to explore the island.

Back at the hotel, my friend and I decided to play ping pong, where I ended up becoming the Olympic champion by defeating other contenders for the title!

In the evening, we headed to Lefkimi, a hillside village just 10 minutes away from Kavos, in hopes of finding genuine local cuisine for dinner, and we were not disappointed. We stumbled upon a tavern that had only the Greek name, making it impossible for me to share its name here, but the food was truly delicious.

After a long day and a hearty meal, we returned to Kavos to smoke a shisha (hookah) and enjoy a live performance by two girls singing famous English songs from the past. To be honest, the shisha wasn't the best I've tried, and the flavours were not great, but overall, we had a pleasant evening.

To be continued...

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A presto Viaggiatori!