Few families have captured Corfu as vividly as the Durrells. For Gerald, the island became a giant outdoor classroom of birds, insects, olive groves and hidden wetlands, while Lawrence found inspiration in its sea, light and villages.
We have ranked 10 places that still bring you close to their Corfu, from #10 to #1. And the final two are particularly special — one was a favourite family escape, while the other remains the most iconic real-life Durrell location on the island.
8Corfu Town – Where the Durrell Story Began
The Durrell books are famous for countryside, animals and eccentric characters, but Corfu Town also plays an important role in the family’s story.
When the Durrell family arrived on the island in 1935, they initially stayed in Corfu Town while searching for their first home.
Lawrence and Nancy also spent time in town, while Gerald’s mentor Theodore Stephanides was closely associated with Corfu’s intellectual and cultural life.
Many streets that the Durrells knew remain instantly recognisable today: the Liston, Spianada and the maze of narrow Venetian streets behind them.
There is also a very easy Durrell stop for modern visitors. In the Boschetto Garden beside Spianada, busts of Gerald and Lawrence Durrell commemorate the two brothers and their remarkable connection with Corfu.
I would begin there, cross Spianada, walk along the Liston and then disappear into the kantounia of the Old Town.
Unlike some of the former family homes, these places can be explored freely.
See our Corfu Town guide for more places to visit nearby.
