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.
4Kontokali and the Daffodil-Yellow Villa
One of the best-known houses from Gerald Durrell’s books is the Daffodil-Yellow Villa.
The Durrell family moved to the Kontokali area after their first period on the island, living in a larger residence surrounded at the time by olive groves, orchards and open countryside.
Gerald’s memories of this period are filled with the wildlife he discovered around the house and along the nearby coast.
Everything interested him: birds in the trees, insects under stones, creatures in rock pools and the constant small dramas unfolding in the garden.
Kontokali today is far more developed, but its location beside Gouvia Bay still helps visitors understand why the area appealed to the family.
There is also a second Durrell connection nearby. The waterfront property used for many exterior scenes of the family home in the television series The Durrells is in the Kontokali area.
That television house should not be confused with the real Daffodil-Yellow Villa.
Both are private properties and should be viewed respectfully from public areas.
You can combine the area with nearby Gouvia and the Venetian Arsenal.
