Things To Do in Gouvia

Swing musicians rub shoulders with philharmonic orchestras at this annual music festival over in Corfu Town. Brass bands, jazz musicians and local choirs also throw in their lot here. The mostly free concerts are staged against the dramatic backdrop of the Old Fortress in the main square, and dancing along is encouraged.

Gouvia’s village centre is a tangle of narrow streets where you can while away a couple of hours in the shops. Leather goods, olive woodcarvings and famous Corfu lace all make great souvenirs. But if you’re looking for a more edible memento, pop into one of the mini-markets for some Corfiot honey mandolato nougat.

Gouvia’s village centre is a tangle of narrow streets where you can while away a couple of hours rummaging in the shops. You’ll find gold jewellery, leather goods, olive woodcarvings and famous Corfu lace round here. For more edible souvenirs, the mini-markets will see you right for Corfiot honey and mandolato nougat – and you might want to pick up a bottle of Ouzo, too.

At this popular Greek taverna you can pick out your own fish for the grill, or order up a mezzedakia of sharing dishes. It’s not just the food that draws in the crowds, though. At 10pm every night, owner Gregorios makes a ring of fire around the courtyard and his sons do the Zeibekiko, a lively Greek dance, in the middle. Just don’t tell Health and Safety.

Between sunbathing, there are plenty of watersports to keep you busy. Head to either end of the beach for jet-skis, banana boats, diving and paragliding. From the jetties here you can also hire a motorboat to explore the coast, or take a skippered boat to pretty Agni Bay.

Corfu Town makes sure its summer visitors aren’t short of entertainment with a diverse series of concerts, most of them free. Jazz and swing musicians, philharmonic orchestras, brass bands and local choirs perform to enthusiastic audiences against the dramatic backdrop of the Old Fortress in the main square. It’s all part of the International Festival of Corfu.

Corfu is the greenest island in Greece, and a great way to see the countryside around Gouvia is on the back of a horse. A really nice trek is through shaded, wooded oak trees, past grazing sheep to the village of Ana Korakiana, in the foothills of the Pantokrator mountains. British-run Trailriders, just 20 minutes from Gouvia, will get you saddled up.

You’ll find Gouvia’s best Greek tavernas along the main village strip. Order up a mezzedakia – a selection of dishes that are great for sharing – and tuck into calamari, meatballs and prawn saganaki cooked with feta, tomato and garlic. Or if you want a main, try the slow-cooked lamb kleftiko. Whatever you choose, it’ll go down very well with a glass of the local white wine, Kakotrigis.

Part of the Mofetta Beach Hotel, this lively drinking place has a prime spot overlooking the beach. You can relax with a cocktail at the al fresco bar, or join in the dancing on the dancefloor. As for entertainment, you can watch a variety of acts, from Brazilian capoeira dancers to Elvis tribute singers.

This sophisticated restaurant sits in a quiet setting overlooking the marina. The chef knows that less is more when it comes to preparing fish, and grills it fresh from the boat with olive oil, lemon and local spices. Meat lovers, meanwhile, can tuck into Argo’s signature kleftiko, a melt-in-the-mouth lamb dish cooked with feta cheese and rosemary.

At the waterfront bars, you’re as likely to hear live Greek music as you are chart-busting hits. That seems to suit most people, who are happy to relax over a bottle of wine or 2. If you do want to ramp things up, you might have to join the teens heading for Whispers nightclub – it’s 2-for-1 cocktails before midnight and pumping house music ’til the early hours.

The hotel bars usually have live performances, while out in the village you’ll find friendly tavernas playing traditional Greek tunes along with bars that jump to dance music ’til late. But for many visitors, the perfect Gouvia night is spent relaxing over a bottle of wine or 2, gazing out over Ipapanti Church.

During the day, Melodies’ customers head to the verandah for a spot of people-watching. But in the evenings, the bar has a quick costume change as it gears up for live-music shows –the Elvis tribute is very popular. It also runs a first-class karaoke night called the T-Factor. The staff are famously flamboyant, and if they don’t get you coming back then the draught beer and cocktails will.

Gouvia’s best Greek tavernas are along the main village strip. A favourite local dish is bianco – fish casseroled along with potatoes in a white sauce with garlic and lemon juice. Equally delicious is the beef pastitsada, a rich tomato stew, spiced with cinnamon and black pepper. The slow-cooked flavours go down very well with a glass of the local white wine, Kakotrigis.