The local supermarket offers a good range of fresh local produce. Just bring a bottle - an empty one - to sample its home-made wine at a bargain price. Roda has grown from a quiet fishing village into a pleasant resort with a long sand-and-pebble beach and safe bathing. It's an easy place to chill out but there are watersports, pony trekking and excursions for those who can only take so much sun-bathing and relaxation. By night, Roda has some seriously lively bars which stay open 'til the early hours.
Jump on a boat and take a trip to the stunning sandy beaches of Erikoussa island or hit Corfu Town for sightseeing and shopping. The coastal road to Kassiopi - with olive trees on one side, jagged rocks over the sea to the other and the forbidding coast of Albania looming in the distance - provides a spectacular and dramatic car or bike ride. Meander down to Agnos beach on a sunny pony trek through country lanes and olive groves. Step back into old world Greece with a walk through the hills to the villages of Sfakera, Platanos and Nymphes. Or stroll along the nudist beach to Almyros.
If your holiday coincides with one of Roda's summer festivals, do try to get along. Theyare held in the nearby villages of Nymphes, Karousades and Episkepsi with details advertised on posters around town. There are plenty of good places to eat in Acharavi, mostly found on the main street, but you don't have to wander much further to find Romeo's on the road leading to the beach and Whispers and Hole in the Wall on the old village road. It may be big but beachside restaurant Maistro is far from impersonal and the fresh fish makes it well worth a visit.
Traditional Greek dishes like stifado (a slowcooked Iamb casserole) and swordfish steak top the menu at the family run Nautilus restaurant which also boasts a boat-shaped bar. This place is a favourite with children - the swings, see-saws and giant ice-creams make sure of that. A varied menu with everything from fresh lobster to souzoukakia (Greek meatballs) and mezedes (small plates of delicacies including squid taramasalata and humus) makes The Pumphouse a good place for a blow out at reasonable prices. Bootleggers' serves excellent pizzas in a friendly atmosphere. For Greek food cooked as the Greeks themselves like it. try the traditional taverna Drosia's. Look out for the enormous chargrilled steaks and powerful tzatziki (a cucumber, yoghurt and garlic dip). The Gallery is run by an English couple who pride themselves on their cooked breakfasts. Overlooking the sea, they also have a range of reasonably priced snacks. The owner of New Port is known as 'The Captain', a larger than life character who makes dining here an experience. With gentle jazz and a sea view of the Albanian coastline, it's a pleasant spot to tuck in to Greek and international dishes.
Nikos Bar is the perfect chill-out zone-friendly but peaceful. There are no frills at Pancalos, a simple, old-fashioned taverna housed in Roda's oldest building. Even so, the experience is memorable - sit at one of the tables on the balcony overlooking the sea and enjoy the freshest sole, lobster or giant prawns yowl l ever taste. You'll have a laugh at Roda Park - owners Steve and Kostas will see to that - but you'll also find excellent Greek cuisine including mezedes, a lovely dish made up of pork, ham, cheese and mushrooms in wine sauce and tender chicken baked in a parcel with potatoes. It's in the Old Town. Listen to the waves break on the beach as the sun sets at Roda Star, popular for its charming staff, well-cooked and reasonable food. The Tropicana has toasties, sausage sandwiches and pizza and the best Sunday lunch.
In Archaravi the main focus of evening are based around the local tavernas and bars. However, there are z discos in the area for those who wish to carry on the Greek Party. There's a twice weekly Greek evening at the Taverna Palm Tree where Dinos makes sure the fun - as well as the food and drink - never stop. Time your meal at Valentine's just right and you can watch the sun set over the sea as you enjoy polished service and high quality food.
The nightlife in Roda consists of a few small discos and a plethora of music bars, which are open until the early hours. Emma and husband Shaun are always ready with a smile and a joke-making Cheers a friendly place to while away an evening. It's in the old village. Greek law dictates that clubs can't play loud music after a certain time but this doesn't matter at The Drunken Sailor. Its soundproofing is so effective, it simply shuts its doors and turns up the volume anyway. One of the liveliest clubs in Roda, where you can dance 'til dawn.
The British-run pub, Maggie's Place, plays cool 1960s music and serves great bar meals as well as home-made cream teas in the afternoon. Its trivia quizzes are a big hit with the 30-plus crowd. You'll see Greek dancers literally playing with fire at Mistral's, a bar which adapts to match the needs of holidaymakers as the day unfolds. By day, it serves snacks and shows films. In the evening cocktails are its trademark. At night it becomes a buzzing dance bar. Small and cosy, the Roundabout Bar at the Roda cross-roads is popular with families