Car Hire: Take advantage of the special easyJet inflight rates. Visit the Europcar desk on arrival or call +30 2661 046 440. Open from 7.30am-9pm seven days a week.

Airport Transfer: Pre-book your door-to-door transfer with easyJet’s transfer partner, Holiday Taxis—from home to the airport, then city or resort (easyjet.holidaytaxis.com).

Taxi: A journey to the centre of town costs €10-€12 and takes five minutes.

Stamatis Taverna
( Strinilas. Tel. 26630 72384 )
The best egg and chips (from Stamatis' mum's own hens and potato patch), accompanied by feta cheese from local mountain-grazed sheep, make a meal at this simple taverna a real treat.

The River Taverna
( Potami, Lefkimmi. Tel. 26620 22958 )
Tables stand by the canalised river, serving food from the Pandis family's kitchen garden. The rice- and herb-stuffed vegetables and casseroled green beans are a vegetarian's dream.

Albert's Restaurant
( Barbati Road, Ano Pyrgi. Tel. 26610 97879 )
Chef Roger makes his own sausages, including Cumberland. The menu mixes English and Mediterranean food, changing according to seasonal produce. The mixed-dip starter is especially fine, and sticky toffee pudding is the dessert of choice. A fantastic sea view is thrown in, too!

Paxinos Restaurant
( Old Village, Benitses. Tel. 26610 72339 )
Locals' favourite for freshly caught fish, also famous for tsigarelli—sauteed wild greens with curry-hot paprika. Try tongue-tingling skordalia (garlic sauce) with still-warm boiled beetroot and chard, melting lamb fricasee with lemon sauce, or spicy bourdetto (fish stew).

Bar 27
( 27 Alexandras Avenue, Corfu Town. )
This pavement café hums with shoppers all morning, but is quieter in the evenings. The fish mezze with tsipouro (a grappa-style spirit) is worth a special trip, and wine is served by the glass.

Ekati
( Alikes. )
Corfu's foremost bouzouki nightclub presents well-known artists singing Greek popular music. The show gets going—very loudly—after midnight!

Privilege Dance Club
( Mandouki Entertainment Centre. )
Dress up to rub shoulders with wealthy clubbers at this busy disco, tastefully converted from an old factory, music mainly international.

Patounis Soap Factory has been making pure olive-oil soap by the traditional stamped method for more than 100 years. Fifth generation soapman Apostolos Patounis shows you round the workshop and tells you about the process (Ioannis Theotoki Street, San Rocco Square, Corfu Town. Tel. 26610 39806).

When eating in a Greek taverna, order like the locals do with a number of dishes to share, meze style. This way, you get to try different tastes—and it often costs less, too.

San Rocco Square is the busy hub of the island's road network, but also Corfu Town's buzzing commercial centre, with banks, boutiques and bars galore. Between shops, the locals gossip over coffee at the numerous pavement cafés.

Most Greek men celebrate their name day during winter, starting with Dimitris on 26 October. Tradition requires you to visit the celebrant's home with a small gift, and in return you are offered drinks and nibbles.

Corfu Golf Club – Corfu's 18-hole golf course, in the Ropa Valley, is regarded as one of the best in Europe. Non-golfers can enjoy the clubhouse facilities, including satellite TV and a good restaurant, or go for a charming walk along the riverbank.

Corfu's long musical tradition has produced many famous singers. The world's best-selling female artist Nana Mouskouri, and hearthrob Eurovision star Sakis Rouvas, both have Corfiot parentage.

Compiled by Hilary Paipeti/www.thecorfiotmagazine.com