Family Holiday Corfu Summer 2025

 

Thought we'd fit a holiday in on our holiday, and what better place than the ex british protectorate of Corfu.  The Greek / Albanian historic connection is strong, but can throw in a bit of British influence on this one too, as mentioned previously, some strategically important staging posts around here.  Plus a buoyant cricket scene apparently.  Conspiracy theorists in Albania (particularly Elvis of Elvis bar fame) feels it is also a western plot to keep the tourists going to Greece rather than Albania due perhaps to those established historic/military ties.

The Greek / Albanian geography though is another thing altogether. We are pretty much a handful of miles from the mainland border here in Saranda ( it has been pointed out (cheers Haydn) the Northern Epirus question which I think is low level bubbling at the moment is something that has had quite a strong territorial disputes in the past - another Balkan country anyone if at some point in the future neither country can agree....

And then of course there is Corfu, not even on the distant horizon as I thought (that's the port) but the land mass in direct view, 1.2 mile crossing at its narrowest across the Straits of Corfu. Surely there is an ironman in there somewhere?  It is also the easiest way to get to this part of the world, Brits getting the ferry across after flying into Corfu. We decided to go the other way.

Firstly, a quick croissant breakfast as was told we needed to be down the port an hour before our ferry. That turned out to be a big, fat lie but there we are, doing what we are told and missed a full breakfast!  Coffee in the port not quite the same and then sitting on a ferry that rubbed salt into the wounds by not departing on time, waiting for a couple of late running passengers.

Great to then leave the Albanian coastline behind us as we crawled up the side we have been exploring by bus over the last few days and then locking in on Corfu and the port there. A few faster ferries than us, our ferry company described as both fast and luxurious (Albanian Luxury Ferries), I dispute that on both counts. Slow and steady a better description but that won't be going on any marketing literature.

So next thing to get head around is time zone. Albania 1 hour ahead of GMT meridian line. Corfu, although nearer that line (but as is part of Greece) is 2 hours ahead. I shouldn't overthink this, anyway, meant we arrived at 12.30 local time, and our ferry back at 6 so around 5 hrs in Corfu for the family holiday this year.

A stamp in our passport, doesn't look like we'll get one from the Albanians, but the Greeks have obliged. Walked out through the port, it certainly was alive with tourism, 2 massive cruise liners, and charter planes regularly swooping overhead.  We hit the port road into the town which was perhaps a walk of around a mile of maybe a little less.

Two major fortifications in Corfu, the old and the new. We did little more than gaze up at them but we found the new one first, on the edge of the old town. Go figure.  It appears to have a few British design influences, two tiers I am told was the Venetian construct to keep out the Ottoman Empire circa 16th century, but some 19th Century interior buildings of British origin. 

We then briefly lost ourselves in the narrow old town street, again Venetian and British influences. Its a UNESCO World Heritage site don't you know, of course it is!

Found a cafe where a random assortment of banana milkshake, red velvet cake and water convinced me I had enough energy for a 5K run. I had bigger plans today but the inevitable holiday foot pain has re-appeared, albeit maybe not yet to the extent it has in the past.

I took a touristy route along the coast, past the old fort, through the city parks, and along a lovely promenade out to a windmill and lighthouse./beacon that I'd seen on googlemaps and felt like a place I could meet Chrissi.  I also managed to run through a tent that was blocking my path selling tours, the 2 lads inside were not impressed. Foreign words were exchanged before apologies and no outbreak of hostilities.

Walked back towards Chrissi, and then retraced steps but along a shaded woody path. I had noted a few older residents swimming off one of the jetties in what I later learnt to be Garitsa Bay. As with Naxos last year, we like to join the oldies in their salty skin care therapies (being not far behind them) and hit the warm waters of Corfu. A token few flaps from me, but Chrissi swam out to one of the moored boats. We then dried off and chatted to the locals who seemed very interested that the likes of us (Brits) had made Albania our base.  Don't worry be happy they told us in sage words of parting wisdom.

The final part of our brief visit involved me checking out a little more the park Spianada and old fort I'd run past earlier as we began to head back in the direction of the Port.  The park also a car park but a nice open space in the middle of quite a cramped town.  The old fort (pre dating but modified by Venetians) certainly the more imposing of the two in terms of obvious backdrop above the water.

Chrissi then led the way back to the Port via a couple of cafes and the realisation she did not know the way, so a Googlemaps re-adjustment and we were back at the beginning of our Corfu holiday and through immigration and onto our luxury ferry.

Had to make some in day readjustment to balkan balcony booze today and adding the word cruise to proceedings. Went a basic greek number Alfa, a bit syrupy slots in at number 3 behind Montenegro and Kosovo. (I think) but ahead of N Macedonia.  Looked for our hotel from sea as we came back into Albanian waters (now that I think is still an area of 'conversation' between the 2 neighbours)

On disembarking Chrissi wanted to check out the nearby Elvis bar to talk Porthcawl, Vegas and the dictator years for a jobbing impersonator. Tough times, although he was only really up against Norman Wisdom, an albanian icon.  

Last mile of our walk, with runs done around 25,000 steps today, so must be about 10 miles or so, and back to the Buze. Not on the booze though, water and some rest time before a trip out for dinner.  In keeping with the slightly more relaxed approach today we didn't go fancy, a tidy looking pizza place, with house wine, greek salad, and a vegetarian (Chrissi) and Capricciosa for me.  Much improvement on my Gorgonzola nightmare, the cheap wine all worked tonight and final fish experience may have to wait.  

Both of us exhausted, all these time zones really take it out of you.