Corfu or Paris in May. Where would you go?
 

Dear Fodorites, We have 4-5 days in late May to enjoy a getaway, and have narrowed our choices to Corfu and Paris. We will be traveling from Vienna, so there are no jet lag concerns. Though we have visited Paris five times, each was always as part of a work trip for DH, so while he has seen the major attractions, his visits have never been solely "holiday." On the other hand, neither DH nor I have been to Corfu, and based on what we read in a recent Aegean Airlines onboard magazine, the island looks lovely. Our interests run the gamut, and we somehow manage to have a memorable holiday almost everywhere we have traveled. Where would you go?

In advance, thank you.

Corfu. Because it's not Paris.

Yes go for something new

I agree, that's a good time to do an island, for 4-5 days. I don't get the Paris thing about how because prior trips were combined with work, that it makes any difference. If you have a week in a place, but 1-2 days were work, it's no different from someone who had a holiday there for 5 days. So that can't be the reason alone, if it were that almost all the time was taken up by work, that's another thing. A lot of people tack on their own extra time to a work trip, also.

Christina, with respect to DH's travels to Paris, his work encompassed practically every day of our stay, and because we usually overlapped with a school holiday our "holiday" time was very limited. We both love Paris and would like to savor the city without external influences, but are equally intrigued by Corfu; hence, the difficulty in making a decision. :)

Paris - just because. But them I am not greatly enamored of islands, beaches or sun.

(And I have done a couple of business trips there where you barely have time to take the client out to dinner and sleep - and not see anything except the streets between hotel and conference center or research facility - working days are often 12 to15 hours).

So completely opposite places. It would be easier to recommend between two islands or two cities, based on your interests.

However, much as I love Paris, I would choose Corfu. I am also not a big island person. Most of the time, a day or so, a tour, a bit of walking around and I am done, but Corfu is one island to which I would like to return. It has everything from busy little city areas and restaurants to lovely hotels to gorgeous beaches and bays, to hiking and boating. Just google some images.

Also, Paris is nice for even a day or two, and when you have more days, Paris could be easily combined with other destinations in Europe.

Corfu can't be easily combined with other places. May is a great time to go. 4-5 days is enough time to enjoy it.

Disagree with my fellow Fodorites on this one. In May, I would go to Paris. Greek Islands don't come to life until June. Plus, in May the sea is still too chilly for a swim.

We are all different. If it was me, I'd choose Paris, no question. But it isn't me.

KodakMoment,
Good point about water temps still being cold.

May is wonderful month for Corfu, the greenest of all Greek islands.. It will be full of flowers, weather will be warm enough and sunny and that will give you the opportunity to explore a fascinating island, that is totally different from what most Americans have in mind when it comes to a Greek island.

Corfu is the only Ionian island that wasn't hit by the terrible earthquake in 1953, and Corfu city is one of the most beautiful Greek cities with Venetian, British and even French influence.

The island is rich in history, it has many lovely old villages, and a lovely countryside to explore, that won't get you bored during the 5 days of your stay....

The old city of Corfu is a Unesco World Heritage Site, and that for a reason.

I said Corfu but the time of year can be an issue ...we went in May one year and the spring rains were late and we did not have good weather and it is pre season..that can be good and bad..not so many people but too early for swimming and some places not open outside the main town.

Corfu should be beautiful in May with all the spring flowers. It is a beautiful island. We stayed in Kalami Bay where the Durrell's had their house (incidentally a TV series about the Durrell's in Kalami starts this Sunday in the UK). Corfu Town is a delight. Old windy streets and great Tavernas.

If you live in fear, Corfu is less likely than Paris to be the site of an ISIS attack.

That being said, in "The End of Elsewhere" by Taras Grescoe (highly recommended reading BTW: http://amzn.to/1X5ANjy ), he had this to say about Corfu:

<i>I'd chosen it for its reputation as a paradise overrun by German package tourists and yobs in Union Jack shorts who emerged already legless from their charters to turn the Mediterranean into their personal vomitorium. Like the Spanish islands of Ibiza and Majorca, and like Ios and Mykonos in the Aegean, Corfu -- Kerkyra to the natives, "Cor, Phew" to the lads -- had the reputation of being an accessible, downtown party center, a kind of Blackpool-on-th-Med that offered moussaka-and-chips and 24-hour full English breakfast. Now that I was here, in the 40-degree-Celsius sticky heat, I realized I couldn't have chosen a more perfect hell for myself than an over-touristed island full of boozed-up louts.</i>

Like most other islands with international airports, there are spots still quiet even in high season, if only you take the trouble to find them. The description quoted above by sparkchaser applies to July and August, and then only in certain resorts. The description could also be applied to certain resorts on Crete and Rhodes. Even the most notorious party islands are quiet in May.

It is true that sea water is very cool in May, and that weather is still changeable. If you want to see Greek islands dressed in their greenery, May is a good time to visit.

As a regular visitor to Blackpool, I don't recognise that description of Corfu. Yes there are some popular spots on Corfu which may be rather lively but I wouldn't know as my stay there didn't include them in my itinerary.

For the record, Blackpool has some very attractive parts.

I actually happen to be a Corfiot ..... the only area that i would personally skip, would be Kavos in the South... which is very similar to Malia Faliraki/Laganas ( on other islands).
Corfu is definitely not a party island !!

" Greek Islands don't come to life until June. Plus, in May the sea is still too chilly for a swim."
While this is true when it comes to smaller islands ( the Cyclades for instance with the exception of Syros), Corfu has a larger permanent population and is also a University city.
There are no spring rains, since there is no rain season..but it is more likely to rain on Corfu than anywhere else in Greece...
Of course i would never compare the mild climate of Corfu to that of Paris...

