The Durrells Filming Locations in Corfu + Tour
Visit the real Corfu filming locations from The Durrells - Danilia, Kalami, Agni and more. Self-guided map plus guided tour options and how to book.
Few TV shows have sold a destination like **ITV's *The Durrells*** sold Corfu – all sun-bleached bays, olive groves and that irresistible 1930s island life drawn from Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals. The good news for fans: the Corfu of the series is real, and you can visit the filming locations for yourself. This guide maps the key spots, offers a self-guided route, and covers the guided Durrells tours (by boat and road), plus where to stay and how to book. We're the Corfu-based team behind Corfu Discovery, and we know these northeast bays intimately.
It's a perfect pairing with our Kassiopi guide, the heart of "Durrell country". Browse bookable tours in our tours & activities listings.
The Durrells & Corfu's "Durrell country"
The real Durrell family lived on Corfu in the 1930s, and the naturalist Gerald Durrell immortalised those years in his Corfu Trilogy. The 2016–2019 ITV series (shown on PBS Masterpiece in the US) was filmed largely on the island's north-east coast – the stretch around Kalami, Agni and Kontokali – plus a purpose-dressed village set and locations in Corfu Town.
The landscapes are the real stars, and they've barely changed: this is some of the greenest, prettiest, clearest-water coastline in Greece. Part of the appeal of a Durrells trip is realising how little the place has been spoiled – the bays the family swam in are still the bays you swim in today.
Key filming locations
Danilia village (the Durrells' "house" set)
The family's various homes were largely created at Danilia, a private, beautifully preserved traditional village set near Gouvia used as a film location. It's not generally open to independent visitors, but it appears throughout the series and features on some organised tours.
Kalami & the White House
Kalami Bay is the emotional heart of Durrell country – the White House, where the Durrells (and author Lawrence Durrell) actually lived, still stands at the water's edge and is now a taverna and accommodation. The bay is idyllic, with crystal water and waterfront tavernas, and it's a wonderful place to swim and have lunch.
Agni Bay
A short hop from Kalami, Agni is a tiny cove famous for its three excellent waterfront fish tavernas – a classic Durrells-era lunch stop reachable by road, boat or the coastal path.
Corfu Town & Old Town spots
Scenes were also shot around the Corfu Old Town – the Venetian lanes, the Liston and the fortresses standing in for 1930s town life. Walking the lanes after watching the series is a real "I know this place" moment.
Kontokali, Kassiopi & the northeast coves
Various bays and villages along the green northeast coast appear throughout – the kind of clear-water coves covered in our Corfu hidden gems guide.
Self-guided route + map
A great DIY day from the northeast or Corfu Town:
- Start at Kontokali/Gouvia (near Danilia) in the morning.
- Drive the coast road north to Nissaki, then down to Kalami to see the White House and swim in the bay.
- Walk or drive the short distance to Agni for a long taverna lunch.
- Continue to Kassiopi to explore the harbour and castle.
- Finish with a sunset back along the coast, or in Corfu Town.
You'll need a hire car (the coves are linked by winding roads) – or let someone else drive (see below). Plan logistics with our getting around Corfu guide and browse car rentals.
Guided Durrells tours (boat & road)
Prefer not to navigate? Two great options:
- Boat tours that cruise the northeast coast taking in Kalami, Agni and the filming bays from the water – often with swim stops. See our Corfu boat tours hub.
- Private road tours with a local guide who knows the locations and the back stories, including a pass by Danilia and time in the bays and Corfu Town – see our Corfu private tours guide.
| Tour type | Best for | Includes | Price band (pp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Durrells boat trip | Couples, fans, swimmers | Kalami/Agni by sea, swim stops | €€ (~€35–60) |
| Private Durrells road tour | Fans wanting depth & flexibility | Locations, stories, town | €€€€ (custom) |
| Self-guided (hire car) | Independent travellers | Your own pace | € (car + fuel) |
Browse Durrells-themed and northeast-coast tours in our tours & activities listings.
Where to stay for the Durrells fan
Base yourself on the north-east coast to be among the locations:
- Kalami – stay at or near the White House for the full immersion.
- Kassiopi – the prettiest village base, with hotels and villas and tavernas; browse our accommodation listings.
- Nissaki & Agni area – quiet, upmarket coves and villas.
- For Old Town scenes and city life, see our best hotels in Corfu Old Town guide.
Boat vs road: which way to see the locations?
