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Corfu is the Greek island that confuses the categories. It's green in a way the Cyclades are not. It has Venetian architecture in a way the Dodecanese don't. It has food with Italian inflections that you won't find in any other Greek island kitchen. And it has a cultural layering — Venetian, French, British, then Greek — that gives it a complexity and richness that the bleached-white postcard version of Greece doesn't prepare you for.
The beaches are also exceptional. The west coast cliffs and turquoise coves produce photographs that look unrealistic. Myrtiotissa is consistently listed among the most beautiful beaches in Europe. Paleokastritsa, with its six connected bays and monastery on the promontory, is the island's signature landscape.
This guide covers everything worth doing, organized for practical planning. For accommodation, see Where to Stay in Corfu and Best Hotels in Corfu. For a custom itinerary, use our AI Trip Planner. For context on where Corfu fits among the Greek islands, see our Corfu Travel Guide.
Corfu Old Town (Kerkyra)
Type: UNESCO historic town
Time needed: Half day to a full day
Cost: Free to explore; individual sites €4–8
Best time: Early morning for the old town lanes; evening for the Liston
Corfu Town is the most architecturally beautiful town on any Greek island. The claim requires no qualification. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the experience of walking through it — especially in the narrow kantounia (lanes) of the Venetian old town — feels less like being on a Greek island and more like being in a small Italian city transported to the Ionian coast.
The Liston — the grand French arcade facing the Spianada, the largest square in Greece — was modeled on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris and built during the brief French occupation of 1807–1814. The cafés beneath the arcade have been serving Corfiots their morning coffee since Napoleon's engineers finished the building. They still do. Sitting at a Liston café at 9am, watching the town wake up across the largest open square in Greece, is a specific Corfu pleasure.
The Old Fortress, a Venetian citadel jutting into the sea on a rocky promontory, is surrounded by a moat and connected to the town by a bridge. The panoramic views from the top — across the old town, the harbor, and the mountains of Albania beyond — are among the best views in the Ionian. The New Fortress (still centuries old, despite its name) on the northwest corner of the town is more accessible and less visited, with a small market and restaurant scene developing in its restored interior spaces.
Behind the main tourist routes, the old town has churches worth finding: the Church of Agios Spyridon (Corfu's patron saint, whose silver-encased mummy is paraded through the streets four times a year), the Catholic Cathedral of Saint James on the Liston, and dozens of small Orthodox chapels wedged into the lanes.
Good to know: Corfu Town has no beach of its own — swimming spots (Faliraki, Mon Repos) are close but modest. The town is best as an evening and morning base, with beach days taking you elsewhere. For dinner, walk away from the harbor front — one street back into the old town finds better food at lower prices.
Best for: Every visitor to Corfu. Do not skip the old town for beach time.
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Paleokastritsa
Type: Coastal scenery and beaches
Time needed: Full day
Distance: 26 km northwest of Corfu Town
Best time: Early morning before tour buses; September–October for emptier coves
Paleokastritsa is Corfu's most famous natural landmark and fully earns its reputation. A cluster of six interconnected bays on the northwest coast, backed by forested cliffs and dotted with rocky islets, produces water colours that seem digitally enhanced but are entirely natural. The turquoise deepens to sapphire as you move away from the shore. Some coves are sandy, some pebble, some accessible only by small boat.
The Monastery of Theotokos sits on a promontory above the bays — white-walled, surrounded by gardens, with panoramic views that justify the climb. Below, glass-bottom boat trips run between the coves and a sea cave complex that glows an electric blue in the morning light. The boat trip (€10–15, 30 minutes) is one of the best short excursions on the island.
The village of Lakones, perched on the mountain above Paleokastritsa, has the single best viewpoint on the island. The road up is narrow and winding. The view down — through cypress and olive trees to the turquoise coves below, with nothing but open Ionian Sea beyond — stops people mid-sentence every time.
Good to know: Paleokastritsa is crowded in July–August. Go early or in shoulder season. The main beach is organized with sunbeds; for a quieter experience, take a boat from the main beach to one of the smaller coves — the boatmen are informal and inexpensive.
Best for: Every Corfu visitor. This is the island's signature experience.
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Myrtiotissa and the West Coast Beaches
Type: Beaches
Time needed: Half to full day
Highlights: Myrtiotissa, Glyfada, Agios Gordios
The west coast of Corfu faces the open Ionian Sea and produces the island's most dramatic beach scenery. Long sandy crescents, towering cliffs, hidden coves accessible by boat, and sunset views over uninterrupted ocean make this side of the island fundamentally different from the sheltered east coast.
