DESTINATIONS — GREECE AND CYPRUS

15 March 2012 — travelweekly.co.uk • 47

Isle of plenty

Corfu is the island that has everything, so where do you start? Katie McGonagle finds out

Brits have long had a love affair with Corfu, and it’s

easy to see why. It’s the closest Greek island to the UK, but also the most diverse, boasting golden-sand beaches, lush greenery, mountain landscapes and a bit of history and culture thrown in for good measure.

Photis Lambrianides, Olympic Holidays commercial director, says: “It’s one of the most scenic of the Greek islands. You’ll find an abundance of greenery wherever you go, coupled with a lovely coastline and crystal-clear waters.

“The people of Corfu have been welcoming the British for decades and have a special relationship with us. And their love of children helps to make the island truly family-friendly.”

Here is a run-down of what to see, where to stay and how to sell it.

l SEE

No matter where clients stay, Corfu town is within easy reach. They can get lost in the Old Town’s labyrinth of narrow

cobbled streets, step back in time at the old and new forts, or get a real taste of the culture with a culinary walking tour.

For those keen to get out of the city, suggest driving north through Ipsos and Kassiopi for unmissable views of the Albanian coastline. Once there, Kassiopi is one of the best diving centres on the island. Alternatively, head south for a boat trip to Pontikonisi, aka Mouse Island, and stunning views of Kanoni bay.

Lambrianides also recommends a trip to nearby Achilleion, the summer palace of Empress Elizabeth of Austria at Gastouri, which is filled with statues of Greek mythology. “The palace served as a casino in the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only and has since been a museum. Parts are open to the public and it makes a great day out,” he says.

For the best scenery on the island, venture west to picturesque Paleokastritsa.

The 13th-century Theotokos monastery is perched high on a clifftop and affords the best views of the bay, plus a fascinating glimpse of its religious history and even a silver bible inlaid with jewels.

Glass-bottomed boat tours from the nearby harbour of Alipa are the best way to see the crystal-clear waters of the Ionian Sea, and visitors can finish off the day with a taste of the famous Corfiot liquor at a nearby kumquat distillery.

Although the island has some amazing sights, it’s also within reach of other popular attractions. Planet Holidays offers agents 10% commission on trips to the small islands of Paxos and Anti Paxos, packed with endless olive groves, vineyards and isolated bays, perfect for getting away from it all.

For history buffs, suggest hopping across the water to see the rich heritage of Albania. It’s only a stone’s throw from Corfu, and has Greek, Roman and Ottoman influences as well as a fascinating recent history.

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The palace at Gastouri was

the setting for the casino

in For Your Eyes Only

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l STAY

There are resorts to suit every client, whether they want buzzing bars, knockout views or a chance to soak up some sun.

The north of the island is home to the most established family destinations. Sidari’s long sandy beaches offer water sports for every age and a host of child-friendly restaurants. Cosmos product manager Erica Collins recently took three generations of her family to Sidari and says it was the perfect choice with activities to suit everyone.

For a quieter family feel, try

easy access to the capital make it popular too, particularly among older visitors.

On the western edge, Paleokastritsa – the island’s best beauty spot – can get crowded with day-trippers, but those who stay at one of the romantic hideaways along this part of the coast will have time to seek out quieter beaches.

Sunvil managing director, Noel Josephides, also recommends the quiet village of Maltas, which has one of the longest beaches on the island. He says: “Hidden away on the southwest coast, it really is a

“Glyfada beach is one of my favourites. It’s the best on the island with a long stretch of

sand, a really cool beach bar and a stunning backdrop of green hills. I also love going to La Cuccina, a restaurant in Corfu town. It’s a real find, hidden in a cobbled street.”

Nikki Birrell, area manager of Corfu, Thomson and First Choice

“Corfu town is an eclectic mix of architectural styles and influences,

including French, Greek and Venetian. The best – and the shadiest – place to people-watch is from the cafe at the Liston, a colonnaded French building on the Spianada.”

Mathilde Robert, managing director, Planet Holidays

“Boukari is a hidden gem in the southeast of the island that has many tavernas

on the water’s edge. They have the best fish and seafood on the island (and the biggest prawns and mussels you’ve ever seen) at a fraction of the price of the northeast. Few tourists venture this far south, but the area really shouldn’t be missed.”

Julia Manetas, island manager for GIC – The Villa Collection

Airtours offers seven nights’ half-board at three-star Hotel

Mimosa, Sidari, including flights in May, from £312.

thomascookworld.com 0871 230 2399

Attraction World has a full-day guided tour of Corfu including

the Old Town, Kanoni, Achilleon Palace, the Bella Vista viewing

point overlooking Paleokastritsa and a drive through traditional hill villages. Adults £50, children £25.

attractionworld.com 0871 700 8888

Islands of Greece offers seven nights at Hotel Akrotiri,

Paleokastritsa, including flights and transfers from £429. islands-of-greece.co.uk

0845 6752600

Thomson Excursions’ full-day Albanian Adventure visits

Saranda, the amphitheatre and temple in Butrint, then has

a woodland walk to a hill fort. Adults £53.50, children £30.99, not including the €10 port tax.

thomsonexcursions.co.uk0871 231 4289

Sunvil offers seven nights’ self-catering at the Kalami Bay

Apartments, including flights and transfers in June from £536.

sunvil.co.uk/agents020 8758 4758

taste of old rural Corfu and is still a farming community. It gets busy on Sundays and on Greek holidays with locals, but other than that remains a peaceful backwater.”

