Our man from Friendly’s Rental Cars was ready and waiting for us at 9am in the reception as planned and drove Anthony back to his office to complete the paperwork. We had hired a car for two days to explore more of Corfu.
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Our first stop was Sidari which is at the Northern end of the island. I had read a blog that this shouldn’t be missed. It didn’t take long, around 45 minutes.
We stopped only for a drink and a quick walk along the beach. It was packed with English tourists and the street was lined with bars, cafes and restaurants many with English names. Although the beach was nice and sun beds seemed to be free if you ordered from the bar or cafe behind. Good for a week’s holiday if you just wanted to relax.
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Fancy canopied sunbeds
Kassiopi was our next destination, but we stopped for lunch first. We found a traditional taverna on the side of the road, not too far up the mountain. We enjoyed a delicious lunch. I love finding small gems like this taverna. The place was empty of customers, making me think it was closed. There was a group of men smoking and chatting and when I asked if they were open, they said of course and jumped to attention!
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Full and replete we pressed onto Kassiopi. It was only a 15 minute drive there but finding parking was difficult. As usual though my trusty driver managed to find a spot.
Kassiopi is situated on the North East coast of Corfu and was once a traditional fishing village. Now the bays are surrounded by holiday villas and apartments. It’s still a charming and picturesque place though.
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There is an old Byzantine Castle up on the hill which we walked up and explored.
This castle dates back to the 11th century but was largely destroyed by the Venetians in the 13th century. They removed many of the large stones to the old town to fortify the fortress there. It must have been hard work!
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The views were amazing and the climb up worth it.
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I definitely preferred Kassiopi to Sidari and could easily enjoy night or two here.
Goodness, how many years since we were in Kassiopi? Around 30! Spoiled as all such places are spoiled, Ali, but you can still see the charm.
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I never did get to Corfu in all the years I lived in the UK and there are still a lot of unspoilt places to visit
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Hmm not too keen on the look of that first beach, Ali! Just in case you haven’t sussed it out already (though I’m sure you have!), when you find a proper taverna, tell them you don’t want to see the wine list and say “village wine please” instead. Always good, always cheap! Glad you’re enjoying Corfu – it has some lovely spots away from the you-know-what bits.
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We did like Paleokastritsa and only drinking the local wine!
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Wow, the view from that window!
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Thanks, I love natural framed photos 😊
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Yes, it seems to enhance the image.
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Interesting Alison as we are yet to visit Corfu.
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Definitely recommend Paleokastritsa, which will be next post ☺️
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Magnificent views!
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Thanks Egidio ☺️
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It looks like you’re having a wonderful time.
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Thanks, it’s been fantastic so far ☺️
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I’ve never been to Corfu, but I can easily see that it can be referred to as one of the most beautiful islands in Greece as it mesmerizes travellers with its seductive beaches and lush vegetation. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Thanks for your comments Aiva, yes it was beautiful
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I have to say Sidari looks very missable, not at all my sort of place, but Kassiopi looks much nicer and your lunch looks excellent!
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Thanks Sarah, I didn’t imagine Sidari like that at all!
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Love the view of the valley from the window! And the seafood looks tempting!
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Thanks Teresa ☺️
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Hi Ali. We’re just piecing the last bits of our diary jigsaw together and a thought has occurred. Whereabouts in Essex will you be on 15th? A few things would have to align but there’s a chance we may be able to meet up with you in Essex on the evening of 15th. If you prefer email to using comments boxes, email us on thehungrytravellers.blog@hotmail.com and we’ll have one last go at making our paths cross. If of course you still wish to!
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Sent an email ☺️
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Kassiopi looks delightful! 🙂 I was surprised though at the difference between the places with Sidari seeming far more disappointing.
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Me too Meg, after I had read a blog about having to visit it!
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