Myrtiotissa is consistently cited as one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe — small, sandy, backed by sheer green cliffs, and accessible only by a steep 15-minute path or by water. Lawrence Durrell called it "perhaps the loveliest beach in the world." Partly a nudist beach (though in practice mixed). Very limited parking — arrive early or walk from the road. The beauty is extraordinary.
Glyfada is the most popular west coast beach: a long, wide crescent of golden sand with organized sunbeds, clear water, and a beach bar. Beautiful, well-serviced, and crowded in peak season — best on weekday mornings.
Agios Gordios is a long sandy beach backed by dramatic cliffs, with a village that has retained more character than some of the more developed resorts. The Pink Palace hostel here is famous in backpacker lore. Good for body-surfing on windier days.
Good to know: West coast beaches have bigger waves than the sheltered east coast — better for adults and older children than for toddlers in the water. The sunset views from any west coast beach are the best on the island.
Best for: Beach lovers, sunset chasers, surfers, photographers.
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The Northeast Coast: Kassiopi, Kalami and Agni
Type: Village and beach exploration
Time needed: Full day
Distance: 35–40 km northeast of Corfu Town
Highlights: Durrell country, crystal-clear coves, exceptional tavernas
The northeast coast of Corfu is where the island shows its most refined face. The stretch from Barbati north through Nissaki, Kalami, and Agni to Kassiopi is a succession of small pebble and rock coves backed by cypress-covered hillsides, with Albania visible across the narrow strait. The water here is some of the clearest in the Mediterranean, sheltered from open-sea waves by the mainland mountains opposite.
This is Durrell country. Lawrence Durrell lived in the White House in Kalami in the 1930s and wrote Prospero's Cell here. His brother Gerald roamed this coastline as a child naturalist in My Family and Other Animals. The landscape hasn't changed much. The White House is now a taverna and simple guesthouse with a few rooms above the water — staying there, or just eating lunch on its terrace with the sea below, is a specific pleasure.
Agni Bay has three legendary waterfront tavernas — Nikolas, Toula's, and Agni — all worth a visit. The bay is accessible only by a small road or by boat. Lunch at one of these tavernas, with your feet near the water, is one of the best meals available on the island.
Kassiopi at the northeast tip is the largest settlement on this coast — a fishing village with a Venetian castle ruin, a harbor lined with tavernas, and a relaxed pace that makes it a good base for the northeast.
Best for: Couples, repeat visitors, swimmers who love clear water, Durrell fans, travelers wanting peace over party.
Book a northeast coast boat trip on GetYourGuide
The Achilleion Palace
Type: Historical palace and gardens
Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
Distance: 10 km south of Corfu Town
Cost: €7
The Achilleion Palace was built in 1890 by Empress Elisabeth of Austria — Sisi — who chose Corfu as her retreat from the obligations of the Habsburg court. After her assassination in 1898, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany bought it and used it as his own summer residence until the First World War. The palace was subsequently a casino (as seen in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only, filmed here in 1981) and is now a museum.
The palace itself is an eccentric neoclassical structure decorated almost entirely with statues of Achilles — Sisi's obsession with the hero is the architectural theme throughout. The gardens are the real reason to visit: terraced down a hillside with olive trees and sea views, they contain a famous bronze Achilles with spear raised, dominating the terrace with one of the best views of the southern Ionian coast.
The story of Sisi — the Empress who fled Vienna to Corfu repeatedly, who learned modern Greek, who walked the island alone against protocol, and who was eventually assassinated by an Italian anarchist in Geneva — is one of the more extraordinary personal histories attached to any building in Greece. The museum tells it reasonably well.
Good to know: The palace is accessible by bus from Corfu Town. The gift shop is exactly what you'd expect. The gardens justify the entry even if the palace itself is modest.
Best for: History lovers, architecture enthusiasts, fans of the Sisi films and TV series, anyone with children old enough to appreciate a palace story.
Book a Corfu highlights day tour including the Achilleion on GetYourGuide
Paxos and Antipaxos (Day Trip)
Type: Island day trip
Getting there: Boat from Corfu Town, Benitses, or Kavos (1–1.5 hours)
Cost: Day trip approx €40–55 including boat
The day trip to Paxos (and especially Antipaxos) is the best single day available from Corfu, and one of the best island day trips available anywhere in the Ionian.
Paxos is a small, gently hilly island — the third smallest inhabited island in Greece — covered in ancient olive groves and containing one of the most charming harbours in the Ionian at Gaios. The Blue Caves on the northern coast, accessible only by small boat, glow an electric blue that makes the Capri Blue Grotto look modest.
Antipaxos, a 30-minute boat ride from Paxos, has beaches — Voutoumi and Vrika in particular — with water clarity and turquoise intensity that belongs in the Caribbean, not the Mediterranean. The sand is white and soft. The water is warm. There is almost nothing there except the sea and a couple of tavernas. It is extraordinary.
