Kalami Corfu is an exceptionally picturesque bay on the north-east coast, famous as the place where writer Lawrence Durrell lived, in the White House, and loved for its white-pebble beach, turquoise water and relaxed charm, about 30 kilometres from Corfu Town. This guide covers the beach, the White House, the dining and how to visit. Plan the whole trip with Greece Tours.
Kalami blends literary history with great beauty, a tranquil gem of the wider Corfu tours and travel guide. It sits south of Kassiopi and north of Nissaki. The sections below cover the bay.
What is Kalami like?
Kalami is a tranquil bay on Corfu’s north-east coast, known for its white-pebble beach, clear turquoise water and relaxed charm. Linked to Lawrence Durrell’s White House, it draws visitors seeking scenery, swimming and literary history.
Kalami is one of the loveliest bays on the green north-east coast. A gentle crescent of white pebbles meets exceptionally clear, calm, turquoise water, framed by olive-clad hills and a scatter of villas and tavernas. The mood is understated and peaceful, far from the bustle of the big resorts, which is exactly its appeal. Above all, Kalami is famous as the home of the writer Lawrence Durrell, whose White House still stands at the end of the bay, giving the place a gentle literary fame that draws admirers of the Durrell family, set within the wider Corfu villages. The White House is the bay’s landmark.
What is the White House?
The White House is the bay’s most famous landmark, once home to author Lawrence Durrell, who lived here with his wife in the 1930s. It is now a taverna with rooms where visitors eat or stay.
The White House gives Kalami its story. The handsome white building at the southern end of the bay was the home of the British author Lawrence Durrell and his wife Nancy in the 1930s, a period when his younger brother Gerald, later the famous naturalist, was also part of the family’s Corfu years. Lawrence wrote his lyrical island memoir Prospero’s Cell here at Kalami. Today the White House is a much-loved taverna with rooms above, so visitors can dine on fresh fish by the water, or even stay, in the very house where the Durrells lived, set out alongside the guide to The Durrells in Corfu. The beach is a delight.
What is Kalami beach like?
Kalami beach is a long sweep of white shingle and pebbles with calm, clear water, ideal for swimming, snorkelling and safe paddling. It is well equipped, with sunbeds and umbrellas for hire and a line of tavernas along the shore.
The beach matches the beauty of the setting. A graceful curve of white pebbles and shingle slopes into water of remarkable clarity and calm, perfect for swimming, snorkelling and gentle paddling, with the seabed visible far out. It is comfortably organised, with sunbeds and umbrellas for hire and a string of fine tavernas lining the shore, several with showers and changing areas for their customers. The clear, sheltered water and the backdrop of green hills make it a memorable place to spend a day, and boat hire on the bay opens up the neighbouring coves, set out alongside the guide to Corfu beaches. There is more to explore nearby.
What can you do around Kalami?
Around Kalami you can hire a boat to explore nearby coves such as Agni and Kerasia, walk the coastal path that links Kalami with Kerasia and Agni, and dine at the north-east coast tavernas. The clear water suits snorkelling.
Kalami is a perfect base for the beautiful north-east coast. Hiring a small self-drive boat is a favourite way to discover the string of clear-water coves nearby, including foodie Agni and pretty Kerasia, mooring for a swim or a long lunch. On foot, a lovely coastal walk links Kalami with Kerasia and Agni, retracing the footsteps of the Durrells with sweeping sea views. The wider area is renowned for its waterfront tavernas, some of the best dining on the island, and for snorkelling in the gin-clear water. Together these make for relaxed, scenic days, set out alongside the guides to Agni Bay and Nissaki. Getting there is easy.
How do you get to Kalami?
You reach Kalami in about 50 minutes by car from Corfu Town, around 30 kilometres north along the coast road, with parking near the bay. The A4 Green Bus also connects Kalami with Corfu Town and Kassiopi.
Kalami is straightforward to reach on the north-east coast. By car it is roughly a 50-minute drive north from Corfu Town, around 30 kilometres along the beautiful coastal road through Barbati and Nissaki, with parking near the bay. The A4 Green Bus route runs a direct, dependable service linking Kalami with the capital and Kassiopi, so the bay can be reached without a car. Given the appeal of the surrounding coves, the coastal walks and the celebrated tavernas, however, a hire car or a boat adds useful freedom for exploring this lovely stretch of coast, set out alongside the guides to how to get to Corfu and Corfu car rental. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
When is the best time to visit Kalami?
The best time to visit Kalami is May, June and September, when the sea is warm, the weather settled and the bay quiet. July and August bring the warmest water and busiest tavernas, so arrive early.
Kalami rewards a visit across the long Ionian season, which runs from late spring to early autumn. May and June bring green hills, wildflowers and calm, clear water that is warming up nicely, with the tavernas open but the bay still uncrowded. September holds the warm sea of high summer while the peak-season crowds thin out, making it a favourite month for swimmers and walkers.
July and August are the hottest, busiest months, when the water is at its warmest and the north-east coast fills with holidaymakers. Arriving early secures parking, a sunbed and a shaded table at the waterfront tavernas. The sheltered position of the bay keeps the water calm even in the peak weeks, so swimming stays easy throughout.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kalami Corfu known for?
Kalami is known for its picturesque north-east bay of white pebbles and clear turquoise water, and above all as the place where Lawrence Durrell lived and wrote. The writer lived here in the 1930s, and the house is now a taverna with rooms by the beach.
Can you visit the White House in Kalami?
You can visit the White House in Kalami, where Lawrence Durrell lived in the 1930s. It still stands at the end of the bay and is now a taverna with rooms, so you can dine by the water or stay where the Durrell family lived, a genuine piece of literary history.
How far is Kalami from Corfu Town?
Kalami is about 30 kilometres north of Corfu Town, a scenic coastal drive of roughly 50 minutes. The A4 Green Bus also connects Kalami with Corfu Town and Kassiopi, so the bay is reachable with or without a car.
Is Kalami good for families?
Kalami suits families well. The white-pebble beach shelves gently into calm, clear water, giving children safe, easy paddling, while sunbeds, umbrellas and waterfront tavernas keep the day comfortable. The sheltered bay stays quiet, and boat hire lets families reach nearby coves such as Agni and Kerasia for a swim.