Agios Ioannis Peristeron Holidays

Back to basics

This place rolls back the years with its holiday set-up. The ratios lean in favour of natural over manmade, with a hillside plot that’s dominated by greenery. In fact, the only modern bits are a smattering of dice-like villas and hotels that edge out from the trees. One or two tavernas pipe up down by the waterfront, with cuisine that’s as Greek as it gets.

Blue Flag sands

With a sleepy scene over its shoulder, the beach here steps up to the plate, and hits a home run. Its sandy sections are as unspoiled as the surrounding countryside, thanks to the town’s away-from-it-all setting on the east coast. Freshly tanned visitors aren’t the only ones giving its ego a boost, either. Sun, sea and sand experts from Blue Flag have given the official nod to this stretch – one of only three in the entire bottom half of Corfu to make the cut.

Bigger buddies

Five minutes’ drive along the coast gets you to somewhere with a little more get-up-and-go about it. Moraitika’s a bit of a wild child when you compare it to its chilled-out neighbours, with watersports livening up the beach scene and watering holes that suit families and active types alike. If you’re happy to hop behind the wheel for a little longer, the island’s big boss enters the field of play. The half-hour drive to Corfu Town ends with attention-grabbing Venetian architecture, a buzzy shopping scene and enough museums to fill two daytrips.