Follow in the footsteps of Gerald and Lawrence Durrell on the beautiful island of Corfu while staying at the Solos favourite the luxurious 5* Kontokali Bay Hotel. Our popular week of fantastic walking includes five exclusive fully guided walks including a private small boat cruise, so join us and experience the varied dramatic and panoramic scenery this beautiful island has to offer.
Extras
Arrive at Corfu Airport and transfer to the Kontokali Bay Resort & Spa Hotel.
For our first hike of the week we take our bus to Avlaki Beach for the start of the days walk. The first hour, we’ll traverse the Erimiti area, an unspoiled paradise full of small coves and headlands offering beautiful scenery. Behind the pristine Akoli beach is Akoli Lake, translated as “Bottomless” however in reality a shallow lake which is a haven for birds and wildlife. From here, across the narrow straight we will have lovely views to Albania. Our route continues and after the small harbour at Agios Stefanos, we’ll pass by the estate of the Rothschild family. At Kerasia beach we can stop for a coffee before we continue along the coastal path towards Kalami, a small waterfront village where our hike finishes for the day.
If you’d sail to the west, you’ll end up in Italy. The Venetians ruled the Ionian sea for centuries and left their mark in the history of Corfu. Today our bus takes us to where Lawrence Durrell called ‘the most beautiful view in Europe’, with fabulous vistas over Paleokastritsa and to the Byzantine Castle of the Angels (Angelokastro) played a major role in defending the island, against sieges of Corfu by the Ottomans. We will experience fabulous views over the rugged coastline with high cliffs above the dark blue sea. After a break in a local café in the charming hamlet of Krini, we continue along cobble stone path enjoying the sweeping, stunning views and the entire bay of Agios Georgios beach below.
Corfu is visited by many people, but you still discover many places off the beaten track. Todays hike starts at the quaint, hidden gem village of Giannades . We head over undulating trails with rapidly changing scenery to picturesque village of Liapades; a place where time has stood still with Venetian manor houses and narrow cobbled lanes. After a well-deserved break on the main square, we’ll walk down to the shore. At the pristine beach of Limni, a secluded cove hidden in a forest of cypresses, a small boat will pick us up for an amazing cruise in the crystal-clear West coast waters. Our captain will navigate his boat through arches, into caves, underneath tall bluffs and cliffs along small bays and beaches.
Just beneath the high summit of Pantokratoros, lies the village of Old Perithia, the oldest village of Corfu. Once built as a hideaway from the marauding pirates of the time. Gradually inhabitants abandoned the high valley and moved to the coast abandoning the houses and churches now reclaimed by nature. Here we can experience the mystical vibe of the ruins, old wooden window shutters, rusted doors and crumbling stone walls making it a fascinating place to walk and explore. From here our route descends along mule tracks and footpaths through an oak forest gorge and olive groves and down to the sea.
For our final walk of the week, our route starts at the local café in Skripero, Today is a long route, but easy and enjoyable. The majority of the hike is along narrow country lanes zigzagging between the picturesque hills of central Corfu. At the secluded lake of Kounoupina, we turn right and descend towards the sea in the distance. Finally, we finish at Danilia, a theme park built as a décor of an old traditional Corfiot village.
Choose from a range of lovely optional excursions and discover the beauty of the island or relax and enjoy the hotels facilities.
Breakfast & Dinner
It’s time to say “Ya Sou”! After transferring to the airport, we will board our flight home.
Located on a sandy beach, with breathtaking views over the Ionian Sea, this property offers a wide variety of activities such as watersports, tennis, volleyball, mountain biking, a gym and sports entertainment programme plus the largest Spa in Corfu (treatments payable locally).
Facilities include an indoor and outdoor pool, 3 restaurants including the A la Carte Asterias restaurant for fine dining and the Marina Outdoor food court, ideal for lunch. There are 2 bars, plus there is a complimentary shuttle bus which runs once a day into Corfu Town. WIFI is available throughout.
Our tastefully furnished rooms are located either in the main building or in bungalows with air-conditioning, satellite TV, a telephone, minibar, Wi-Fi, safe, hairdryer, bathrobe, slippers, toiletries and beach towels. On arrival there will also be a complimentary bottle of wine and mineral water for you in your room.
The transfer from Corfu Airport the Kontokali Bay Resort & Spa is approximately 25 minutes.
Four guided walks are included in the programme. Your walking guide will advise you in resort of the daily programme. With walking programme you can expect to walk between 9 to 12km per day, with ascents/descents, rough underfoot terrain and high altitudes involved.
