Hear the call of Corfu
PAUL HENDERSON REVISITS OLD HAUNTS AND RELIVES GOLDEN MEMORIES DURING A BREAK ON THE GORGEOUS GREEK ISLAND
ON BALMY evenings in Glyfada Bay, memories of the Greek Islands drift into the magnificent panorama.
We recall blissfully backpacking many moons ago on £12 a day, playing water cricket with a bunch of fun-seeking Aussies in Paros, making enduring friendships with restaurateurs Mike and Sonia Venios on the pristine sands of Ios and old men popping fish in their mouths, then pulling out the tails with all bones intact on Santorini.
On one of these Glyfada nights, we are eating fish (with knives and forks, I might add) on the beach terrace of Topos at the Domes of Corfu creating yet another joyful moment. The sun is setting behind one of the many high cliffs guarding Glyfada Bay.
The golden globe is setting the sky ablaze first in red, then in hues of pink and blue. The water is also filtered with a pink luminescent.
One wonders if the Greek god of the sky Zeus is conjuring up this breathtaking scene. Life couldn’t be better.
My wife Katherine and I are savouring delicious grilled and fried calamari to start and grilled sea bass and croaker fish for mains.
We laugh at the cost of Retsina. It’s €52 a bottle on the wine list of this luxury resort; a far cry from the last time we drank it. On our backpacking budget, deeply aromatic Retsina was always the cheapest and strongest at two and sixpence in old money. That’s 12p today.
Hard to believe I know. And we paid in drachma. Clearly, this Retsina is a refined vintage.
Domes has chosen incredible raw materials. The long sandy beach runs up to a dramatically rugged coastline on Corfu’s western side opposite Italy.
It’s a perfect place for those who love to sunbathe to the sound of rolling waves and cool down in the crystal waters plus there’s a privately run water sports place for boating, water-skiing and many other activities.
Swimming southeast to the end of the bay where boulders have fallen from cypress and olivecovered higher ground I’m searching for underwater wildlife. I’m not wearing a snorkel, just goggles, while carefully navigating jagged rocks above and under the water line. It is the way to avoid nasty scrapes.
Shoals of tiny, colourful fish deliver a wonderful underwater safari. Dappled sun highlights an underwater jigsaw of shifting sand.
My journey lasts more than an hour. It might sound SELFISH (sorry, reader, I couldn’t resist the pun) but it’s great not to share this with a boat full of snorkeling tourists. In unspoiled Corfu this can happen. Marvellous.
This place in paradise is made for families. The beach gradually creeps under the Mediterranean forming shallow sandbanks. Parents stand in warm water up to their thighs watching their children splash around.
The next day, in another swim towards the same rocks, a shoal of 30 or more silver fish are as curious of me as I am of them. They tail me for a few minutes, swimming under my shadow and circling around me. Delightful.
At the Domes family pool overlooking the beach, lifeguard Cristos watches over the guests. He is also a natural communicator, telling us about his beautiful island and local restaurants and places to visit.
Just a short taxi ride is the charming, taverna-laden mountain village of Pelekas where Kaiser’s Throne is at the highest point.
It’s a bit of a climb up the crumbly stone steps but worth every stride. The spectacular 360-degree views of the island’s countryside and sunsets are amazing.
The throne gets its name from Wilhelm II, the German Kaiser who used it as an observatory during his summer holidays on Corfu.
Half an hour away is Corfu Old Town where we eat at white linendraped tables under arches on the Liston terrace where nobility paraded before the tourists invaded. The beautiful terrace was built by French occupiers and is opposite the cricket field – a nod to British rule after the Napoleonic Wars. The Brits were apparently welcome to a point as it saved the island from the more brutal Ottoman rule.
Our restaurant Aegli is said to be the oldest and we take our time in the most welcoming shade to eat mouth-watering fish stew, salad and bread straight out of the oven.
Greek bruschetta, tarama from carp fish and grilled manouri cheese salad with walnuts and figs completed the midday feast. The local chilled rosé wine was a perfect choice by our waiter.
In the resort we meet chef Savvas in the Italian restaurant Fiouro.
He explains how the menu is a fusion of Italian and Corfiot cuisine. It’s a delicious blend left to the islanders by their Venetian occupiers.
Savvas was inspired to cook by his grandmother and serves a tagliatelle with noumbolo salami and a dried fig paste. Wonderful.
Fiouro’s wine cellar is impressive with local and international wines. And I strongly recommend starting the day by getting an early table on the buffet terrace overlooking the bay.
A delicious breakfast chosen from fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and pastries, omelettes and a full English if you have to! A terrific range of coffee is served by the staff, who like the rest of the resort, put guests first
at all times.
Domes has a sister hotel on Corfu called Miramare and we decided to take a slow drive along twisting country roads with unforgettable views across the water to mainland Greece.
Our driver Spiros pointed out village houses built more than four centuries ago by just placing stones carefully together a yard thick to withstand earthquakes.
The thickness is also great insulation against boiling summers and fresh winter winds.
We had a pit stop at the Palace of Sisi, built for the Empress Elisabeth of Austria, to help her get over the tragic loss of her only son, Crown Prince Rudolf, in the late 19th century. It was built to resemble an ancient palace so Sisi could show her respect for the Greek people, their culture and history.
A huge triumphant statue of Achilles, holding a spear, dominates the gardens. It’s very easy to imagine the grand soirées that would have taken place to cheer up the Empress. Today it is a museum for all to see.
The Miramare is an adults-only place and luxurious. We are taken to a dining table just a few yards from the Med.
Marinated octopus, fish soup and grilled red snapper provides a delicious lunch, accompanied by crisp Santorini white wine. This place is definitely worth a visit for a special occasion. Returning to our Domes hotel we enjoy relaxing massages in the Wellness Centre. It’s minimalist, cool and calm – a welcome retreat from the heat.
We wanted to experience dinner at one of the beach tavernas and chose Glyfada Mexas. This time we had pork souvlaki and steak from the grill and big pieces of homemade orange cake.
It’s another balmy evening with Zeus giving us a magical sunset.
Another Greek island memory to last forever.