Southern Corfu

[TerryW]

Noufris  has posted some interesting photographs on Facebook, I didn't know where they were taken, but he kindly replied to me and said it was located in South Corfu and I think its called Dasiki Prostasia. As he said, it looks like a dessert.

I have always wanted to go to the south of the island but its always been to hot when we have been there in July. We will hopefully go there next September. I had always planned to  drive down the south and then spend a night at a Hotel in Corfu town to break up the return journey.

Has anyone been to the far south?

[Shuey]

Every year we say we are going to have a look further down the island.  The furthest we have got is to Corfu town.  Will have to make an effort next June!

[Maggie]

We went to Petriti this summer. We went courtesy of friends of friends, who were visiting Corfu on their yacht. It is a lovely wee place, right down the coast from Corfu Town. It has a very nice little harbour, and we spent a great afternoon there.  Well worth a visit if you travel that far.

[TerryW]

I wonder if this is where Noufris's photo was taken? He said there was a lake on the other side of the dunes.

[justphil]

We shared a wonderful day with JohnTheRef and Dot, when he drove us well down south. My enduring memory is on the way back north we went through Aghios Mattheos, which John christened Aghios Mythos in deference to my habits...

It was lovely to see some spectacular sights in the south. It certainly isn't just Kavos (which itself is much maligned after the very dishonest TV programmes.) We must thank those two again for the marvellous experience, which I would reccommend to anyone.

Great thread Terry.
Phil

[Glenny]

We had a drive down there a couple of years ago and if you like sand it's ideal! I think we went there with the intention of visiting a castle which I believe was to the north of the lake but my lousy map reading took us to the south, we had a walk across the dunes and if I remember rightly there was just the one taverna, quite a trendy place, lots of youngsters, possibly there to surf?
 Sorry to be so vague but we usually do a whistle stop tour so one place blends into another! This place does stick in my mind though as other half 'lost' his camera and equipment there (his own fault!)

[JohnJ]

The picture looks remarkably like the north end of the beach at Agios Geordis south.  A little further along the sand dunes have trees over them and behind the dunes/trees is Korrison lake.    Nichola and I walked all this area in 2006 when we walked the Corfu trail.   We have since driven and walked all over the island.   In my humble view the places worth visiting in the south are,  in no particular order;
Lefkimi south where you can sit by the river outside a taverna that takes you in to the kitchen and lets you choose from whats on the cookers and ovens.
Golden and Sunset beaches on the west coast opposite Perivoli, great expanses of lovely sand.
Myritoisa beach ( may have spelt that wrong) albeit a nudist beach it is absolutely beautiful almost like the Seycheles!! 
And more central than south;
Liapades beach, just a few kilometers fro Paleokastritsas,  Small seculded beach with very friendly and helpful tavernas, hotel and snack bar.
Strongilli village high up in the Agia Deka range with fantastic views over Corfu town and beyond.
Lacones village and the Golden fox. Would not recommend the food there, not very good but expensive however have a drink there and explore the fabulous views over Paleo from there rear terraces.  And if you are up to walking up long steep steps Angelo Kastro fortified Monastery and the views have to be seen to be believed.
Hop you can all enjoy some of them at some time.
JohnJ

[vivian]

If you go to our photo albums on our website page 2 there are some of Paleokastisa from Anglecastio and some of Anglecastio monestry. Viv

[Ivan]

JohnJ I think you're right. We holidayed there for many years before we discovered Arillas. Twenty years ago AG south was like Arillas is today.
                                                        Ivan

[Jersey Bean]

I was thinking the same.  My husband did the walk from AG South to Korrison Lake one morning when it was really hot and said it was really hard going as when you walk over the dunes your feet just sink into the sand and it seemed to take forever.
I think AG South has been badly affected by an all inclusive hotel that has opened there in recent years.  The beaches are busy but the bars etc seemed quite quiet,
There is a fabulous taverna though if you visit called Kafesas.  We did a two centre with one week down South and two in Arillas, so it felt like two holidays.

[fishski]

If I can throw my 2 cents in... a trip to the south is well worth it from Arillas. If you get up and go at a reasonable time in the morning as someone else has said it is really worth going to Petriti for lunch. There are some fantastic reasonably priced seafood tavernas there. I had some sardines in one that were to die for. Then it is only a very short trip across to the west coast where you can visit Gardiki Castle and then anywhere along that coast is great beach-wise. We like Halikounas a lot, particularly down at the far end. At the south end of the lake is Issos which has a brilliant beach too and that's where you'll find the dunes and the views across the lake, quite superb and very quiet and still even with the beach just a few hundred yards away.

Also on a clear day you get lovely views of the mountains of north Lefkas too.

[sunflower]

My first two visits to Corfu in 2000 and 2001 were to Messonghi at the south east coast.
It's a lovely little village, quite similar to Arillas, with a small river that runs into the sea.
Moraitika which is bigger with more shops and tavernas is within walking distance.
As it's on the East coast you can't enjoy the sunsets as much, but instead you get lovely sunraises. I highly reccomend Hotel Christina, which is right by the beach and owned by a very friendly family: Christina and her two sons Dimitris and Vassilis.
When I was in Arillas with a friend in 2008 we went to Messonghi for two days, as I wanted to see the place again and show it to my friend. To my huge surprise they all remembered me, even though it was 7 years since my last visit! One of them reffered to something I'd said and he said: last year, which made us all laugh as it's been 7 years

Connie x

[riggers]

Looks like a beautiful place to visit..... but i can't seem to leave Arillas once i am there.

[justphil]

Ah riggers, that is so true of Jen and me. We used to spend weeks at the Edinburgh Festival, and never got to see Glasgow, even though we had lined it up. When we're in Arillas we would have to give something up to go somewhere else, and we always take one look at each other and decide to do the Arillas thing. Some think we're sad but we're not. We'd venture further if we were there for the whole season.

love to Sue  (and you too, of course)
Phil

[riggers]

love to Sue  (and you too, of course)
Phil

and to you and Jen dearest friends