Villa Posillipo in Corfu: The Durrells Filming Location

Villa Posillipo is one of the most remarkable villas in Greece because of its history and unique location. The house is on the east side of the island of Corfu and was built before 1760 next to the Venetian Harbor and Arsenal. The villa looks over the Bay of Corfu, where in the past it could watch Corfu’s Channel in case attackers were coming towards the port. In 1880, after the Ionian Islands united with Greece, a Greek nobleman bought the property and it has stayed in the family for 5 generations as a country house.

Villa Posillipo Charm

Villa Posillipo is found on a large plot with plenty of green space and seafront woodlands. it has undergone a conservation project that revived its genuine old-world character. The villa features antiques and contemporary furniture. Today the owners are proud to share Posillipo with all the guests, who enjoy the historical seafront location.

In the Area

In the area immediately surrounding Villa Posillipo, you can walk to several bars and shops in under 10 minutes. Also very near is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Corfu Town, with its unique historic sights, churches, and nightlife. For beaches, locals like to visit Kontokali, Gouvia, Spiaggia Bianca, Dassia and Ipsos. If you drive up the coast, you can visit the small villages of Kalami and Aghios Stefanos, as well as the beaches of Avlaki and Kassiopi.

As The Durrells Filming Location

Villa Posillipo was used as the location of the filming of the BBC movie My Family and other Animals, which follows the life of the Durrells family and their adventures in Corfu. It was also the filming location of four years of the famous British TV series The Durrells, a comedy that made the Durrells' story well-known worldwide. The Producer and Artistic Director visited the venue and chose the location for its authenticity and representation of the old landscape of Corfu. The TV series is known for highlighting the individuality and eccentric nature of the family, who were always engaged in their own adventures, writing, and travel (not to mention their exotic animals.) The most iconic photos from the series are of the Durrells family sitting submerged in the sea, eating lunch just above water. A warm thank you to the Durrells series producer, Christopher Hall, as well as the photographers for offering these behind-the-scenes photos for use in the article.

Meet the Durrells

The Durrells family is made up of Louisa Durrell, the mother, the four kids – Lawrence, Leslie, Margo, and Gerald. They were all were born in India and moved to Bournemouth, England as a family when their father died.

Lawrence (Larry) Durrell

Lawrence, a novelist and screenwriter known for his book Alexandria Quartet, was the first to move to Corfu, and the rest of the family soon followed suit. He wrote 18 novels and 6 travel books based on his travel experiences, as well as humor books, poetry, essays, and screenplays. He was once nominated for a Nobel Prize. When Lawrence Durell moved to Corfu, he was newly married and sought to find somewhere remote. He moved to the north of the island of Corfu with his wife Nancy and wrote his newest novel The Black Book (1938).

Gerald (Gerry) Durrell

On Corfu, when he arrived at 10 years old, Gerald was known for keeping local animals as pets, and he ran wild on the island. The young boy also made friends with Theodore Stephanides, a poet, doctor, and philosopher who became his mentor. Gerald says that his love of wildlife comes from his time with Theodore, when they collected animals. He eventually worked for zoos and even started his own zoo called the Durrell Wildlife Park because he did not like how animals were treated elsewhere. Gerald Durrell is known as an author and wrote the bestselling Corfu Trilogy. Among the titles are: My Family and Other Animals and then followed by Birds, Beasts and Relatives and The Garden of the Gods.

Margaret Durrell

Margaret was the middle child and also developed a love for the island. While living there, she fell in love with a RAF pilot. She married him in 1940 and then fled during the war to South Africa. Margaret later moved to Bournemouth, but always considered Corfu her home. She ran a boarding house in Bournemouth and wrote a book called “Whatever Happened to Margo?” This book retold stories about her curious guests, her love story with a trombone player, and visits from her brother Gerry Durrell with his troupe of exotic animals.

Visiting Corfu

You can reach Corfu either by plane (The airport on Corfu offers international flights) or by ferry from Greece's western port cities. If you plan to visit or stay at Villa Posillipo, you will need to rent a car. Historical Sights on Corfu include the Old Town of Corfu (a UNESCO site), Spianada Square, Agios Spyridonas Church, and the famous Pontikonisi. The Achilleion Palace and Panagia Palaiokastritsa Monastery are also worth visiting if you leave Corfu town.