9 Ionian Hotels on the Green Side of Greece

Corfu is green because it rains. The island receives roughly double the annual rainfall of the Aegean islands, and the result is woodland, cypress and something in the order of three million olive trees on an island of 600 square kilometres.

Those trees were planted under Venetian rule, which held Corfu from 1386 to 1797. Venice paid a bounty for every olive tree planted, wanting oil for its own market, and Corfiot landowners took the money in quantity. Many of the trees standing now are several centuries old and were never pruned to a managed height, which is why they are enormous and gnarled rather than the neat rows of Andalusia.

The island the Ottomans never took

Corfu is the only significant Greek island never to fall to Ottoman rule. It withstood four sieges, and the two Venetian fortresses in the old town are why.

That single fact explains the architecture. Corfu Town has tall Venetian tenements on narrow lanes, French arcades built under Napoleonic occupation, and British neoclassical public buildings from the period when Britain held the Ionian islands as a protectorate between 1815 and 1864.

The British left cricket behind. It is still played on the Spianada, the green in front of the old fortress, by Corfiot clubs, and the local vocabulary for the game is Greek-inflected English that has been in use for two centuries.

The island and the archipelago

Corfu Town is the UNESCO old town, with the fortresses, the Liston arcade and the museums.

The northeast coast, around Kalami and Kassiopi, is the green, rocky, expensive corner with Albania a couple of kilometres across the strait.

The east coast, around Dassia, Kommeno and Benitses, has most of the large resorts and calm water.

The west coast, around Paleokastritsa and Glyfada, has the cliffs, the sunsets and the swell.

Paxos, an hour south by boat, is small, wooded and has no airport. Kefalonia and Zakynthos, further south, are bigger, mountainous and have their own flights.

The nine below are grouped that way.

The east coast

The resort coast, on calm water.

Angsana Corfu Resort & Villas occupies a hillside above Benitses with villas stepping down through olive terraces to a private beach, a spa and views across the strait. It is the best resort on the island.

Ikos Dassia sits at Dassia on a long beach with an all-inclusive operation at a genuinely high standard, several restaurants and a serious children's programme.

Grecotel Corfu Imperial occupies a private peninsula at Kommeno with mature gardens, several beaches and a long-established Greek family operation.

Domes Miramare sits at Moraitika with an adults-only policy, a beach club and a design-led interior.

MarBella Corfu occupies a beachfront estate on the east coast with several pools, a spa and full family facilities.

Corfu Town

Inside the Venetian old town.

Corfu Palace Hotel sits on the seafront facing the old fortress, with a pool, a terrace and the Liston and the cricket ground a short walk away.

Paxos, Kefalonia and Zakynthos

The islands south.

Torri e Merli occupies a Venetian building on the Loggos waterfront on Paxos, with a handful of rooms and a harbour of fishing boats outside.

F Zeen Retreat sits above Lourdas on Kefalonia with a wellness programme, an infinity pool and Mount Ainos behind.

Olea All Suite Hotel occupies a hillside on Zakynthos with suites, private pools and views over the Ionian.

What we have left off

The villa rentals across the northeast coast are excluded, and around Kalami and Agni they are how a great many British families have holidayed for generations. They are houses rather than hotels.

What to do

Walk Corfu Town in the early evening, along the Liston and up into the old fortress, and stay for the cricket if there is a match on the Spianada.

Swim on both coasts. The east for flat warm water, the west at Paleokastritsa and Porto Timoni for cliffs and clearer, colder sea.

Drive or walk part of the Corfu Trail, which runs 220 kilometres from the south of the island to the north through olive groves and villages.

Take the boat to Paxos and Antipaxos for the day, and to the blue caves on the western cliffs.

Eat Corfiot rather than generic Greek: sofrito, pastitsada, bourdeto, and the kumquat liqueur, which is a Corfu peculiarity brought in by the British.

Practical notes

Corfu has an international airport with heavy European charter traffic in summer. Ferries run to Igoumenitsa on the mainland and to Italy.

May, June, September and early October are ideal. July and August are hot and very busy. Winter is wet — genuinely wet — and most of the coast closes from November to April.

A car is useful. The island roads are narrow and the northeast coast in particular is single track in places.

Questions people actually ask

Why is Corfu green?

Roughly double the rainfall of the Aegean, and three million olive trees planted under Venetian bounty payments.

Why is there cricket?

Britain held the Ionian islands from 1815 to 1864 and the game stayed. It is still played on the Spianada.

Which coast?

East for calm water and resorts, west for cliffs and sunsets, northeast for green and expensive.

How many nights?

Seven. Five on one coast with a day in town and a day by boat.

If you only book one