new to san stefanos

[neill]

hi . my family & I,wife & 2 girls aged 12 & 14 years old are going to san stefanos for first time on 6 August for 2 weeks.

Wonder if anyone could be so kind as to offer some advice on 1 or 2 subjects- not sure what to do cash wise as normally use a euro travel money card but for some reason got ripped off last yr in Tenerife so don't want to use it again & have heard there is only 1,not always reliable cash machine in San stefanos, thought I would take mixture of few hundred cash(euros) & few hundred sterling travellers chqs & use my debit/credit cards for the rest. Is this best option cos deffo don't want to carry massive amounts of cash as normally spend around 2k for fortnight?  How many Tavernas/restaurants are there in the village & can you generally pay for meals/shopping by debit/credit card or do some only take cash. 

We have hired car through San stefanos travel & would like to know what roads are like & is it easy to get around & are there plenty petrol stations? Planning on maybe visiting Paleokatistra, Kassiopi & few other places & taking in a boat trip whilst out there.

Any help/advise much appreciated. 

[don]

The roads are disgusting this year. Great swathes of tarmac have disappeared from the road running to Arilas and this is a main route into the village.

[Jimbo]

There are also some drivers who are insane even by Greek standards. Joe (Little Prince Bar) had to ride his scooter off road into a tree last night on his way down to watch the footy. Scooter damaged, nasty bruise on Joe's shin. Driver overtaking on the wrong side of the road round a blind bend.

[Gavlah1973]

Not been (yet!) but a lot of regulars have said that a percentage of Tavernas have stopped taking cards. Either by saying that they dont or claiming that the card machine is broken.

Since the economic downturn, cash is king!

[Waspman]

Don't worry, The Romanza still accepts debit and credit cards with no 2% commission

[lisak123]

we fly out to ss on the 2nd aug,this is our 4th visit since discovering the village 12 months ago,we always take cash cos the cashpoint never works,i would never feel uneasy about carrying lots of cash in this village as everybody is so friendly and nice,we have never had 1 problem with anything in the last year

[Gordonc]

The road to Arillas is indeed bad this year and you should drive over it with extreme care. The condition of the roads on the island had worsened in general this year and they do always seem to be better to the south of Corfu Town, there is a north/south divide on the island!

That said, getting around is quite easy and once you're used to it you'll start to enjoy the driving. Take care going through villages as roads can narrow without much warning and you can easily meet a coach or a truck coming the other way. Why would you want to rush anyway as there's so much to see. There are petrol stations close by, one either side of Avliotes for starters but petrol this year was expensive, around 1.60 euros a litre and not necessarily cheaper towards Corfu Town. Prices in June.

We also hired a car this year from SS travel and the car came from the car rental place in the centre of the village which we have also used before. Absolutely no problems with the cars on any of our visits.

Should have said that signposts can sometimes be a bit elusive if you're heading towards Corfu Town, not bad heading back north. Buy a good map at the paper shop beside Teresa's shop as the one supplied with the car lacks a bit of detail. Also the main thing to watch out for is potholes as some of these can be on the deep side!!

Otherwise with a normal level of care and awareness, you should enjoy the experience.

[tonyco1]

Hi Neill, I just published this in the other post Car Hire and Driving,
Here is a copy which may help you.

Driving - I have re-produced below, some driving info I published a while back - good tips!
It's the route from Airport to S S - but the principle holds firm for driving anywhere in Corfu.
The trick in Corfu is to plan routes via villages. Get a Map and Drive "Village to Village - then next village" following the road on the map, until a junction,
then note next village on your route, and you won't get lost!
The route below is a good example;

There is two, even three alternative routes the taxis/Coaches take you these days from the Airport to SS.
1) My favourite  via Arrilas. Quickest and reasonable journey.
2) Via Sidari and avliotes - slightly longer but better sign posted, some narrow villages and bendy narrow mountain roads.
3) follow main road following signs for initially, Roda and Sidari, (by-passing) Roda, via Karoussades, Sidari Avliotes.
I'll stick with these.
Leave the Airport, at "T" junction turn Right, (you should have a map from the hire Co.) you need to take a left turn and go ahead -
To complicated to give exact directions, find your way out of town looking for Gouvia.
So - follow signs for Gouvia , then Limni.
you are heading for the road (that passes the road towards the Harbour - on your right)
It's a dual Carriageway (not many of those on Corfu) -
and also on your right you will note you are running along the coastline for a while.

After Limni, look for Gazatika (and general signs for Sidari & Palaiokastritsa) - you will turn right at a big "T"-junction).
At this "T"-junction (it should be signposted Sidari & Roda), turn right - then after 30 metres, the road goes sharp left & you will be driving up a "mini-mountain" one of the higher points of Corfu, and by-passing Skripero (on your left), through Troumpettas village (top).

As you descend the other side, after the double bends, (just before Kastellani village), there is another "T"-Junction sharply to the right, {this is the way the Coaches Go} (option 3)
Now decide your route!!
Option 1). You would not go right at the T"-Junction, carry on straight through Kastellani village, and turn right at the next "T"-Junction.
(Sign-posted Agros & Sidari).
At Agros village, Turn very sharply to the left (not towards Sidari), and follow the road, (follow signs for Arillas ), via Aspiotades, Manatades, Dafni, Termenades, Armenades, Kavadades, (by-pass)-Magoulades (on right) -  drive into Arillas -
at "T" junction (Cash Machine - before sea front) turn right - Follow Road up hill, turn left, (before BP Garage),
Follow main Road, Turning right at next "T"-Junction, follow road - welcome to San Stefanos!

Option 2). Again, You would not go right at the T"-Junction, carry on straight into Kastellani bear right and simply follow signs for Sidari, then as below from Sidari.
a harder route roads not so good.

(option 3) - Starting back to descending the mountain, Turn sharp right, at the "T"-Junction, (just before Kastellani village),
{this is the way the Coaches Go}
it's much longer, distance & time, but better roads. It goes via the road to Roda initially, then Sidari, follow signs for Acharavi, (by-passing) Roda, via Karoussades, Sidari, Avliotes then into San Stefanos.
 
Sidari is partially one way system now - follow road through Sidari - as you leave Sidari 1/2 Kilometre, turn Left then immediately turn right after 30 metres. (straight on is sign-posted Peroulades). Follow signs for Avliotes, watch out for sharp bends, slowly through village, then follow main road to left for San Stefanos. 10 mins drive now.
This is probably your easiest route, road wise, but a much longer drive.