Corfu has drawn painters for centuries; Edward Lear lived on the island in the mid-nineteenth century and painted it again and again. San Stefano Estate gives a painting group a Venetian manor of 1782 to work from, with views and subjects in every direction and the whole estate to themselves.
Subjects from the door
- The view east from the balcony across the Corfu Channel to the mountains of mainland Greece, changing from dawn to dusk
- Five acres of olive, orange and lemon groves around the house
- The weathered stone and shutters of an eighteenth-century manor and its garden
- Benitses below, a fishing village with its harbour and marina
- Hill villages above, reached on foot by mountain trails from the gate
Room to work
Groups paint on the balcony, in the gardens and by the infinity pool, and the saloni, which runs the full width of the house, is a large, light room for critiques and for wet days. The dining room seats ten for long lunches between sessions.
Further afield
Corfu Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its Venetian fortresses, arcades and pastel streets, is twenty minutes away. We can arrange a driver for the group for days out.
For your group
- Five bedrooms sleeping up to twelve: three double bedrooms (two with super-king-size beds), two twin rooms and a day bed in the library
- More rooms at the family’s converted olive press in Benitses, or nearby
- A local cook on request, so the day can be spent painting
- Exclusive use: no other guests on the estate
Spring and autumn bring the clearest light and the quietest weeks. Send us your dates and group size and we will reply within 24 hours.
Other group stays
Yoga retreatsYoga retreats at a private estate in CorfuSunrise over the mountains of Epirus, practice among the citrus trees, and the whole estate to your group.Read the guide
Cooking groupsCooking holidays in a Corfu farmhouse kitchenA big kitchen table, a wood stove and Corfiot recipes, with markets and tavernas a short drive away.Read the guide
WeddingsPlanning a wedding at a Venetian manor in CorfuFrom an intimate ceremony to a celebration for 120, with the whole estate to yourselves.Read the guide
Walking groupsWalking holidays in Corfu from the front doorTrails into the hills start at the gate: hill villages, the Empress’s palace and lookouts over the sea.Read the guide
WritingWriting retreats in Corfu, in the Durrells’ islandA library, a balcony over the sea and long quiet days, on the island the Durrells wrote about.Read the guide
PhotographyPhotography holidays and workshops in CorfuSunrise over the mountains, golden evenings on the sea, and a house that film crews and fashion shoots still choose.Read the guide
NatureBirdwatching and botany holidays in CorfuSpring flowers, migrating birds and Gerald Durrell’s island, from a private estate among the groves.Read the guide
WellnessWellness and meditation retreats in CorfuQuiet groves, an infinity pool and sunrise over the mountains, with the estate to your group alone.Read the guide