Kassiopi - Corfu, Ionian Islands (Greece)

Friendly, easy-going Kassiopi, on the island of Corfu in Greece, is one of the few resorts to have retained its village atmosphere. Centring on a horse-shoe harbour, where half a dozen blue-and-white wooden fishing boats moor up each morning with the night's catch, Kassiopi also boasts five small pebble beaches, and a peninsular planted with olive trees and cypresses, and capped by the ruins of a Byzantine castle. In fact, the village's history goes back centuries. One block back from the waterfront stands the 16th-century whitewashed church of Panagia Kassopitra, built on the site of a Roman temple. And locals claim that Emperor Nero was one of the first foreign visitors to the settlement, back in the 1st century AD.

From Easter to late-October, Kassiopi receives a steady stream of British and Scandinavian visitors, many of whom return loyally year after year. It appeals to families with children or couples in search of a peaceful, down-to-earth, sea-and-sunshine holiday plus a glimpse of authentic Greece.

Kassiopi is built around a sheltered harbour overlooking the narrow Corfu Strait, with the mountains of Albania clearly visible across the water. The village is backed by low hills supporting silvery-green olive groves, which in turn are backed by the rugged limestone slopes of Mount Pantokrator, at 914m (2,998ft) the highest point on the island. Kassiopi has a warm Mediterranean climate. In summer, dry hot days are often relieved by stiff breezes. Winters are mild. November to March is the rainy season. The best months to visit are between May and September when rainfall is at a minimum and temperatures average 27°C (80°F).

Kassiopi's beaches are rather small but fine for a few hours bathing. A 10-minute walk north of the harbour front lies the main town beach, Kalamonias, a pebble strip equipped with sun beds and umbrellas for hire, plus waters sports facilities. Between Kalamonias and the harbour, a small peninsular, planted with olive trees and accessed via a narrow road lined by eucalyptus, is laced with three tiny coves with pebble beaches, while a 20-minute stroll further north lies the pebble beach of Imerolia, also with sunbeds and umbrellas. Northwest of Kassiopi, 12km (7.5 miles) into the hills, stands the semi-abandoned village of Palia Perithia, made up of 16th-century stone houses and churches, and renowned for its authentic tavernas and locally-produced honey. For serious watersport enthusiasts, a 20-minute walk southeast of Kassiopi lies Avlaki, a beautiful deep bay with a curving pebble beach, home to Greek Sailing Holidays, a highly regarded sailing and windsurfing school. Kassiopi's beaches are all suitable for kids and there are good watersport facilities on the main town beach. There is a small public playground with swings, a slide and a roundabout opposite the school on the road between the harbour and the central square.