In the second instalment of our
four-part series on Greek Islands, produced in association with Lonely Planet,
Des Hannigan explores this cluster of western isle
Greece's Ionian Islands were where "the
blue really begins" as far as writer Lawrence Durrell was concerned.
Durrell had the mots justes, as always. Like legions of travellers and tourists
before and after, he revelled in the intensities of light and colour that Corfu
and its sister islands reflect from the mirrors of sea and sky.
The main islands of the Ionian
chain, Corfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Ithaki (Ithaca) and Zakynthos (Zante) tumble
down the west coast of mainland Greece like stepping stones to the larger Greek
world. History has left the Ionian isles with a fascinating cultural legacy,
the result of Corinthian, Byzantine, Venetian, French and British influences
that extend from architecture to cuisine. Corfu Town – or Kerkyra, to give this
handsome hub its proper Greek name – boasts the stateliest of Neoclassical
buildings, legacy of the 19th-century British Protectorate of the Ionian
islands.
During two short spells of Napoleonic occupation, the
French left their mark, too. This influence is best seen in Kerkyra's arcaded
Liston, a tribute to Paris's Rue de Rivoli and a sun-drenched venue for coffee
and people-watching. It runs alongside the town's huge grassy open space, the
Spianada. Before all this, the Venetians bequeathed all of the Ionian islands a
distinctive landscape of Italianate buildings, silver-leafed olive trees and
luscious vines.
Corfu, with its dozens of beach resorts and its lively
bar and club culture, remains the major attraction for visitors. Yet, beyond
the conspicuous tourism of the island's coastal strips lies a hinterland of
soaring mountains and lush woodlands where a network of paths and trails will
delight those seeking peace and quiet. About 20km south of Corfu is the
beautiful little island of Paxi (Paxos), a relaxing day-trip break from the
larger island.
A further 50km south of Paxi lies the more cohesive
Ionian group of Lefkada, Ithaki, Kefalonia and Zakynthos. Lefkada's main town,
Lefkas, is a cheery mix of tourism and daily Greek life while the rest of the
island offers pine forests and a rocky coastline with a chain of superb beaches
gracing the western coast.
South again is Kefalonia, with the smaller outlier of
Ithaki hugging its north-east coastline. Kefalonia is the largest of the
Ionians, an island of rugged mountains, towering coastal cliffs and golden
beaches. Throw in Byzantine monasteries, subterranean lakes and fascinating
wineries that produce the subtle, yet lively, Robola vintages and not even
Captain Corelli's Kefalonian mandolin need distract you.
Neighbouring Ithaki, a coxcomb of rocky wooded hills,
rises from a lake-like sea. Ithaki was the mythical home of Odysseus, and today
it retains a reclusive charm, untouched by the sometimes frenetic beach culture
of larger neighbours such as Zakynthos, the southernmost of the Ionian chain
and known popularly by its Italian name, Zante. The bars, cafés and clubs of
Zante's eastern and southern beach resorts are balanced by an interior of great
serenity that merits the Venetians' description of it as the "Flower of
the Orient".
The island of Kythira, suggested birthplace of the
mythical Aphrodite, lies 12km off the southernmost peninsulas of the
Peloponnese. Kythira may seem a long way from the rest of the Ionian islands
but it lies within the Ionian jurisdiction and is a magical escape for those
seeking a more Greek-oriented island. Many Greeks visit Kythira in high summer
but in late spring and autumn it is a haven of uncrowded beaches, great walks
and laid-back village life. There are daily flights with Olympic Air (00 30 801
801 0101; olympicair.com) from Athens to Kythira from
April to October (not Thursdays for the rest of the year).
Such contrasts make up the enduring appeal of the
Ionian islands. Above all, in the vibrant street life of island towns the
spirit of an older Greece, the spirit of filoxenia, of unforced hospitality,
endures.
For an active and unique way of exploring the Ionian
islands, World Expeditions (020-8545 9030; worldexpeditions.co.uk) offers an eight-day
"Ionian Islands Bike and Sail" programme visiting Corfu, Lefkada,
Kefalonia, Ithaki and Paxi by sailing boat and bike. The price of £1,250 per
person covers everything except flights, with departures on 28 September, 5
October and 12 October. Other tour operators offering hotel-or villa-and-flight
packages include Ionian & Aegean Island Holidays (020-8459 0777; ionianislandholidays.com), Ionian Villas (01935 477196; ionian-villas.co.uk), Think Ionian Islands (020-7377
8518;thinkionianislands.com) and Olympic Holidays (020-8492
6868;olympicholidays.com). A long-standing Corfu-based
travel provider is All Ways Travel (00 30 26610 33955; corfuallwaystravel.com), which can arrange
accommodation and local tours.
Where to stay
On Corfu, the Marbella Beach Hotel (00 30 26610
711837; marbella.gr; doubles from €136, half board) has recently undergone a renovation. In
Corfu Town, Bella Venezia (00 30 26610 46500; bellaveneziahotel.com) has attractive doubles from
€100.
In Lefkada Town, the recently opened Boschetto Hotel
(00 30 26450 24967; boschettohotel.com) has designer rooms which start
at €90, including breakfast.
