Where is the Durrells’ house in Corfu?
In 1935, Mrs. Durrell traveled to Corfu with three of her children: Leslie, Margot, and Gerald. The eldest sibling, Lawrence, and his wife had arrived a few months earlier.
In 1935, Mrs. Durrell traveled to Corfu with three of her children: Leslie, Margot, and Gerald. The eldest brother Lawrence had come a few months earlier with his wife Nancy.
Lawrence and Nancy moved 10 miles up the coast to the tiny hamlet of Kalami Bay, where they took up residence at the White House, while Mrs. Durrell settled into a “strawberry-pink villa” just outside of Corfu Town.
Lawrence gives a thorough description of his cherished home on Corfu in his ode to the island, Prospero’s Cell:
The Durrells lived an enchanted, exotic life for the following four years, far from the depressing drudgery of England. They made friends with Corfiots like Maria Kontos, a maid with whom Leslie later had an affair and a child, and Spiro, a booming taxi driver.
Mother Durrell and her three younger children left for England as the Second World War broke out. After staying for a while, Lawrence and Nancy were forced to leave as the Axis powers swept through Greece.
The Durrells’ White House.
The Corfu Trilogy, Gerald’s autobiography in three volumes, My Family and Other Animals (1956), Birds, Beasts and Relatives (1969), and The Garden of the Gods, serves as the basis for the television series (1978). Millions of copies of these books were sold, making the Durrell family instantly famous around the world. They also made a significant contribution to Corfu’s development into a well-liked vacation spot.
During his time in Corfu, Gerald’s interest in wildlife and the environment grew. He rose to fame as a conservationist and the proprietor of a zoo in Jersey. Writing was more of a hobby for him than an art form for his brother Lawrence.
Published in 1945, Lawrence’s ode to Corfu, its people, its customs, its myths, and its history is titled ProspIt is simultaneously poetic (“cool as the breath from a melon heart”), provocative, intriguing, and exquisitely nostalgic.
After releasing The Alexandria Quartet in 1962, Lawrence established himself as one of England’s greatest writers of the 20th century. He shared the Nobel Prize in Literature shortlist with John Steinbeck, Robert Graves, and Jean Anouilh.
At the head of Kalami Bay, the White House, his cherished residence on Corfu, still stands. We heartily encourage you to stop by for a drink or two at this former café, bar, and taverna, ideally while holding a copy of Prospero’s Cell.
Where was The Durrells filmed?
- Corfu Town
- Kontokali
- Danilia Village
- Kalami Bay
To walk the same paths that the Durrells family walked, we will need about 5 to 6 hours for your private transfer. In this period of time there is a break for lunch.