Below are the distances for each walk, however please bear in mind these are approximate and subject to change due to local conditions
Durrell Trail
Walking Distance 9 km
Walking Time 3 hrs
Ascent 30m to 50m
Decent 30m to 50m
Transfer Hotel to Avlaki beach 45 min / Kalami beach to hotel 35 min
Venetian Trail
Walk Distance – 10km
Walking Time – 3.5hrs
Ascent 50m
Descent 300m
Transfer Hotel to Makrades 30 mins / Agios Georgios to Hotel 45mins
Olive Trail
Walk Distance – 10km
Walking Time – 3.5hrs
Ascent 150m
Descent 300m
Transfer Hotel to Giannades 30 mins / Paleokastritsa to Hotel 30mins
Boat Excursion Liapades Limni – Paleokastritsa 1 hr
Breakfast & Dinner
Pirates Trail
Walk Distance – 12km
Walking Time – 4hrs
Descent 440m
Transfer Hotel to Old Perithia 45 mins / Agios Spiridon to Hotel 50 mins
Heartland Trail
Walk Distance – 11km
Walking Time – 4hrs
Ascent 150m
Descent 100m
Transfer Hotel to Marmaro 30 mins / Danila to Hotel 15 mins
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fit and well enough to take part in your chosen activity holiday. This holiday is graded as Easy to Medium and If you are unsure as to whether the walks are within your capabilities, please contact the office to discuss this matter, thus making sure you appreciate the terrain that you will be walking. You could be walking across uneven ground in some areas and extreme care must be taken, especially if wet. If used to using a pole/stick, it is advisable to bring it. Please appreciate the route and content of the holiday may change at the time and at the discretion of the guide/organiser, should conditions require. Solo’s Holidays Ltd cannot be held responsible for personal injury, accident or damage to property whilst on these walks other than incidents arising out of the company’s negligence. The guide has the right to refuse to guide a walk with anyone not properly attired.
It is of paramount importance that you have the correct footwear. It is essential to wear walking boots that are comfortable and preferably lightweight, with some ankle support and a good grip. If you already have a pair of boots that you are happy walking in (including during hot/wet weather and on hard ground), then bring these along. However, if you are bringing new footwear, do make sure they are well broken in before you arrive. Experience has shown that wearing 2 pairs of woollen socks adds to comfort. The weather, even in summer, can be unpredictable. We would therefore recommend you travel with clothing suitable for all conditions, and suggest you use the following checklist as a guideline of what to take:
There will be plenty for you to see and do during your own leisure time during the course of your holiday, you may like to visit Corfu Town to take in the sights of St Spiridon Church, The British Cemetery and Mon Repos Estate and Palace. If you like being on the water then you could join a sailing trip to Albania and visit the ancient site of Butrint. Alternatively take a cruise over to Parga and Sivota. Full details of which will be given out at your Information Meeting by your Tour Leader. Please note that prices shown may vary according to numbers. Full details will be given at your Information Meeting. All tours must be paid for in euros only. Your Tour Leader will help arrange these for you and explain where you will need to go but may not necessarily accompany you.
We suggest a Group Collection to cover transfer drivers, and hotel staff of €25.00 per person. Your Tour Leader will collect this on your behalf and distribute it accordingly, thus relieving you of the burden of who, when and how much to tip. The tipping of housekeeping will be left to your individual discretion (a small amount left in your room on departure should cover this and would be much appreciated). As is customary, ‘the hat’ will be passed around for the driver and guide on all optional excursions. For any meals that are not included in your itinerary, or taxi fares, your Tour Leader can advise of an appropriate % add on.
Euro
To enter Greece mainland or the Greek Islands your passport must meet 2 requirements. It must be:
Check both the issue date and the expiry date in your passport. If you renewed your passport early, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. This could affect the requirement for your passport to be less than 10 years old.
A visa is not required by holders of passports endorsed “British Citizen” for stays of upto 90 days in any 180-day period. Please note that stays in other EU countries counts towards this 90 day period.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct visa, a valid passport and any other travel documents for your holiday. All information provided relates to British citizens who hold or are entitled to apply for a British passport. For the most up-to-date visa information please visit; Greece Foreign Advice
Voltage 230v
Travel adaptor type C (EuroPlug)
Month(s) | Highest temperature | Lowest temperature |
---|---|---|
January - February | 14 °C | 5 °C |
March | 16 °C | 7 °C |
April | 19 °C | 10 °C |
May | 23 °C | 13 °C |
June | 28 °C | 17 °C |
July - August | 31 °C | 19 °C |
September | 28 °C | 17 °C |
October | 23 °C | 14 °C |
November | 19 °C | 10 °C |
December | 15 °C | 7 °C |
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