Page 94 - GREC14N PVK_04

CFU

The
White THE LIFE BBC series My family and other

House OF THE animals, and now the ITV series
The Durrells has played major
role in recognizing the island of
DURRELLS
Corfu. Nevertheless, it is not the
IN CORFU
only thing that keeps the Durrells’
experience The life of the Durrells in Corfu aura alive. Many events are often
hold by many institutions of
was not only an inspiration
the island, in which one can see
for Lawrence and Gerald, who
family. We in the White House
depicted their experience in many and study the life of that British
of their books. Today, the famous are trying to give the visitor the
White House, the only one of the opportunity to live, even for a
three buildings that housed the few days, the majestic times the
British family during its 4-year Durrells experienced here, but
stay in the island which is open also to feel the freedom they felt.”
to the public, offers a unique Besides the stay in the famous
experience of escape in the same house and the special culinary
paradise scenery that enchanted suggestions of Charis Nikolouzos
the Durrells 80 years ago. In 1980 at the hotel’s restaurant, the
it opened its doors as a hotel, experience of the White House
and the same time the restaurant includes many more things: “The
opened in the ground floor. But visitor has the ability to rent a
its history starts in 1900, when it boat for a tour in the small caves
was built. It was the only house and the wonderful coasts of the
in the area made exclusively from area, which are not accessible by
stone. Before it started operating any other way. Besides, this was
as a hotel it was a coffee shop, the one of the beloved habits of the
first in all the surrounding area. family. There is also a beautiful
The Athinaios family, the owners walking tour with a guide, called
of the house from the beginning, The Durrell’s Trail, addressed
tried during the renovations to all ages. It is a mapped track
to maintain the same layout, Gerald Durrell followed when
without changing the space at all. he was discovering the flora and
Damaged places were replaced the fauna of the area. With often
and modern devices are installed stops the visitor can enjoy the
to make easier the contemporary nature in all of its splendor. But
way of life, but the house has not even if someone does not stay
lost any of its finesse, evident here, there are certain dates when
through many personal objects the house is open to the public, so
How to be of the Durrells, such as the everyone can get an idea of how
Lawrence Durrell lived”, Daria
typewriter, the rock chair and the
a Durrell paintings. When we asked her continues. Enchanted herself by
the White House, her favourite
what is it that, in her opinion,
still holds alive the aura of the corner is “Unarguably the
for a day Durrells not only in the White armchair of Lawrence Durrell.
House, but in the whole island
When you sit on it looking
of Corfu, Daria Athinaios, the outside the blue of the sea, it is
(or more) landlady of the White House told enough to give you the tranquility
to Grec14n: “Certainly, the 2005
and the relaxation you seek!”