Dassia Holidays

Set on the east coast of Corfu, Dassia is a small-scale resort that comes with views across the Ionian Sea to Albania and mainland Greece. Above the town it’s all pine-covered hills that play to walkers, while the beach keeps the watersports crowd busy. And when the sun sets, the bars and tavernas have more than enough going on to make a night of it.

Dassia has a 200-metre strip that’s mostly shingle and pebble with a little bit of sand. You’ve got a Blue Flag number here with clean, shallow water. And when you need it, you’ll get a nice bit of shade from the palm trees behind you. You’ve got a raft of watersports to get stuck into, and when you need to refuel, the doughnut sellers will sort you out.

When it comes to the nights here, you’ve got a nice pace. You won’t find foam-filled clubs, just a good stash of bars and restaurants that deal in live bands, karaoke and quizzes plus a couple of disco places. And when it comes to kids, the Greeks are real softies, so little ones will be welcome to join in the fun.

In 30 minutes you can be at the coastal villages of Gouvia and Kontokali. Between them, you’ll get cobbled lanes, whitewashed villas, the ruins of a castle and an old Venetian harbour. And right in the middle there’s a rather fancy marina – you might want to stop at one of the waterfront bars to ogle the million-pound yachts.