Beginning our Greek Odyssey
Greece is one of those places that was on our large bucket list. We planned to research a week in Puglia for 2025 and spend the remaining 3 weeks getting to know Greece. We have tried to avoid the popular tourist islands with their eclectic nightlives and as we felt our age would let us down.
In preference, we chose our first 5 days in Corfu in a place called Agios Stefanos (silent ‘g’). It is on the North Western coast, which was once dotted with fishing Villages. Now, it is a thriving holiday destination for families and many people like us. The roads were deplorable and extremely windy, but eventually, we found ourselves at our accommodation called ‘Picture Suites’. It was perched above the beach. We were greeted with drinks and provided an impressive basket of fruit. A large pool faced us, surrounded with sun loungers, a bar and outside breakfast tables. Our spacious room had a stunning view of the beach and cool air was welcoming We arrived in Corfu at 6 am as the sun was coming up, from our calm overnight sailing from Brindisi , getting our rental car, finding breakfast in the old town and having time to walk the narrow streets before the tourists woke up.
We thrived on the routine of breakfast, a swim in the pool, time at the beach on a sun lounger including many swims in the beautiful warm Ionian Sea, given the temperatures were between 35-40 deg. Each day we had an excursion to a small resort along the coastline like Kassiopi, Peroulades and Agios Georgios – back for sleep, a pre-dinner drink and then a quiet walk along the beach to one of the many restaurants overlooking the water and each night watching the huge brilliant orange sun go down. I loved the colourful flowers everywhere, especially the orange climber campsis which clambered over everything.
We could now do a survey of the best Taramasalata, Eggplant dip and Tsatiki. Grilled Octopus was our favourite, along with fresh anchovies.
I can’t remember a time like this since I camped in Nelson for 3 weeks with my family when I was a young teenager – walked to the beach, lunch, swam, read, and slept, the only thing different is we are happy in a restaurant eating the local food and drinking the wine, instead of walking golf courses with my parents each night as they played.
Philip and I have read 3 books each from the selection left behind by other visitors and after 5 days we can’t recommend this enforced relaxation enough. The team at Picture Suites were always happy, and friendly and there was never a time when, whether beside the pool or at the beach, the minute you sat in your deckchair, a chilled bottle of water didn’t appear.
Wherever we go, hospitality has been hard hit and most are still struggling with numbers, as in NZ. The major tourist sites are busy. But, there are plenty of options where you can experience real culture and lifestyle. It just takes some time and research.
It was sad to leave early at 7 am from Picture Suites. One thing about Greece, is they are not early risers – however, they are late diners and late to bed. We have loved island culture, especially the architecture of the coastal houses, the masses of wild colourful flowers and the hillsides covered in very old Olive
From here to mainland Greece, the ferry goes on the hour, from Corfu to Agouminitsa. We managed an earlier sailing – but it involved a 1 km walk along the docks pushing suitcases. Lordy, we were both a dripping pair by the end of that route march. But we managed yet another perfectly calm sailing (only 1 ½ hours) and best of all the rental car office was over the road from the dock.
Our friends from London - Susan and Tom sail in and around Greece frequently and they suggested a two-night stop in a place called Nafpaktos which sits just past the huge Rio Bridge at the beginning of the Gulf of Corinth. They tried once to get into the small harbour between the bastions of the impressive castle with no luck. Our absolutely beautiful room at VIP Lepanto Suites looked straight out on the little harbour and street below. It was very cute here, typically the streets are deserted until 6 pm, then everyone starts coming out and they were packed until after 12.00 - however, the bar below definitely had happy customers until after 4 pm!!
We were amazed at the incredibly beautiful road travelling to Nafpaktos. It was lined with oleanders for hundreds of KM - anything heading to Athens seems to be like this !!! The view out the car window changed but there were always more olive trees than you can imagine, also through a valley - patches of maize, and fields of cut hay dotted with neat bales, lines of solar panels and even a few cows. Huge windmills lined the skyline and on rugged rocky outcrops, there were wild figs, olives, rosemary and Figs of India. We did divert to Lefpaktos for lunch -it’s the main town on the island of Lefpaktos and drivable.
There were modest road tolls but nothing like the 14.70 E each way to cross the Rio Bridge and our decision to visit the towns of Aigio and Patras the next day proved rather expensive. Why Aigio? - well I had read that it had been famous for growing and exporting raisins along with olive oil and there were many beautiful old warehouses. They were sadly in a bad state of repair and I suspect further damaged by the earthquake here in 1995. But, it was obvious by the sheer number of them, that Aigio had had another life. Today the town was dead - wrong time of the day as we also found in Patras, so after a quick drive through we paid another 14.70E, to go back over the Rio bridge only to find our planned visit to the castle above Nafpaktos was closed because of the heat and fire risk. It was one of those days that sometimes happen when nothing goes to plan. So a couple of beers overlooking our little port helped ease the frustration. We loved our short stay here and it worked out perfectly to end our day before we headed back over the Rio Bridge for another 14.70 E and headed down the East Coast to a little place south of Kalamata called Kardamyli.
