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.
5Agni and the Shrine of St Arsenius
The northeast coast was particularly important to Lawrence Durrell, and one of its most atmospheric stretches lies between Kalami and Agni.
Close to the sea is the small Shrine of St Arsenius. Lawrence and Nancy explored and swam along this coastline while living at the White House, and this landscape became part of Lawrence’s literary Corfu.
This is one of the locations where you do not need a museum or reconstructed film set to understand the connection.
The attraction is the landscape itself: steep green hills, old olive trees, rocks meeting exceptionally clear water and small bays hidden along the coastline.
Continue south and you reach Agni, one of Corfu’s prettiest small bays, where boats tie up beside waterfront tavernas.
The modern summer scene is busier than anything Lawrence and Nancy would have known, but the basic geography remains remarkably beautiful.
If possible, explore this part of Corfu slowly. Walking parts of the coastal path or travelling by small boat gives a much better impression of the landscape than simply driving between viewpoints.
See our Agni guide for more information.
