The first year we ended up in Agios Stefanos by accident: it was a last-minute holiday, late in the season. We had very little money, and somehow we ended up in this pricey resort full of luxury villas.
Our accomodation was a good 10-minute hike up the hill above the village, near the junction with the main coastal road. The trek down to the village for provisions and to eat in the evenings wasn't ideal but we enjoyed the solitude and the superb views looking towards Albania. Every evening 'dog' would escort us back up the hill, until we had reached a particular spot on the road, when he would return to the village safe in the knowledge that we had been escorted off the premises.
That was ten years ago now, and we have been back twice. The village has not changed much, there are more villas, but it is still a pretty quiet place to relax, catch up on your reading and do very little.
There are numerous restaurants, the best of which was Eucalyptus, on the north side of the bay. For a treat, take the evening boat trip to Agni, a couple of bays to the south where there are three restaurants, all of a high standard.
There is a little supermarket in Agios, which does good business in selling tins of tuna to well-meaning British tourists who adopt the many cats in the village. On our last visit we ended up feeding four kittens plus mum and dad. God knows what the locals think..?
The harbour is not ideal for swimming, far better to stroll to either Avlaki, a 20-minute walk to the north, or to Kerasia, a similar distance to the south. The walk to Kerasia probably has the edge as you wind your way through olive trees, catching sight of the odd donkey. You will also pass by an estate belonging to a branch of the Rothschilds family.
From Agios you can catch the bus to Corfu town from the main coastal road, or alternatively a ferry goes from the harbour. The boat journey takes a good hour, and can get quite choppy once you are in the main channel, so take something warm. Corfu Town is well worth a visit, the shops are not great, but there is loads of history. The British left their mark, most obviously in the cricket pitch remaining on the Spianadha.
A less attractive British influence can be seen in many of the resorts of Corfu, though I understand there is a determination to promote the island as a more family, upmarket destination. I hope that Agios Stafanos isn't promoted at all to be honest; I hope it stays the way it is now.
I'd recommend the Road Editions Map of Corfu which has topographic detail for walkers and general tourist information and the Insight Guides Flexi Map of Corfu and the Ionian Islands which includes the other Ionian islands.
The best guide is the Sunflower Guide to Corfu.
Sadly, it's now out of print, but fans of Gerald and Lawrence Durrell who'd like to take a trip down Memory Lane should look out for old copies of In the Footsteps of Lawrence Durrell and Gerald Durrell in Corfu by Hilary Whitton Paipeti. Fortunately, you can still buy My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell.
Author: Andrew Steed
Date: 1 July 2002