Is Corfu For You?
Corfu, Greece - January 2024
After a less than stellar beginning on this journey abroad, I decided I needed a start over. As it is just a 30-minute ferry ride from where I'm staying in Saranda, I chose Corfu, Greece. I'd heard good things and said why not? I'm so glad I did.
Corfu is amazing. It's beautiful. It's clean. It's friendly. It's safe. And, in offseason it's very affordable. Oh, and the men are scrumptious. Like eat-them-with-a-spoon delicious. So, I did. (wink wink)
When I was looking for a hotel, I stumbled across the Lorenzo Mavili Suite on Booking.com. I do a lot of searching on their site when I'm looking for hotel rooms and so far I haven't been let down. When I arrived in town, I went straight to the hotel to drop my bags. It turned out to be an actual one bedroom apt in a private building, not a hotel suite, and I couldn't have been more pleased. Newly renovated, wonderfully decorated and right in the center of the downtown area.
After I did the super-fast self-check-in, I headed out for a late lunch. There were cafes and restaurants everywhere. I settled on one a few blocks from the apartment, grabbed a patio seat and was served by a Greek God. I had an olive tapenade and some bread while I waited and it was so good I barely had room for my salad. After I finished I had a yummy hot chocolate and did a little people watching. When I'd dragged looking at the handsome waiters out as long as I could and still seem cool, I paid my tab (less than $20 US) and did some exploring.
It is super easy to get lost in downtown Corfu. It appears to be laid out on a grid, but it honestly feels like you're walking in circles. I didn't mind because I was enjoying every minute of it. If you've followed along you know that I got rid of everything that I couldn't take with me, leaving no room in my luggage for purchases. After the initial shock and heartburn of getting rid of all my clothes, I rather liked the idea of a capsule wardrobe. Not to mention the money I'd save on not having any room for new purchases. One would think that would stop me from buying, and one would be wrong. I'm committed to the buy something new, purge something old plan, so I did have to be a wee bit more selective.
That evening I had a light dinner and a couple drinks with a group of people I met at the bar. I've always been a dine at the bar kind of gal and felt perfectly at home. Turned out to be a super fun night. Saturday morning I slept in then went to brunch where I had a great meal and chatted with a young couple for about 20 minutes. More shopping and a late dinner at another bar where I met a gal from Massachusetts who now lives on Corfu. I love a smorgasbord of cultures, and while this little island is mostly Greeks in the offseason, it's always fun to meet someone from your home country. An early morning ferry ride back to Saranda and I felt re-energized and ready to really dig into living abroad.
All of this to say, I was feeling low so I tried somewhere new and now I feel fresh as a daisy. If you're looking to try something new, dine, drink, shop and perhaps enjoy the company of a handsome greek gentleman, then maybe Corfu is for you, too.