Greece is the word

The taxi driver clearly didn't believe us. He had spent much of the journey from Corfu airport to the north east of the island telling us how he preferred rain to sun and city streets to sand, so my insistence now that our villa was down an un-made road on a near-deserted beach was clearly beyond his comprehension.

Who on earth would want to spend their holiday in such seclusion, gazing at the blue Ionian Sea from the flower-festooned veranda of their holiday villa and waking to the sound of the sea lapping on the shore?

Well, we did. Or rather, I did, because I was the one who had arrived at Villa Varvara with a suitcase full of novels and bottles of suncream. My son Mark, on the other hand, had brought flippers (divers insist on calling them fins) and goggles (mask) and wasted no time in introducing himself to the team at Corfu Divers in nearby Kassiopi. They proved particularly good at tailoring their offerings to individual requirements, from those looking for a snorkelling tour to experienced divers seeking a night dive.

Mark, who is PADI-qualified, explored the reef off the coast several times, then went down 32m to a wreck site with the centre manager, returning with tales of metre-high urns on the seabed.

Not to be outdone on the adventure front, and in spite of my week-long appointment with the sunbeds in the villa's pretty courtyard, I went to the Corfu Riding Centre in nearby Avlaki for the chance to explore this unspoilt corner of the island from the saddle.

T he centre, in a tranquil, 300-year-old Venetian olive grove, was set up by local man Dimitri with the help of English riders Fred and Alison. Dimitri is passionate about the ecology of the area – it has many rare trees not found elsewhere on the island, for instance – and extends his ethics to the horses themselves, all of which are rescue animals. My ride was Leon, an ex-Serbian carriage horse, and he and his companions seemed remarkably content and gentle.

"It's a second lease of life for them," explained Fred. "They repay us with their kindness."

The rides are off-road and well- organised, with everyone carefully assessed to ensure a good match for ability and height. Young non-riders were hand-led.

We meandered along tracks fragrant with myrtle and bright with autumn berries towards a deserted beach. The banks were dotted with the pale lilac flowers of saffron crocuses. Locals seeking the prized spice gather them to harvest each flower's orange stigma.

While riding, I learned about Dimitri's Restaurant, another string to this entrepreneur's bow, which is a 10-minute drive from Villa Varvara. Door-to-door return transport to both there and the horses is all part of the service.

The restaurant is literally hooked on to the steep slope above Kalami Bay where the Bond film For Your Eyes Only was shot and where Gerald and Lawrence Durrell's house still stands – both My Family and Other Animals and Black Olives were written there. This means there are spectacular views out over the sea to Albania, but even better is the sense of genuine Greek hospitality inside.

Dimitri's neighbours were dining there when we visited, and we felt included in that informal grouping, and listened with them to the host and other local musicians playing authentic Corfiot tunes. The food is light, creative and a world away from taverna fare. It has been described as "nouveau Greek cuisine", and that sums it up well – home-grown ingredients and local, fresh, seasonal produce are simply yet imaginatively combined to produce the likes of delicious flame-grilled swordfish and mussel souvlaki, skewered with rolls of bacon and served on a bed of basmati rice.

Food was a highlight of our trip, not least because of the magnificent hamper awaiting us in our villa on arrival. Further provisions were available from the mini-market about 10 minutes' walk away. For those like us without a car, the owners are happy to deliver shopping (and shoppers, if required).

By day, nearby Kassiopi can be reached on foot through a pretty olive grove in about 20 minutes, and also by road. The town is all things to all people, with traditional tavernas, restaurants including a Chinese and cafes offering traditional English breakfasts jostling for space on the main street. There are also shops selling hand-made goods such as rugs and olive wood bowls, artists' studios and pharmacies, while the pretty, horse-shoe-shaped harbour is dotted with cafes and bars.

We took a boat trip from the harbour to Old Corfu Town – just 16 euros for a 90-minute mini cruise along the island, then several hours to explore the town's shops, castle and many fine eateries. On the way the captain pointed out various landmarks including a villa owned by millionaire financier Nat Rothschild and used as a holiday home by Prince Charles and Camilla.

I think, though, for all that building's glamour, I preferred our little hideaway villa. Novelist Erica James might agree – she started her writing career at Villa Varvara about 10 years ago, and instead of arriving with a suitcase full of novels, left with one – her own.

Factfile

Greek island villa specialist CV Travel offers a week's stay at Villa Varvara from £420-£720 per person, based on four sharing and including return Gatwick flights, transfers, maid service and a welcome food hamper. Tel: 020 7401 1026; www.cvtravel.co.uk

Corfu Divers PADI Dive Centre, Kassiopi, Corfu. Tel: +30 26630 81038 or +30 6946 821138, email: info@corfu-divers.com; website: www.corfu-divers.com

Corfu Riding Centre, Avlaki, Kassiopi, Corfu. Tel: +30 6977 399481 or +30 6973 328513; email: holidaysin@dimitriscorfu.gr website: www.corfuhorseriding center.gr

Dimitri's Restaurant, Vlachatikia, Gimari, 49083 Corfu. Tel (for transport and reservation): +30 26630 91172 or +30 6977 399481; email: holidaysin@ dimitriscorfu.gr website: www.dimitriscorfu.gr