Villa Gaia Rock: perfect harmony in Corfu

Blend in with your surroundings at the new Villa Gaia Rock in Corfu.

Sun loungers
Villa Gaia Rock: serenity with nature
(Image credit: © Chris Carter)

Waking up at Villa Gaia Rock, a new luxury villa on the Greek island of Corfu, is a little like waking up between the pages of an interior design magazine. The objets d’art dotted around the master bedroom complement the overall “minimalism meets beach house” look. Outside the French doors, there are a couple of chairs and a little table turned towards the view. And behind those, there is an outdoor shower. But for the moment, the shutters are drawn and the room is dark. I slip on my sandals and wander out into the living room. There, framed by the floor-to-ceiling window and backlit by the blinding light of day, is the magnificent Ionian Sea. It is perfectly still. Even the boats are still, and the whole appears as in a painting.

I head into the galley kitchen, with its new induction hob and oven, grab a coffee from the bean-to-cup machine, and push through the doors onto the outside terrace – not forgetting my sunglasses along the way. There is a dining table, and beyond that a snug covered lounge area with stone-coloured cushions and minimalist rattan chairs arranged around a coffee table. In the corners hang speakers that you can connect to via your phone and listen to music in the warm evenings over coffee, and a chilled glass of the local kumquat liqueur. But for the moment, it is still morning, and the crickets are already up, serenading the arrival of the day and the heat it has brought with it. The cobalt sky heralds another hot day on the island.

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Chris Carter
Wealth Editor, MoneyWeek

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.

Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.

You can follow Chris on Instagram.