Day trips run from multiple Corfu departure points in summer and include both islands. Book in advance — these sell out in peak season.
Good to know: The water at Antipaxos is best in the morning before the tour boats arrive. Day trip itineraries typically spend 2 hours at Antipaxos and 1–2 hours at Paxos. If you want more time on Paxos, it's worth an overnight stay. See our Paxos Travel Guide.
Best for: Every Corfu visitor. The Antipaxos water alone justifies the trip.
Book a Paxos and Antipaxos day trip on GetYourGuide
Corfu's Interior: Olive Groves and Hilltop Villages
Type: Scenic drive and village exploration
Time needed: Half day
Highlights: Pelekas, Doukades, Sinarades, Lakones
Corfu has an interior that most visitors never see — an estimated four million olive trees, hilltop villages with views over both coasts, traditional kafeneions where time appears to have paused, and a landscape that Lawrence Durrell described as "the garden of the gods." A half-day drive through it, even without a specific destination, produces experiences that beach-only visitors miss entirely.
The village of Pelekas sits on a ridge offering views over both the west coast and the Corfu plain. The so-called "Kaiser's Throne" — a lookout point above the village used by Wilhelm II for sunset watching — has an extraordinary 360-degree panorama. The village square has a good traditional taverna.
Doukades and Sinarades are two of the best-preserved traditional villages on the island — stone houses, narrow lanes, village churches, and the kind of quiet that implies the 21st century hasn't arrived yet. Sinarades has a small folk museum in a traditional Corfiot house.
The drive through the interior also passes through the lemon and kumquat groves that make Corfu's agricultural landscape distinctive. Kumquat liqueur is the island's signature souvenir and genuinely good — not sweet in the way most fruit liqueurs are.
Best for: Drivers, travelers on second or third visits, anyone who wants the island beneath the beach-and-harbor surface.
Food and Where to Eat in Corfu
Corfu has the most distinct food culture of any Ionian island, shaped by four centuries of Venetian rule and the Italian culinary influence that came with it. You'll find dishes here that exist nowhere else in Greece.
The essentials: Pastitsada (pasta with braised meat in tomato sauce and spices — specifically cinnamon and cloves) is the defining Corfu dish. Sofrito (veal or beef in a white wine, vinegar, and garlic sauce) is equally Venetian in its bones. Bourdetto (spicy fish stew with red pepper) completes the canon. None of these appear on Greek island menus elsewhere. Finding them on a Corfu menu is the point.
Breakfast culture: Corfu has a stronger café culture than most Greek islands. The Liston arcade in Corfu Town is the place for a morning coffee — expensive by Greek standards, but the setting justifies the premium once. For the local alternative: any kafeneion in the old town backstreets serves the same coffee for a third of the price.
For evening dining: The old town streets running away from the waterfront harbor better food at lower prices than the harbor-front tavernas. Splantzia-adjacent lanes in Corfu Town are the local recommendation.
For Corfu-specific dishes: Ask specifically for sofrito and pastitsada — they're not always on menus but almost always available if requested. These are dishes that require advance preparation and won't appear on every menu every day.
Full recommendations in our best restaurants in Corfu guide.
Book a Corfu food and culture tour on GetYourGuide
Corfu Activities: Quick Reference
Activity | Type | Cost | Time Needed | Best Season
Corfu Old Town | Historic / UNESCO | Free | Half–full day | Year-round
Old Fortress | Historical site | €8 | 1.5 hr | Year-round
Paleokastritsa | Beach / scenery | Free | Full day | May–Oct
Myrtiotissa Beach | Beach | Free | Half day | May–Oct
Glyfada Beach | Beach (organized) | Free–€10 | Half–full day | May–Oct
NE Coast: Kalami / Agni | Village / beach | Free | Full day | May–Oct
Achilleion Palace | Museum | €7 | 1.5–2 hr | Year-round
Paxos & Antipaxos | Day trip | ~€45 | Full day | May–Oct
Interior villages | Scenic drive | Free | Half day | Year-round
Practical Tips for Corfu
Getting there. Corfu International Airport (CFU) is 2 km south of Corfu Town — one of the shortest airport-to-town distances in Greece. Direct flights from most major European cities operate seasonally; year-round connections via Athens (1 hour). Ferry from Igoumenitsa (mainland) takes 1.5 hours; from Italy (Brindisi, Bari, Ancona) for travelers combining Italy and Greece. See our Italy and Greece trip guide.