Not sure what above post is saying but the point is more likely to have rain may and early June than July and August and honestly all bets are off on norms given the strange climate everywhere these days. I also recall temps being much cooler than expected in May...fine for most activities but just mentioning in case poster is really looking for a beach holiday..swimming and hot weather.

Great responses, everyone. Thank you. On our drive home from a day trip today I read the comments to DH, and we decided on Corfu. :)

Beach weather is not a priority; we're not very good at sitting still and lounging on the sands, but certainly love beach combing.

The threat of terrorism is a priority, but a low one. We lived in Washington, DC in 2001 during the Pentagon attacks, the anthrax scares, and the sniper. Here in Vienna we were but an hour from the borders across which refugees (some may say, terrorists) streamed last autumn. And just this week we returned from three impressive days in Cairo (we tagged along on a work trip for DH). It isn't that we perceive the threat of terrorism to not be real; we just don't put ourselves into obviously dangerous situations and always maintain situational awareness, even here in Vienna, where neo-Nazi extremism is on the rise, and there have been numerous reports of aggressions against refugees and others considered to be "Non Austrian." No place is guaranteed safe any longer.

As for the weather, who knows. On rainy days we'll eat delicious food indoors; and on good weather days, outdoors. It's win-win, we think.

And so begins the happy problem of planning. Thank you, again, everyone!

fourfor,

I am excited for you -- Corfu is a wonderful choice!

One of my all time favorite memories is of an October day in Corfu; we were docked on a cruise and it was chilly, windy and pouring, pouring rain. We ducked into a cozy "bar," Petite Fleur, a tiny thing off the beaten path for what turned out to be homemade hot chocolate (and beer for my husband). We sat at the bar and chatted with the owner who had a charming story about settling in Corfu to be close to family there. We watched him meticulously make my hot chocolate, but he was a little disappointed that I wanted it straight up, not flavored as he prefers. He so wanted us to taste a flavored version that he made us a second complimentary mug. We hated to leave!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Petit...17744258236721

<i>As a regular visitor to Blackpool, I don't recognise that description of Corfu.</i>

Taras Grescoe is Canadian so that's probably the explanation.

I personally think it's torture to visit a beach town and not be able to take a dip in the water.
Summer is the best time to experience beach towns, à mon humble avis

<i>Yes it is!</i>

Use < and > instead of [ and ].

<I> Thanks, Heimdall </I>

<b>You got it!</b>

<u>yup, and am now an expert at it</u>

Good luck planning your holiday. Will be interesting hear where you go and to read any feedback, if you get the time.

GinnyJo, I could travel with you! DH and I do not often have much control over our holidays (school breaks, tag along work trips, and so forth), so I have learned to make the best of wherever I am, whenever I am there!

KodakMoment, I agree, mostly. But if it comes down to not dipping into the water versus not traveling at all, I can forego the dip. :)

Stevelyon, I'll do my best to report back. I have relied tremendously on Fodorite reports for our travels, and always try to offer our experiences from a holiday.

By coincidence, a new series of <i>The Durrels</i> starts today on British television, and I am watching it now. The series is based on Gerald Durrel's trilogy of memoirs, when the family relocated from England to Corfu back in the 1930's.

I suspect Corfu will gain in popularity this year!

Thanks Heimdall, I watched it mainly for the scenery (not a lot of it so far) and found myself engrossed by the characters. We stayed at Kalami Bay where the Durrells had their house - a delightful spot. I didn't see either flamingos or pelicans - maybe I was there wrong time of year.

Now that you've settled on Corfu, you just need to decide which part of the island to stay at. As clausar says, avoid the Kavos area, it's teens/twenties and booze, but as it's way down at the southern end of the island, it's easy to miss.

If you want a central coastal spot to see the island by car,(do rent a car-it's well worth it) then maybe Gouvia or Ipsos. Otherwise the small resorts from north of Ipsos round the coast to Sidari are lovely. Paleokastritsa and the area down to Glyfada are nice too, but maybe a bit too busy and out on a limb. For a 4/5 day trip, I'd choose Ipsos or Nisaki.

Deciding upon Corfu was the easy part.

I have been looking at accommodations and have cancellable reservations at both Bella Venezia and Corfu Mare until we sort out what we think we want. However...since we will have a rental car, should we spend a couple of nights elsewhere on the island, or stay put in Corfu Town and take day trips from there?

The island is not that big...
It would be better to stay in Corfu Town and do day trips..
Corfu Town in the evening, with the Spianada and all the small streets ( kantounia as we call them in Corfu) is a delight....

I know both hotels that you have booked...
Bella Venezia is just 2 minutes away from Spianada ( Esplanade) the central square of Corfu), while Corfu Mare would require a car ride to get to the centre...
Bella Venezia is moderate, while Corfu Mare more upscale... but i would personally choose the first one, as being in the city is what i personally like..
Cavalieri is another hotels located directly at Spianada, even though rooms might be a bit dated.... but the location is unbeatable.

"...I could travel with you!"

Fourfortravel - I would love that!

Smart move choosing Corfu - In Paris, May is chock-full of holidays and "ponts" (3 to 4 day weekends) when people go on their "practice" vacations (while waiting for the real ones) and participate in protest marches which disrupt traffic and other things.

If the sun cooperates - which isn't always the case in Paris in May - you won't have to worry about swimming, just find a nice terrace and enjoy yourself.

I wish Fodors had a way to connect the trip report to an earlier request for travel help. Small problem, I know.

But, in lieu thereof, here is our trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...an-getaway.cfm

<i>Small problem, I know. </i>

Maybe but it is a big of enough annoyance that it's worth complaining about.