COr-pheW! - Sebastian`s Taverna

OK!
travel
Main and below left: It’s no wonder
Corfu is one of the most popular
Greek islands with us Brits – clear
blue sea, sandy beaches and a
smattering of celebs await!
cor-phew!
OK! samples the sun-kissed, hedonist
celeb-packed island of corfu…
C
orfu is one of the most popular Greek
islands for British holidaymakers. The
picture-perfect island – just off the west
coast of mainland Greece – is far greener
than many of its neighbours. In the beautiful
north-eastern corner you’ll find upmarket
resorts such as Kassiopi awash with plush
rental villas, while the mountainous interior
is dotted with traditional stone villages and
ancient olive groves, and the west and east
coasts offer beautiful beach resorts. Party
lovers aren’t neglected either, with
Kavos on the southern tip renowned
for its foam, hen and stag parties.
Another plus, Corfu boasts year-round
sun (temperatures in October still hit
70˚F) and the island is just a threehour flight from the UK.
Which stars will I see?
The north-east coast is famous for its
highbrow holidaymakers, including the
Duchess of Cornwall, Joanna Lumley,
David Cameron and Janet Jackson. This
summer, Edward Scissorhands director
Tim Burton and his actress wife Helena
Bonham Carter rented a lavish villa in Kassiopi,
newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky celebrated her
40th birthday on the island and Kate Moss
popped in while cruising around the Med on
a yacht. Of the films shot on the island, the
James Bond blockbuster For Your Eyes Only,
with the casino scene filmed at Achillion
Palace, is one of the most notable.
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Where can I stay?
As we were coming in to land, OK! could see the
Marbella Beach Resort – a low-rise luxury hotel
set into a wooded hillside with sea view terraces,
pools and a private beach – from the plane
window. Just half an hour south of Corfu Town
on the island’s east coast, the 265-room resort
has recently completed the first phase of a
far-reaching refurbishment programme.
OK! was one of its first guests to see the
impressive results, which include new
deluxe family rooms and suites.
On arrival at our swish contemporary
room, we were greeted by the lovely
aroma coming from the bouquet of
lilies and white roses on our dressing
table. We then made our way to the
enormous balcony and soaked up the
views of the twinkling Ionian Sea.
Below: Book a
room with a view
at the Marbella
Beach Resort. Left:
Kate Moss
And, of course, we couldn’t wait to have a dip in our
al fresco hot tub on the balcony. Bypassing the three
pools, we made our way to the hotel’s private beach
for some serious sunbathing. For the more active
there’s plenty of water sports on offer, from jet skiing
to banana boats and parasailing.
The beach is also the venue in the evening for
nightly live entertainment. A highlight for OK! was
watching bellydancer Alexandra in action. It’s also
definitely worth having a massage at the hotel spa
as the therapists have been trained in Thailand, so
they really know what they’re doing.
What can I do?
Whether you’re a culture vulture, beach lover or
on a family holiday, Corfu has plenty to offer. You
can enjoy an adrenaline-packed day riding the
steep water slides at Aqualand, learn to horse ride
at Trailriders (www.trailriderscorfu.com) or visit
Prince Philip’s birthplace Mon Repos Palace, the
Greek royal family’s former summer residence.
There are lots of watery excursions too. OK!
took a boat trip to Mouse Island to admire the
beautiful Byzantine church – which you’ll see
pictured on all the postcards in town – or you can
venture to Erikoussa Island to swim with dolphins.
One of the best ways to see the island is by
private car with your own tour guide. Following
in the footsteps of Jeremy Clarkson, we booked
a day out with Corfu Private Tours (www.
corfuprivatetours.gr). You’re the boss on these VIP
tours and OK!’s first stop was Bella Vista, the island’s
highest point offering breathtaking mountain and
sea views. Afterwards we had a nice lunch at the
clifftop family run Castillos restaurant. Next stop
was the Paleokastritsa marina, where we took a
boat ride around the famous Blue Caves.
As Corfu is just 2km (or a 40-minute ferry ride)
from Albania, we thought it would be rude not to
visit. Our excursion, booked through Castaway
Travel (www.corfucastaway.com), took in the
ancient city of Butrint, where you’ll find Roman
temples with exquisite mosaic floors, gymnasiums
and baths. Lunch is included as well as shopping
time in Ag Saranda City, where you’ll find prices
here are much cheaper than back home.
Where can I shop?
Corfu Town, with its enchanting Venetian
churches, piazzas and impressive fortress complete
with battlements and dungeons, offers everything
from high-end designers to market stalls. You
can find everything from handmade jewellery to
traditional souvenirs such as limoncello, kumquat
liquors and olive oil-based soaps and body
creams at the daily tourist market, next to the
city landmark Agios Spyridon Church. Behind the
stalls, there’s a jumble of shops selling shoes, bags
and clothes, while designer boutiques such as Be
Star, selling Prada and Burberry handbags, can be
found along the Filarmonikis. OK! splashed out
on a gorgeous pink and black polka dot Dolce &
Gabbana dress and then went to recover over an
ice-cool Corfiot beer overlooking the harbour.
Where can I eat?
Where can I party?
OK! enjoyed a leisurely lunch at Sebastian’s (www.
sebastians-taverna.gr), one of the oldest family
owned tavernas in the seaside resort of Agios
Gordios on the west coast. After our Greek salad,
we tucked into pastitsada – a traditional beef stew
cooked in a rich tomato sauce. Sebastian’s has a
friendly atmosphere and, on Tuesday evenings, they
offer traditional Greek music.
Corfu Town is home to plenty of restaurants.
OK! chose Sapori & Vini (www.saporievini.gr),
a stylish affair serving gourmet food. We opted
to eat al fresco in the courtyard where the tables
are lit by candles while soft mellow music plays
gently in the background. We ordered homemade
focaccia topped with grilled swordfish followed
by penne pasta with sliced beef fillet and a porcini
mushroom sauce, leaving a little room for biscuit
sablé with marinated cherries and vanilla ice
cream for dessert! We can honestly say it’s the best
meal we’ve eaten all year. When we chatted to the
chef we discovered that he’d helped Jamie Oliver
train some of his pupils recently, so it’s no surprise
the food was so good!
Kavos is the island’s famous non-stop party centre,
where cheap booze and foam parties reign supreme.
The action takes place along a beach-side strip
packed with bars and clubs playing everything from
the cheesiest pop to funky house and R&B. Radio 1
DJs Reggie Yates and Kissy Sell Out regularly make
appearances on the strip. Futures is a popular party
hotspot with visiting DJs such as Judge Jules and
Goldie. Bars and clubs don’t tend to charge entry
and most also have a happy hour. Clubbers with
stamina then head to Atlantis, a chill-out beach bar
where you can watch the sun rise.
Below: Enjoy dinner
at Sebastian’s. Right:
Soak up the sights in
Corfu Town
How do I get there?
Nightly rates at the Marbella
Beach Hotel (www.marbella.gr)
start from £60 per person, per
night (mid season), staying in a
deluxe double with sea view on
a half-board basis.
EasyJet flies (www.easyjet.
com) to Corfu from London
Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol
and Manchester. Prices start from £33.49pp oneway, including taxes, and is based on two people
travelling on the same booking.
OK!
Visit the Greek Tourist Board at www.visitgreece.gr or
www.corfu.gr for island information.
report by Nicola Agius Edited by annabel mackie, OK!
travel editor photographs by alamy, infphoto.com
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