Getting around. A car is essential. Corfu is 60 km long and varies from 2 to 30 km wide. Without a car, you'll see a fraction of what makes the island worth visiting. Roads are generally good on main routes, narrow in the mountains and old town areas. Parking in Corfu Town is limited — use the Spianada or the New Port car park and walk. Rental is available at the airport and in Corfu Town.
When to visit. May–June and September–October are the ideal months. Corfu is further north than the Cyclades, so its climate is milder — July and August are warm (30–35°C) but not as extreme as Crete or Rhodes. Spring is spectacular: wildflowers, green everywhere, uncrowded beaches. Easter on Corfu is legendary — the island's celebrations include pot-throwing from balconies on Holy Saturday, marching bands, and midnight processions that are among the most dramatic in Greece.
How many days. Four to five days is ideal for Corfu: two beach days (west coast one day, northeast another), one day for Corfu Town, one day trip to Paxos and Antipaxos, and one day for the interior and Achilleion. Three days works if focused. A week in Corfu with exploration of the south coast and inland villages is not too much for the island's variety.
Corfu versus other Ionian islands. Corfu is the most culturally rich of the Ionian islands and the most architecturally distinct. For beach-focused travel with more dramatic scenery, Kefalonia and Lefkada are strong alternatives. For a direct comparison, see our Corfu vs Crete guide. For where Corfu sits among all Greek islands, see best Greek islands for families and best Greek islands to visit.
FAQs about things to do in Corfu
What are the best things to do in Corfu for first-time visitors?
Start with a morning in Corfu Town — Liston, old fortress, old town lanes — then drive to Paleokastritsa in the afternoon for the famous coves. On day two, take the day trip to Paxos and Antipaxos (book in advance). On day three, drive the northeast coast via Kalami, Agni, and Kassiopi for lunch at a waterfront taverna. On day four, hit the west coast beaches — Myrtiotissa and Glyfada. That's a near-perfect four-day Corfu itinerary.
Do I need a car in Corfu?
Yes, strongly. Corfu is a large island and the best things to do — the west coast beaches, the northeast coast villages, the interior, Paleokastritsa — are all inaccessible without a car. Buses cover the main routes but are infrequent and don't reach the hidden coves. Rent a car for at least three days of your stay.
What are the best beaches in Corfu?
Myrtiotissa for raw natural beauty (steep path, mixed nudist, extraordinary cliff setting). Paleokastritsa for turquoise coves and boat access to smaller bays. Glyfada for an organized, sandy, well-serviced beach. Agios Gordios for a dramatic backdrop and body-surfing on windier days. On the northeast coast, the pebble coves at Kalami, Agni, and Barbati for crystal-clear sheltered water.
Is the Paxos day trip worth it?
Absolutely. The water at Antipaxos is genuinely extraordinary — some of the clearest, most intensely coloured water in the Mediterranean. Paxos harbour and the Blue Caves add variety to the day. This is the best single day trip from Corfu and worth booking as soon as you confirm your dates, as boats fill quickly in July–August.
What is there to do in Corfu Town?
Walk the UNESCO old town lanes at dawn. Coffee at the Liston. The Old Fortress for the panoramic view and the story. The Church of Agios Spyridon — the most important church on the island. The New Fortress for the views and the emerging cultural scene inside. Dinner in the old town backstreets for sofrito and pastitsada, the island's Venetian-influenced dishes. The cricket on the Spianada on Sunday mornings in season.
Can I combine Corfu with other Greek islands?
Yes, though the Ionian Islands are less well-connected by ferry than the Cyclades. Paxos is an easy day trip. Kefalonia and Lefkada are reachable but require planning. The best combination is Corfu plus the Greek mainland — ferry to Igoumenitsa and drive south through Epirus and the Peloponnese for an excellent road trip. See our Greece road trip guide.
Plan your Corfu trip
- Corfu Travel Guide — complete Corfu guide
- Where to Stay in Corfu — areas, neighborhoods, hotels
- Best Hotels in Corfu — recommendations at every budget
- Best Restaurants in Corfu — where to eat
- Corfu Tours — guided tours and experiences
- Paxos Travel Guide — the best Corfu day trip
- Kefalonia Travel Guide — the Ionian alternative
- Zakynthos Travel Guide — third major Ionian island
- Lefkada Travel Guide — beaches-focused Ionian island
- Best Greek Islands to Visit — Corfu in context
- Best Greek Islands for Families — Corfu ranks highly
- Italy and Greece Trip — combining Corfu with Italy by ferry
- Greece Road Trip — Corfu to Peloponnese by car and ferry
- Greece Itinerary 10 Days — fitting Corfu into a broader Greece trip
- How to Plan a Trip to Greece — complete planning guide
- Is Greece Expensive? — honest cost breakdown
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