Last-minute Greek island getaways with Sunvil & GIC The Villa Collection

Sunvil and GIC The Villa Collection (GIC) have substantial last-minute savings for travel in May to some of their most lovely properties across the Greek isles. These include half term departures (beginning 27 May), and over the late May Bank Holiday (29 May). In date order:

20 MAY – 7 NIGHTS AT LOURDAS BEACH APARTMENTS, KEFALONIA – SAVE £371 PP WITH SUNVIL
In southern Kefalonia, just back from the middle of Lourdas’ fine beach, the Lourdas Beach Apartments are a popular choice owed in part to a magnificent infinity-style swimming pool. Offering exceptional value, these studio-style apartments are furnished in simple and typical Greek fashion. Each has a bedroom opening onto a terrace or balcony, air-conditioning, WiFi and a safety deposit box. The area is a laid-back little spot, and there are several restaurants within just a few minutes’ stroll.

Saving £371 pp, a seven-night self-catering stay is now £569 pp for two sharing a self-catering apartment, including flights (Manchester), 20kg hold luggage pp, and transfers. Alternatively, departing a week later, on 27 May, the cost is £809 pp from Gatwick, and £1,052 pp from Manchester.

22 MAY – 7 NIGHTS AT THEODORA APARTMENTS, PAXOS – SAVE £464 PP WITH SUNVIL
Each of the five spacious, first (top) floor Theodora Apartments, elevated on a hillside just behind the small but sophisticated village of Gaios, has a balcony overlooking the bay and the mainland mountains beyond. Hours can be lost around the attractive freshwater swimming pool, with sun beds and umbrellas on the surrounding terrace. The apartments each have air-conditioning, WiFi, TV, and a safety deposit box. Take a water-taxi from the nearby quayside to tiny Antipaxos for its sandy beaches and Caribbean-hued water.

Saving £464 pp, a seven-night self-catering stay is now £699 pp for two sharing a self-catering apartment, including flights (Manchester), 20kg hold luggage pp, and transfers. Alternatively, departing a week later, on 29 May, the cost is £949 pp from Manchester, and £969 pp from Gatwick.

22 MAY – 7 NIGHTS AT IRINI APARTMENTS, CORFU – SAVE £395 PP WITH SUNVIL
In western Corfu, 250m from a sandy beach and overlooking a pretty, Mediterranean garden, these properties have recently been fully refurbished and have air-conditioned bedrooms, WiFi, a room safe and a hairdryer.  The Irini Apartments occupy a surprisingly quiet location, despite being centrally situated in the village of Aghios Gordis – a place with charming tavernas and cafés, appealing shops, and gentle nightlife.

Saving £395 pp, a seven-night self-catering stay is now £599 pp for two sharing a self-catering studio, including flights (Manchester), 20kg hold luggage pp, and transfers. Alternatively, departing a week later, on 29 May, the cost is £819 pp from Manchester, and £829 pp from Gatwick.

26 MAY – 7 NIGHTS AT VILLA SELENE, ALONISSOS – SAVE £532 PP WITH GIC
One of the Sporades islands – a paradise on earth in the delightful Aegean Sea, where rare monk seals live in protected waters – Alonissos is an island where no-one is in a hurry. In the villages, white-washed houses and narrow-paved streets almost doze in the sun. At contemporary Villa Selene (sleeps two – five), an inviting pool and private grounds face the sea. There is quick access to walking trails, beaches such as Megalos Mourtias, and the nearby port of Patitiri offers boat hire for a trip along Alonissos’ magnificent coastline.

Saving £532 pp, a seven-night self-catering stay is now £799 pp for four sharing, including flights (Gatwick to Skiathos), 20kg hold luggage pp, ferry transfers and car hire.

28 MAY – 7 NIGHTS AT LIMONARI VILLAS, MEGANISSI – SAVE £245 PP WITH GIC
Meganissi is a misnomer. Greek for ‘Big Island’, in truth it’s tiny: just twenty square kilometres, encircled by sand and crystal-clear waters, with a population of just over a thousand people. One of ten islets off the Lefkada coast, it is untouched by mass tourism and is, put simply, exquisite. The Limonari Villas (sleeping two – five) – just metres from the sea and two small beaches, each with its own swimming pool and sea-facing terrace – are set on separate levels on an olive grove-clad hillside, one kilometre from the island’s sleepy capital, Katomeri.

Saving £245 pp, a seven-night self-catering stay is now £1,015 pp for four sharing, including flights (Gatwick), 20kg hold luggage pp, and car hire. Departing from Manchester on 28 May, the cost is £1,187 pp.

