October 2008

You'll be pleased to know that as I type this, from the Agni Travel office, it is warm and sunny. The views from our office window reach over to Corfu Town and the sea below. The hydrofoil can just be seen skimming its way down to Paxos; the very same hydrofoil that we returned on this morning. Yesterday being spent visiting the Paxos office then later a meal at 'Taka Taka', now a fond memory.

The beginning of September saw some rain, which the Greek islands desperately needed. Overnight the parched olive groves sprouted green grass punctuated with wild flowers; cyclamen being the most dominant.

As we move into October, Corfu, Paxos and Kefalonia are now becoming quieter and even though all the tavernas are still open, there is the excitement that winter (along with a well deserved rest) will soon be here.

With flights becoming more expensive, we thought we'd test out some alternative ways of getting from Northern Europe to Greece. Below is Stella and Ron's account of their recent journey from UK via Venice to Corfu.

In September Ron and I had occasion to go back to England for a few days and decided to turn it into a little holiday and wedding anniversary treat by returning home via Venice.

We used good old Easy Jet from Gatwick to Venice. (This no frills airline has been well used by our Agni Travel guests this summer and, with the odd exception, has been very reliable).
Arriving at Marco Polo airport at 8.20pm on Thursday we decided to go mad and get a water taxi to our hotel which was just off the Grand Canal. This we booked (95 Euros) at a desk by the airport exit where they gave us a ticket and told us which jetty to go to. It was quite a long walk but the water taxi was waiting and we sped off into the night.

It seemed a long way in the dark but even so it was quite exciting especially as we joined the Grand canal and motored under the Rialto Bridge.
The taxi dropped us at the jetty just a few yards from the hotel, which was down a little alley and had just 7 rooms. We dumped our luggage and then went in search of some food. Being a pasta-freak Italy is my ideal eating out country and we had a delicious meal beside the Grand Canal in sight of the Rialto Bridge.

Friday morning dawned warm and sunny so we made our way to St Mark's Square for some sightseeing. The queues for the Basilica were enormous so we 'did' the Doge's Palace instead, including walking across 'The Bridge of Sighs'.
Nathan had told us we must go to Harry's Bar for the best Bellinis in the world and that evening we eventually found it - no big signs or flashing lights but a rather inconspicuous little bar just off St Mark's square. It was certainly an experience and we managed two Bellinis each (69 Euros!) before staggering back to St Mark's for G&Ts in the square to the accompaniment of an orchestra (very Audrey Hepburn!)
Saturday we had to check out of the hotel by 10.30 but they let us leave our suitcase there for collection later. More sightseeing and shopping, including a Venetian mask (for a party next summer!), before the heavens opened and we had to take shelter in a restaurant for lunch. When it rains in Venice you really know about it and in next to no time the restaurant floor was 3 inches deep in water and my handbag and contents soaked!

After lunch we had to make our way to the ferry. A half-hour wait for a water taxi when it's pouring with rain is not good and by this time we were drenched. Another wait for a taxi to the ferry port saw us giving up with the umbrella and just making a run for it!
By the time we got to our cabin we were soaked to the skin and on opening the suitcase some of our clothes in there were wet too.
We were sailing on the Minoan Lines 'Pasiphae Palace' and had an outside cabin which was small but had everything we needed including a good sized bathroom with a really good shower.

Leaving Venice we sat on the Port side and watched the city retreating behind us. A commentary was broadcast over the tannoy so we could spot the places of interest as we went by. As it was raining my photos didn't come out too well through the ferry window but it was still an experience not to be missed. Venice is said to be one of the most spectacular ports to arrive to and leave from and I can certainly endorse that.
The journey from Venice to Corfu by ferry was 28 hours (taking into account the 1 hour time difference between Italy and Greece) but the time passed quite quickly. There was a comfortable lounge bar with attentive waiters, two restaurants, one self-service and the other A la Carte as well as shops and a casino. There was also a pool on the sun deck however this was not in use due to the weather.
We spent our time reading and having cups of tea and coffee and also had three very good meals (1 breakfast and 2 dinners) in the a la carte restaurant where the menu was varied and the quality of food excellent.

Sleeping wasn't a problem in spite of the thunderstorm that followed us down the Italian coast - the boat just rocked gently and soothed us to sleep!
At 8.30pm on Sunday evening we reached Igoumenitsa and by 10.30 we were back in Corfu where, guess what ... it started to rain!!!
As an alternative and economical way of getting to Corfu from the UK, EasyJet to Venice and then the ferry to Corfu makes for a relaxing journey and adds some adventure to it too. If you don't want to have a cabin then you can book an 'airline' seat or as a deck passenger but I'm afraid I'm a girl who likes her home comforts so camping on the deck was not for me!

October Caption Required

We are currently working hard to get all our new properties for 2009 on line and the first one to do so is Villa Magda, Corfu.

A chic and sophisticated villa for couples looking for the very highest standard of accommodation with private pool and outstanding panoramic sea views.

In the current economic climate we are aware that belts are having to be tightened and that a holiday is even more precious than ever so, with that in mind, we have extended our offer of complimentary Group A car hire for early booking of a villa with private pool.

To further help you to take advantage of a favourable exchange rate, following your deposit payment we are happy to take interim or full balance payments before the due date.

With the plan to update the content and photos for our 'Corfu Travel Guide' website, Nathan and Sebastian, started out on a sunny September morning, to find Corfu's most famous beaches and undiscovered locations. The next 3 days were spent driving around (OK, they ditched the bikes and opted for Nathan's car) and with camera, notepads and an Aqualand Corfu map, they were off......

Having lived on Corfu for nearly 15 years, you could rightly presume that I have visited everywhere. Indeed, this is what I thought, until I started a 'round the island tour' in just 3 days.

On our journey we were amazed to find locations that we had not visited before, but were a delightful surprise. Here are some of the highlights:

Driving along the South East, the coastal road is a delight. Small hamlets, unsuspecting locals on donkeys and startled fishermen line the roadside.

Boukari is a little village on the East coast near to Lefkimmi. The village is a traditional fishermen's settlement and is very quiet. There is a little harbour with fishing boats and on the beach front is an excellent fish taverna. Boukari

There are some excellent fish tavernas in Petriti. Of course all the dishes are freshly caught. Enjoy your lunch or dinner while watching the sailing boats go by (some yachts stop on route to Paxos or Lefkada)
There are also some excellent small bars in Petriti. Just enjoy the great view over the harbour while having a nice cold cocktail. Petriti

Although I have visited before, Perithia is always a delight: Perithia
Once you have found your way up to Old Perithia you shouldn't miss out on the nearby Loutses Cave.

Halikounas Beach is a hidden treasure. Away from the main tourist beaches Halikounas Beach exposes it's beauty. The wide sandy beach stretches along Lake Korission dividing the lake and the open sea. Just before the beach is an excellent taverna called "The Farm". Naturally, we had to taste their menu for you!
Halikounas Beach

I thought all the best sandy beaches were on the West coast, I was wrong! The perfect sandy beach of Messonghi is South facing and a delight. The best parts are at the edges of the resort where it is quieter: Messonghi Corfu

Just outside of Sidari is a beautiful little sandy bay. The water is very shallow and you can easily walk to the two small islands. Imagine sunbathing on your own island!