What 6854 DialAFlight clients thought of Europe

Excellent service. Phone answered within seconds - NO ansaphone saying high volume of calls etc. Problem with hire car company resolved within about 15 minutes while abroad, absolutely brilliant. Will definitely use again.

Thomas is fantastic and super efficient.

Very helpful nat all times - have always provided us with what we need for our trips

Always excellent especially Nadia

Could not have been better. Very happy with everything from initial phone call to the last minute check to see if I was still fine with everything.

A Big thank you to Jonathan, excellent seats and service.

Another trouble free, well organised trip by the lovely people at DialAFlight so thank you

Kylie always really good from start to finish

Libby and Raphael were great throughout the booking process and when we needed to change the destination they were very helpful and accommodating. When we arrived everything was smooth from transfers to checking in.

Gino and Amy were so helpful! We had to move flights and at one point thought we couldn’t go. The holiday was fab and I will continue to book through DialAFlight. Thanks guys!

Once again an excellent service from Bobby and the DialAFlight team, everything went as planned.

You are the best

Debbie especially has been so helpful and patient as we have moved flights twice after initial booking. Other team members have also been very helpful looking at car hire and answering questions. Would definitely recommend

We have always dealt with Tara, who is not only excellent but also so charming and helpful.

Once again Guy Foskin came up trumps - even arranging an upgrade. Excellent service. My go to holiday company.

Your staff are understanding, friendly, professional and gave me confidence.

Perfect trip, thanks very much for your very knowledgeable advice and guidance.

Brilliant service, thank you

Very well looked after by Stacey, Marshall and Niall. Eleven flights from 5 different airports across Europe, all delivered with absolute ease and clarity. Superb customer service. Will absolutely recommend and will be back. 10/10

Have now used Simon Pitman several times to book holidays and they have all been great. He is very knowledgeable about the places we are going to and the hotels are always superb for quality and service

Michael solved the problem with our flights and hotel quickly and efficiently and checked all was OK before we left

As always great service from DAF

Matt Power excellent as usual! DialAFlight never fails

Perfect as always

Excellent service as usual

Excellent service as always.

Daniel booked an amazing holiday and made it as special as possible. I would never book anywhere else. DialAFlight are the best

Absolutely brilliant selection of hotels selected by Trevor. Thank you.

VERY helpful and friendly. You made booking my holiday stress free. Will definitely be using you again.

Excellent customer service as normal - thank you Adam Sui

Corfu's the real star of The Durrells

Loved the Sunday night series about Corfu's famous ex-pats? Then read Thomas W. Hodgkinson's guide to their enchanting isle

Luscious, seductive and the sun is always shining. That's the way Corfu is depicted in ITV's charming new drama, The Durrells.

What's more, the island is teeming with snakes and tortoises, and there are quaint tavernas filled with boisterous locals beneath olive groves on the edge of sparkling, cerulean seas.

But does the pristine, pre-war vision bear any relation to present-day reality?

Corfu certainly suffered some overdevelopment in the tourism boom of the Sixties, but it still offers opportunity for a host of authentic Durrell-esque experiences, and a whole lot more besides…

The Durrells cast from the TV series

In the footsteps of The Durrells
In 1935, the dysfunctional Durrell family – pretentious twentysomething novelist Lawrence, gun-crazy second son Leslie, man-hungry teenager Margo and animal-loving Gerald (who grew up to be the conservationist and author of My Family And Other Animals, based on his time on the island) – upped sticks from chilly England, led by their long-suffering mother, and settled near Corfu Town.

For a similarly idyllic location, your best bet is to visit the pretty north-east corner, where The Durrells was filmed. The lovely bay of San Stefano is a perennial favourite with British holidaymakers. Or you could even stay in the apartments at the atmospheric White House in nearby Kalami, where Lawrence wrote.

Narrow winding streets of Old Town Corfu

Animal magic
If you're keen to catch sight of a few tortoises of the kind that fascinated young Gerald, visit in late June when they're at their most active. Hiring a motorboat is a must. You could even spot a pod of dolphins, or even a ponderous sea-turtle.

Discover Margo's bay
One of the island's prettiest spots for dropping anchor and having a swim is the tiny bay that hosts a little stone shrine to St Arsenios, just south of Agni Bay. If you search, you'll find a sea-level cave there.

It's a shimmering chamber accessed by a corridor in the rock, with a separate underwater exit for the adventurous. Climb up to the shrine, too, for a look.

Water parks for children
Corfu has several fantastic waterparks, including the mighty Aqualand near Corfu Town (two-day tickets cost £20 for children, £28 for adults, aqualand-corfu.com).

The Old Fort stands guard over Corfu harbour

A jewel of a town
Too many people leave this isle without ever discovering Corfu Town. This jewel is a unique blend of cultures, which pay testament to the nations that have controlled it during its multifarious history.

Where else in Europe can you find a British cricket pitch, in front of a French colonnade of cafes, which gives way to crumbling Italian architecture?

Climb to the top of the Old Fort and enjoy the magnificent view over the town's ramshackle rooftops. Afterwards, visit the blackened remains of St Spyridon, Corfu's patron saint, in the church that bears his name.

But the best thing to do in Corfu Town is simply to explore the endless narrow winding streets, housing lovely little bars and shops.

Dine out in style
The finest restaurant in Corfu is the recently re-opened Venetian Well in Corfu Town, hidden among the back streets. It's pricier than most places, but worth the stretch.

And don't miss...
Try to visit Angelokastro, a Byzantine derelict castle on the west coast near Paleokastritsa.

Scan the sea below for rocks in the shape of ships; legend has it that the sea-god Poseidon punished the locals for helping his enemy Odysseus by petrifying one of their vessels.

First published in the Daily Mail - July 2016

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