In Ithaki, the Hotel Perantzada (00 30 26740 33496;arthotel.gr/perantzada) has doubles from €115, B&B.
On Kefalonia, Vivian Villa in Argostoli (00 30 26710
23396; kefalonia-vivianvilla.gr) offers bright, well-kept double
rooms from €60, some with kitchens, in a quiet residential street.
In Zakynthos, the Peligoni Club (020-8740 3001; peligoni.com) has charming villas and
boutique rooms from £280.
Classical heart
Corfu Town's showpiece Neoclassical building, the
Palace of St Michael & St George was once the residence of successive
British High Commissioners (00 30 26610 30443; closed Mondays; admission €4).
The building overlooks the Spianada and the palace's lavish 19th-century
interior incorporates the fascinating Museum of Asian Art.
Zakynthos Town's Byzantine Museum (00 30 26950 42714; entry €3) in Plateia Solomou, offers visitors a thrilling feast of ecclesiastical art, while Kefalonia's Focas-Kosmetatos Foundation museum (00 30 26710 26595; closed Sunday; €3) in Argostoli's Valianou Street, paints a vivid picture of the island's cultural and political history.
Beach reads
The Ionian archipelago has inspired literary greats to
write island-specific books, such as Lawrence Durrell's lyrical Corfu memoir
Prospero's Cell. Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals describes his
childhood on the island. Emma Tennant's A House in Corfu is an elegant,
engaging take on expatriate life during the slower, more relaxed 1960s.
Kefalonia is, inescapably, Louis de Bernière's. But
besides exploring the settings for Captain Corelli's Mandolin (above), hunt
through bookshops such as Corfu Town's Plou Bookshop (00 30 26610 32200; 2
Parados/ 14 N Theotoki) for local history and wildlife books to enrich your
stay.
Food of the gods
The Italian-influenced cuisine of the Ionian group has
given the islands a unique genre of cooking. Corfu Town especially is noted for
such fine eateries as La Cucina (00 30 26610 45029; mains from €10) and its
nearby annexe, where authentic hand-rolled pasta dishes and creative mezes are
complemented by dazzling wines.
Modern Greek cuisine is strongly featured in such
places as Fiskardo, on Kefalonia. Celebrity chef and food writer, Tassia
Dendrinou, has a restaurant here, pictured, which offers such delights as
seafood pasta in a sauce with a dash of cognac (00 30 26740 41205; tassia.gr; mains from €7).
Kefalonia's main town of Argostoli has a number of
excellent restaurants including Arhontiko (00 30 26710 27213; mains from €7).
Here, traditional dishes are presented with modern flair and include starters
of spinach soufflé and hefty mains such as Kefalonian meat pie.
Offshore action
All the islands offer superb watersports. Lefkada's
Vassiliki Bay is custom-made for windsurfing and sailing. Its mountains create
gentle morning breezes for beginners, but by afternoon the thermals blow down
to create serious crosswinds for pros.
Club Vassiliki Windsurfing (pictured; 0844 463 0191; clubvass.com) has sessions from €25. The tour
operator Wildwind (0844 499 2898;wildwind.co.uk) has all-inclusive one- and
two-week action holidays that start at £645 with flights from Gatwick. Its
associate outfit, Healthy Options (0844 499 2909; healthy-options.co.uk) offers yoga holidays in
Vassiliki from £695, cycling tours and guided walks. The Nautilus Diving Club
(00 30 69361 81775; underwater.gr) has snorkelling and diving from €45.
Off the water, keen walkers should try Ithaki's Island
Walks (00 30 69449 90458; islandwalks.com) from €15, while Kefalonia
Elements (00 30 69 7998 7611; www.kefalonia-elements.com) runs kayaking and 4x4 safaris
from €50.
Travel Essentials
Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos are the only islands
with airports. The main scheduled airlines from the UK are easyJet (0843 104
5000;easyjet.com), with flights from Gatwick,
Luton, Manchester and Bristol to Corfu and from Gatwick to Kefalonia and
Zakynthos; and Jet2 (0871 226 1737; jet2.com), serving Corfu from Manchester,
Newcastle, East Midlands and Leeds/Bradford, and flying to Zakynthos from
Manchester and Leeds Bradford.
Thomson (0871 231 4691; thomson.co.uk), Thomas Cook (0871 230 2406; thomascook
.com)
and Monarch (0871 940 5040;flymonarch.com) also serve the three island
airports – and the nearest airport to Lefkada, which is Preveza (linked to the
island by road).
Olympic Air (00 30 801 801 0101; olympicair.com) and Aegean Air (0871 200 0040; en.aegeanair.com) have year-round daily flights
from Athens to Corfu and Zakynthos, but these tend to be much more expensive
and slower.
KTEL (00 30 210 810 8221; ktel.org) long-distance buses run between Athens and
Corfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia and Zakynthos.
Local ferries run regular daily connections between
Corfu and Paxi, and between Lefkada, Kefallonia, Ithaki and Zakynthos and
mainland ports such as Patra. Times vary; it's best to check with local offices
first. A useful general website for ferry information in the Ionian Islands is
Greek Travel Pages (gtp.gr).
Des Hannigan is a Lonely Planet
author. Lonely Planet's Greece guide is available from lonelyplanet.com, priced £16.99
independent.co.uk
