The Rough Guide to the Ionian Islands: Kefallonia-Corfu-Ithaca-Lefkas-Paxos-Zakynthos (Rough Guide. Ionian Islands)

Rating:
Summary: A perfect counterpart to Lawrence Durrell's Prospero's Cell
Review: John Gill is no Lawrence Durrell, but this is not necessarily bad. While it is highly unlikely that anybody will show any interest in this guide 60 years after its publication, I have to admit that it is quite useful now. Having just returned from a two-week holiday with friends on Corfu and Paxos, I can confirm that we put the guide to good use. It contains the usual blend of the descriptions of attractions, historical information, an occasional topical articles (like The Ionian School of Painting), and of course practical information.

As for practical information: the author himself admits that the situation with ferries changes from one year to another, so you have to check it yourself. Most ferry companies have their own Web sites nowadays, and you can also make reservations there. The yearly inflation rate in Greece is about 5%, which you have to take into account when comparing prices in the guide with the actual ones. As for kafenios and tavernas - use your own sense. Recommending or - rarely - advising against some taverna can be useful sometimes, but sticking strictly to your guidebook without looking around, you are no different than the rest of the tourist crowd, are you?

And one thing is clear: Mr. Gill doesn't like tourists, especially British tourists. Neither do I (I don't sport any preferential dislike for any nationality, though), nor probably do you, or you would be booking your package holiday in Kavos or Ipsos instead of reading this guide. The attitude of "travellers" towards "tourists" is snobbish in its own way, and if you are put off by it, you probably won't like this guide. If you do consider yourself a traveller rather than a tourist, though, then the Ionian islands might be a good destination for you. I don't remember seeing any McDonald's joint there, so the charming idyllic picture might not be completely lost yet. And, speaking of idyllic pictures, Durrell's autobiographic Prospero's Cell, describing his years on Corfu before WWII, might be a perfect counterpart to this guide.