MAKING WAVES: Kassiopi Dreaming
Thismonth I had the pleasure of returning to the village of Kassiopi on the Greek Island ofCorfu. Kassiopi is a small fishing village that sits on the
north eastern coast ofCorfu, overlooking the channel that dividesCorfu and Albania. The resort of Sarandë lies on the opposite coast in Albania and forms a twinkling coastline at night as the sun sets over the mountains on the Albanian coast.
Kassiopi itself is a relatively little knownresort, with an array of villas and somesmall hotels. The destination hasbecomepopular with British tourists and holidaymakers in recent years. The village has maintained its fishing trade with the local fisherman heading out early each morning to go and find the catch of the day, ready to sell to the restaurants for the evening diners. This fishing trade has ensured that the coves and the marina of Kassiopi arehometo someoutstanding restaurants and when it comes to service, the owners and staff quite simply epitomise this illusive quality (in Britain). Each yearwe return to Kassiopiwe are blownaway by staff that rememberus fromthe previous year and continue to ask about friends or relatives that have joined us on this holiday before. Crystal clearwaters fill the channel
off of the coast of Kassiopi making it an ideal place to hire a boat and go snorkelling for a day out in one of the coves, which is exactly whatwe did. Loading up a cooler of beer and water and heading out on to the waters with a picnic,we left the marina and skirted theCorfu coastline aswe headed east across
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the channel. The view fromthe boat as you followthe coastline reveals somestunning houses and properties set into the hillside of Corfu,many of which carry an almost James Bond air, sporting their own private jetties and expensive boats. The hillside of Kassiopi is
dominated by the eroding but ever present remains of KassiopiCastle. The exact origins of the castle remain in somedebate but it is thought to be of the Byzantine Empire andwas originally one of three fortifications
aroundCorfu that formed a defensive triangle around the island. Kassiopiwas considered to be the first port of call when making sail between Italy and Greece and therefore has always been a destination of strategic importance. The castle is nowopen to the public and is a regular attraction for tourists to embark upon the steps that venture fromthe main street of Kassiopi, up in to the hill’s, to give an impressive view and observation point over the Northern coast of the
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