28 MAY – 7 NIGHTS AT ANTHILIA COTTAGES, SIVOTA – SAVE £377 PP WITH SUNVIL
Sivota is a lovely family resort right on the Ionian Sea. Here, two beautiful, brand-new, two-bedroom properties – the Anthilia Cottages (each sleeps four) – occupy a peaceful setting, with a choice of beaches nearby, and can be booked either individually or together. Boat excursions run from the nearby harbour to Paxos and Corfu. Enjoy a day out on a private sailing boat, a 4×4 off-road trip into the mountains, or watersports from Mega Ammos beach.

Saving £377 pp, a seven-night self-catering stay is now £699 pp for four sharing, including flights (Gatwick), 20kg hold luggage pp, and transfers.

29 MAY – 7 NIGHTS AT VILLA ICARUS, CORFU – SAVE £328 PP WITH GIC
Only a 15 to 20 minute drive from Corfu Town – arguably one of Greece’s most elegant towns, with a strong sense of both Venice and Paris – Villa Icarus (sleeps two – eight) is a completely renovated four-bedroom property with a private swimming pool, set in a quarter of an acre of olive trees within a hamlet. Beaches are very accessible – sandy on the west coast and pebbly to the south-east. The Holy Monastery of Vlacherna is also within easy reach. Here, boats can be hired from the taverna-lined waterfront from which there are views to the impossibly pretty Mouse Island.

Saving £328 pp, a seven-night self-catering stay is now £780 pp for eight sharing, including flights (Manchester), 20kg hold luggage pp, and car hire. Departing from Gatwick on 29 May, the cost is £855 pp.

29 MAY – 7 NIGHTS AT KALAMI BAY, CORFU – SAVE £367 PP WITH SUNVIL
Kalami Bay is one of the prettiest hamlets on the north-east coast of Corfu. The Kalami Bay apartments all have panoramic views over the pool and the sea towards the Albanian coast. The beach and village are no more than a minute or two’s walk via a small path, where you will find four atmospheric local tavernas, a café-bar, a pair of mini-markets (one will deliver), and a couple of small bars.

Saving £367 pp, a seven-night self-catering stay is now £550 pp for four sharing a one-bedroom apartment, including flights (Gatwick), 20kg hold luggage pp, and transfers.

29 MAY – 7 NIGHTS AT THE OLIVE PRESS, PAXOS – SAVE £464 PP WITH GIC
The Olive Press (sleeps two – four) is a centuries-old property close to the pretty port of Gaios, in the unspoilt south of the island. Romantic in every sense, and with a lovely private swimming pool, it’s perfect for two couples, or groups of four friends, with its two en suite bedrooms. An open-plan living area allows you to cook and chill out together in the evening, and an enclosed, beautifully-lit patio creates the perfect environment for al fresco meals.  (Or try out one of the two excellent tavernas just a short stroll away…)

Saving £464 pp, a seven-night self-catering stay is now £695 pp for four sharing, including flights (Gatwick), 20kg hold luggage pp, transfers from Corfu, and car hire. Departing from Gatwick on 29 May, the cost is £855 pp.

To book one of these special offers, or to speak with one of the expert team, contact Sunvil on 020 8568 4499 (www.sunvil.co.uk), or GIC on 020 8232 9780 (www.gicthevillacollection.com).

** Alternative departures are available from regional airports.

All Sunvil and GIC holidays include flights (with hand luggage and 20-23 kg of hold luggage per person included as standard). London and regional departure options also available.  All ground transportation (transfers, car hire, boat connections, etc.), and the services of an experienced local representative, are also included in the price.  Sunvil and GIC representatives live in the area year-round, have raised families in Greece and have an enviable depth of knowledge about their regions.

All holidays are protected by bonds with ATOL and ABTA – and Sunvil is proud to have received the much-coveted Which? Recommended Holiday Provider status for 2023.

Notes to Editors:

About Sunvil:  Award-winning holiday specialist Sunvil (www.sunvil.co.uk) has pioneered many fascinating destinations in its 53-year history and has been at the forefront of environmental initiatives and good practice, protecting its destinations and ensuring that local people benefit from tourism, since 1988 – 35 years ago.

About GIC The Villa Collection (GIC): GIC (www.gicthevillacollection.com) is a member of the Sunvil family and is also a keen and longstanding proponent of sustainable travel. With over 50 years’ experience, GIC is one of the UK’s leading independent villa specialists, offering villa escapes, most with a private pool, on the Greek islands of Corfu, Paxos, Antipaxos, Lefkas, Meganissi, Ithaca and Kefalonia (the Ionian isles), Alonissos, Skopelos and Skiathos (the Sporades) and Crete, as well as the Western Peloponnese, on mainland Greece, and Cyprus.

New Sunvil and GIC destinations for 2023 include Croatia and Castilla y Leon in NW Spain.   

Press: For further information, press trip opportunities with GIC or Sunvil or high-res photography, please contact Jane Collyer or Sue Ockwell at Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 / 07585 780076 or 07831 126 356, or email j.collyer@travelpr.co.uk or s.ockwell@travelpr.co.uk.