Travel with Laura Coffey through Greek Myth with Enchanted Islands, a magical story of love, loss and the real-life islands that inspired the oldest travel story of all time…
A lyrical odyssey about love, loss and Greek myth, Enchanted Islands is a new book that weaves together Laura’s experience navigating heartbreak and grief with her quest to map the real-life islands that inspired the wanderings of Homer’s epic hero, Odysseus. Stephen Fry called it “magical and captivating – hugely recommended” It’s not remotely academic, and you don’t need to know anything about Greek myth to enjoy it.
“If you love memoir and Greek mythology this is a delight. Coffey escapes a grim and lonely pandemic for volcanos and orange-blossom brioche, kingfishers and tales of Circe. But life lies ready to sting, like the Medusa jellyfish she encounters on her evening swims. A spellbinding book about growing up, grieving and the Gods” ― Clare Pollard, author of Delphi
Stanfords fans will love this book because it blends together travel and maps, two of our favourite things. And interestingly none of the islands Laura visited were in modern-day Greece. You’ll need to read the book to find out where she went…
As well as being an author, Laura Coffey is a freelance travel writer with a new addiction to cold water swimming and an old addiction to adventure. She loves to write about the wild beauty of the places she visits and the people she meets as she roams through the world. She writes regularly for national and international magazines and newspapers, like BBC Travel, The Guardian and Condé Nast Traveller.
Here are some of her travel tips:
Three Enchanting Islands to visit in the Med this summer or autumn:
- Menorca – this is low-key compared to wild Ibizia or better-known Mallorca. The ‘minor island’ relatively wild still and boasts an incredible selection of beaches to choose from from rocky coves to soft white sand. I spent months walking all the way around the island on its ancient Camí de Cavalls footpath but it’s split into sections and you can just do part of it by foot, horse or mountain bike. The island is great for bird watching and also has some unique prehistoric archeological structures which I found fascinating. The food scene here is very good because there’s an emphasis on ‘zero kilometer’ produce, which means ingredients are seasonal, local and full of flavour.
- Sicily – I loved staying in Cefalù a little fishing town on the north coast and also island hopping in the tiny Sicilian Aeolian islands. Top tip: try and visit Sicily at the end of summer or early autumn when it’s still warm but not boiling hot. It’s far less crowded and much better value – if you’re going to the Aeolian islands check ahead as lots of places close in September but I think it’s particularly lovely then.
- Korčula – this island has arguably an even prettier old town than the famous one in Dubrovnik, made by Venetian colonists the pretty streets are set out in a fish bone pattern. Allegedly the home of Marco Polo, it makes for an easy day trip over from Dubrovnik, or stay for a few days to properly explore. Pupnatska Luka is a particularly pretty beach, voted one of the best in all of Croatia. There’s good varieties of local wine made here too, my favourite was Grk made by Zure vineyard. The island stays lovely until October – from November it can be quite stormy.
Travel tips
- Hire a bicycle instead of a car – I love cycling around new places – it’s far less stressful than hiring a car, and less tiring than walking everywhere. On a bike you can see more, and to me there’s nothing like the freedom of two wheels and it’s a lovely way to get to know a place.
- Pack a microfiber towel – I swim in the sea all through the winter and always have one of these with me. While it’s perhaps less luxurious to use than a regular towel, it’s lightweight, dries quickly and is durable. Mine has lasted years and come everywhere with me. I like the XL size to wrap around me after a freezing dip
- Wear hiking boots on the plane – save the weight and space in your suitcase. I’m a big fan of Salewa gear because their boots fit so well and are so thoughtfully designed
- Bring a journal – I know, journalling sounds one of those stupidly annoying self-care practice but I bring my notebook everywhere – on long hikes and to the seaside. It doesn’t weigh much and it’s far nicer to scribble on paper than to tap notes on your phone. I follow Julia Cameron’s‘morning pages practice which is freeing because it’s about writing whatever you want and not stopping to criticise yourself. You don’t have to write well, your only goal is just to finish three pages. And you have to write long hand instead of typing – I resisted this for years but apparently it fires the brain in a different way to touch typing. I use A4 Europa notemaker ones which are simple and cheap – no need for anything fancy.
- Get a proper map and draw on it – there’s nothing like a real paper map and it’s far safer when you’re hiking to bring one with you. I like to draw my route in and annotate it – it’s a lovely reminder of where I went and what I saw, and can easily be cut out and added to an album. Far more tangible than google maps and signal is not always reliable in the mountains.
Enchanted Islands: Travels through Myth & Magic, Love & Loss (Summersdale, £16.99), available now.
Follow Laura on L_J_Coffey on instagram or Laura__Coffey on X (Twitter)
STANFORDS EVENT
Join us on Tuesday 7th May 19:00 to hear Laura talk about Enchanted Islands.