On the other hand, clients who want to party until dawn and work on their tan during the day can try Kavos, which turns into a hive of activity after nightfall. Clubs and bars fly in DJs from around the world and there’s music to suit every reveller.

l SELL

Corfu is the second-largest Greek island and lies further north than

ASK THE EXPERTS

nearby Roda, or head eastwards to Nissaki Bay and Kalami, where the 1930s home of British authors Lawrence and Gerald Durrell is a popular sight. It’s worth warning clients that Kalami and Nissaki have shingle beaches with just a bit of sand at the waterline to avoid any disappointed youngsters crying into their buckets and beating the floor with their spades.

The east and west coasts are a haven for couples, with upmarket resorts such as the five-star Kontokali Bay Resort & Spa offering affordable luxury. Kanoni’s stunning scenery and

▲

Hotel akrotiri has

fantastic views over

paleokastritsa bay

The cobbled streets

of Corfu town

Kontokali resort is perfect for couples

Clients can visit the old

and new forts in Corfu

Symi has been

added to Cosmos’s

Greece programme

FAST FACT Cosmos has added

11 new destinations to

its Greece programme,

including paxos, Ithaca, Leros, Symi,

Kalymnos and alonissos

FAST FACT marbella Beach Hotel

in agios Ioannis peristeron, Corfu, is

being renovated. phase one is due to

finish in may

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15 March 2012 — travelweekly.co.uk • 5150 • travelweekly.co.uk — 15 March 2012

Book a break at an Aldemar Hotel before March 31 with Classic Collection and your clients could benefit from an early booking offer. Couples will love the flagship five-star Aldemar Royal Mare in Crete, which has a tennis academy, golf facilities and award-winning cuisine. Classic offers seven nights’ half-board from £695 including flights and transfers departing May 8, saving £154 per couple.

Cultural cruise specialist Peter Sommer Travels has a new island-hopping adventure around the Aegean Sea. Cruising to the Cyclades visits more than a dozen islands in two weeks aboard the Aegean Clipper. Departs May 19, from £3,675 full-board, including transfers and entrance fees.

Olympic Holidays has added the five-star Rodos Palladium Hotel in Kalithea; Atrium Prestige Thalasso Spa Resort & Villas in Lachania (pictured); and the Grecian Park Hotel in Protaras, Cyprus, to its new 2012 Gold & Platinum Collection brochure.

New to the Sunvil Holidays’ 2012 Greece programme is the emerald isle of Thassos, featuring the four-star Ilio Mare Hotel located on a Blue Flag beach, and the peaceful Geni peninsula on Lefkas. Sea kayaking safaris

around the rugged island of Alonissos – located in the largest marine-protected area in Europe – are also on offer for the first time. Nearly 40 new properties have been added for 2012, with more choice on the islands of Alonissos, Ithaca and Tilos, and in Sivota, Pelion and Kardamili on the mainland.

Greek villa specialist GIC The Villa Collection is offering options on the mainland for the first time this year. Sivota is located in Epirus on Greece’s unspoilt northwest coast, facing the Ionian islands, and there are four properties here. For clients seeking the extra wow factor, the operator has introduced premier properties, which offer an extra level of style and comfort,

and there’s a new concierge service that can arrange a VIP escort through UK airports, access to airport lounges, private speedboat transfers, a personal chef and even a small motorboat for the duration of their stay.

Sani Resort, an eco-friendly reserve in Halkidiki’s Kassandra peninsula, has expanded its appeal to ‘green’ tourists with new wetlands tours by bird experts and complimentary visits to the organic farms that supply the resort.

WHaT’S nEW In GrEECE?most, meaning it escapes the other islands’ scorching summer temperatures and instead has a lush, green landscape.

It also has the shortest flight compared with other Greek islands – three to four hours – with departures from more than a dozen regional airports. Cosmos has introduced weekly charter flights from Newcastle and East Midlands airports this summer, plus a scheduled service from Luton.

There’s also no shortage of supply – the tourist board estimates there are 140,000 beds in hotels and apartments across the island.

If the prospect of rugged mountains and stunning scenery don’t tempt clients, suggest they try one of the many activities on offer. Hiking, horse-riding, cricket, golf, diving, windsurfing and other watersports are all popular on the island, with options available at most resorts. TW

planet Holidays offers

commissionable trips to paxos

The Liston in Spianada is a

great place to people watch

paleokastritsa is a favourite beauty spot