WE MOVED TO… CORFU

Friday 1st December 2006

Adrian Monti

Melanie Owen and her partner Paul Hobbs, both 40, from Horsham, West Sussex, moved to the Greek holiday island of Corfu in April 2004

Why Corfu?
Mark and I worked in retail and marketing until five years ago, when we decided we wanted to get off the treadmill. We joined the tour operator Direct Greece five years ago and worked on various Greek islands before coming to Corfu, which we loved so much we decided to move out permanently. Now we run the company's island office as their tourist reps.

How do your homes compare?
We had a modern one-bedroom house, which we now rent out. We've bought a beautiful stone cottage for £14,000. It's in a tiny hamlet up in the hills, just 10 minutes' drive from the tourist town of Kassiopi. The cottage is absolutely idyllic, although it was in a terrible state when we bought it. Local builders transformed it within four months and now it has two bedrooms, a small garden and distant views of the sea. It cost about £20,000 to modernise and has more than tripled in value. We decided to live in the hills so we've got some sort of escape at the height of the tourist season!

What's the lifestyle like?
Corfu's very laid-back. The locals give their kids loads of freedom—it's a safe environment with a very low crime rate. Locals have a real zest for life and like nothing better than a long family lunch with lots of chat, rounded off with coffee or ouzo.

How do you spend your free time?
We only get one day off a week in high season—although we make up for it in the winter! We usually head to the beaches, or rent a boat and chug around the coves. We love Corfu Town itself, and often stroll around its buildings or sit in a café.

Are you learning the language?
We haven't had lessons but we've picked up a bit of everyday Greek. Most people in the tourist trade speak English, but it's harder dealing with anything official. We hope to get better in the winter, when we'll have more time to speak to locals.