There are two great ways to tour Durrell country, and they suit different travellers. By boat, you cruise the northeast coast and see Kalami, Agni and the filming bays from the water – the way the Durrells themselves often travelled – usually with swim stops in coves you couldn't reach by car. It's relaxed, scenic and brilliant in summer heat. By road, a hire car or a private guide gives you access to the inland angles, a pass by the Danilia set near Gouvia, the Old Town scenes, and the freedom to linger over lunch in Agni or climb to the Kassiopi castle. Many fans do both – a boat day for the bays and a road day for the wider story. If you can only choose one and it's high summer, the boat wins on comfort and swimming; out of season, the road tour wins on flexibility.
Make a half-day or a full week of it
The locations cluster tightly enough for a satisfying half-day, but Durrell country rewards a longer stay. Base yourself in Kassiopi or Kalami and you can swim the bays each morning, lunch at a different waterfront taverna each day, and weave in a boat trip, a jeep safari up Pantokrator and an evening in the Old Town where the town scenes were shot. It turns a TV-inspired day out into a genuinely lovely northeast-coast holiday – which is rather the point, since the family fell for this corner of Corfu in the first place.
How to book & plan
- Easiest: book a group Durrells boat trip or northeast tour from our tours & activities listings.
- Best for fans: a private Durrells tour tailored to the locations you love, with hotel pickup – see our Corfu private tours guide.
- DIY: hire a car and follow the self-guided route, booking lunch at Agni ahead in peak season.
Round out your trip with our Corfu day trips and things to do in Corfu guides.
When to go and what to bring
Durrell country is at its best from late spring to early autumn, when the bays are warm for swimming and the tavernas at Kalami and Agni are in full swing. June and September are ideal – warm, clear water and fewer crowds than midsummer. If you're touring by boat, mornings are usually calmest for the crossing between coves; if by road, an early start beats both the heat and the day-tripper traffic on the narrow coast roads. Bring swimwear and a towel (the whole point is swimming in those Durrells bays), sun protection, comfortable shoes for the Kassiopi castle and coastal paths, and a camera – the light on this coast is gorgeous. Book a table at Agni ahead in peak season, as the famous tavernas fill quickly. Whether you come for the TV connection or simply for the scenery, this is one of the loveliest corners of the island to spend a day or a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim at the Durrells filming locations?
Yes – and you should. Kalami, Agni and the surrounding northeast coves have some of the clearest, calmest water on the island, perfect for swimming and snorkelling. Many Durrells boat tours include swim stops, and self-guided visitors can swim straight off the bays between sightseeing.
Is the White House at Kalami open to visitors?
Yes – the White House, where the Durrells lived, operates today as a waterfront taverna with accommodation above. You can eat there and soak up the setting, and rooms can be booked for a true Durrells-fan stay, though they're limited and popular in summer.
Where was The Durrells filmed in Corfu?
The Durrells was filmed mainly on Corfu's north-east coast – around Kalami, Agni, Nissaki and Kontokali – with the family's homes largely created at the private village set of Danilia near Gouvia, plus scenes in Corfu Old Town.
Can you visit the Durrells house in Corfu?
The "house" was mostly the Danilia village set, which isn't generally open to independent visitors but features on some tours. However, the real White House at Kalami, where the Durrells lived, still stands and is now a taverna and accommodation you can visit.
Where is Kalami and the White House?
Kalami is a beautiful bay on Corfu's north-east coast, north of Nissaki and south of Kassiopi. The White House, the Durrells' real former home, sits right on the water and operates today as a taverna with rooms.
Is there a Durrells tour in Corfu?
Yes – you can take group boat trips that visit the filming bays like Kalami and Agni from the sea, or private road tours with a local guide covering the locations and stories. Self-guided visits by hire car are also easy.
How do I get to the Durrells filming locations?
The locations are spread along the north-east coast, linked by winding roads, so a hire car, a boat tour or a private guided tour works best. Kassiopi or Kalami make ideal bases, and Corfu Town is a short drive south.
Is it worth visiting the Durrells locations if I haven't seen the show?
Yes – even without the series, this is some of Corfu's most beautiful coastline, with clear-water coves, the lovely bays of Kalami and Agni, and the harbour village of Kassiopi. Fans simply get an extra layer of meaning.
Who were the real Durrells?
The Durrells were a British family who lived on Corfu in the 1930s. The youngest, Gerald Durrell, became a famous naturalist and conservationist and wrote about those years in his Corfu Trilogy, beginning with My Family and Other Animals; his brother Lawrence became a noted novelist. Their story inspired the ITV series The Durrells.
How long do you need to see the Durrells locations?
You can see the highlights – Kalami, Agni and a pass by the Danilia area – in a half-day by boat or road. But the northeast coast rewards a longer stay, so many fans base themselves around Kassiopi or Kalami for several days and combine the locations with swimming, boat trips and the Old Town.
