Visiting Corfu During the Winter

If waiting for your next summer holiday is just unbearable, then why not consider a winter visit? 'Uncle Bob' our Lafki Correspondent, tells you his experiences and offers realistic advice.

There seems to be an increasing interest in people visiting Corfu out of season. Corfu's normal holiday period is from the beginning of May to the end of October. During these dates, direct flights from major European airports can easily be found. There are a few direct flights either side of those dates, but few and far between.

So I am referring to the rest of the year - the winter - out of season. How you get there is a little problematic. First you need to get to Athens and then take a domestic flight to Corfu at a cost of about 75Euros per person each way.

Before rushing out and booking your flights though, you need to consider what it is that you will be expecting from your visit, to determine the best time period for you. The weather is very changeable and unpredictable during the winter. For me this is an interesting aspect of our visit.

I think the most important thing to realise is that generally the type of holiday property that you are accustomed to renting in the summer would not be appropriate for the winter, they just aren't geared up for cold weather. You would need heating. Either a wood burning fire, with a plentiful supply of firewood, and some sort of heating in the bedrooms and bathroom or central heating would be better but not so romantic! My advice would also be to ensure that there would be plenty of blankets and bedding available, you can always discard anything that is not needed but it is miserable if you can't get warm. Our house in the little village of Lafki (above Acharavi) is quite high up and therefore colder than those on the coast.

If you plan to eat out similar to summer visiting then you will need to explore which places are open, for instance, in November there were only three places in Kassiopi serving food, a takeaway kebab bar, a pizza bar and a music bar that served microwave food! Normally 'Little Italy' is open but they were being re-roofed. In Acharavi there were only about four or five places open every day plus some bars, and a couple more at week-ends.

Monolithi and La Rustique being two that were open every evening. The Pumphouse opens from December onwards, and there was a new restaurant opening as we left located opposite the Pumphouse. However be prepared to travel. Gouvia and Kondokali had places open when we passed through. If you plan to eat in, ensure that a proper kitchen and utensils will be provided in your accommodation. And if it is necessary, where to change gas bottles. Of course you will need a car during a winter visit, and I suggest you contact Nathan from Agni Travel to arrange one.

So what is there to do I hear you ask, well much the same as in the Summer really, except for long days' sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the sea. On fine days you could picnic on the beach with a good book, walk the coastal path that you meant to do in the Summer but it was always too hot or too many other people doing it, explore the mountain villages, visit the local kafenion, which will have a permanent card school on the go, complete with a furnace in the corner and a real fug of cigarette smoke mingled with wood smoke and damp clothing, moth balls and paraffin, salt, cod and salami. If it's raining play cards or read indoors, or drive to Corfu town, the old Jewish quarter tourist shops are closed but the rest of the town is open and bustling. If you are really lucky you can find a sheltered spot in the sun for a little sunbathing for a short time.

I find it's more of an opportunity to recharge the batteries, switch off from the high pressure style of living at home, catch up with your friends who are too busy in the Summer to spend much time talking. Looking out of the bedroom window first thing in the morning and you can't see Albania for the rain, and hopping back into bed with a cup of tea and another couple of chapters of your book, without feeling guilty, bliss.