# Corfu Town Walking Route: From the Liston to Campiello > A self-guided Corfu Town walking route from the Liston and Old Fortress to Saint Spyridon and Campiello, with timings, tips and what to look for. URL: https://theauthenticgreece.com/corfu-town-walking-route/ Last updated: 2026-10-20 --- The best Corfu Town walking route starts under the arcades of the Liston, crosses the Spianada to the Old Fortress, then threads north through the lanes past Saint Spyridon and the Town Hall square before climbing into Campiello, the oldest and most tangled quarter. It covers roughly 3 to 4 km, takes about two hours at an easy pace (half a day with stops), and needs nothing more than comfortable shoes and a bottle of water. ## Quick facts - **Distance:** roughly 3 to 4 km on foot, mostly flat with some steps in Campiello - **Time needed:** 2 hours walking, 4 to 5 hours with a museum and a long coffee - **Best time:** early morning (before 10:00) or late afternoon from May to October; any time of day in spring and autumn - **Start and finish:** the Liston arcade on the Spianada; finish at the Old Port below Campiello - **Good for:** first-time visitors, architecture lovers, anyone with a free morning before a ferry - **Status:** the Old Town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007 ## Why walk Corfu Town rather than tour it Corfu Town is compact, and most of its character sits in the *kantounia*, the narrow paved lanes that are too tight for cars. A road train or a bus tour shows you the Spianada and the seafront; only walking gets you into the stepped alleys where washing hangs between Venetian-era houses and tiny squares open up around a well or a church. UNESCO inscribed [the Old Town](https://theauthenticgreece.com/corfu-old-town/) for its fortifications, designed by Venetian engineers to hold off the Ottomans for around four centuries, and for its dense, mostly neoclassical housing. You see both on this route. The walk below is a loop in spirit but not in practice: it ends at the Old Port, a 10 to 15 minute stroll back to the Spianada along the seafront road if you need to return to your starting point. ## Stage 1: The Liston and the Spianada Start at the Liston, the long arcaded terrace on the western edge of the Spianada. It was designed by the French imperial commissioner Mathieu de Lesseps and completed in 1807, during the brief French rule of the Ionian Islands, and it was modelled on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris. The name is usually explained as a reference to the list of noble families once allowed to stroll here. Today it is lined with cafes, and the arcades give shade at almost any hour. Coffee on the Liston is not cheap, and you pay for the setting. If you want one sit-down stop on this walk, this is the place for a *freddo espresso* or a *tsitsibira*, the ginger beer that Corfu inherited from the British. Otherwise, walk the length of the arcade and keep going. The Spianada itself, the large open square and park in front of the Liston, was originally a cleared field of fire for the Venetian garrison. Its northern part, the grassy expanse right in front of the Liston, is a cricket pitch, one of the clearest traces of the British period (1814 to 1864). Corfu is the one place in Greece where cricket has a real following, and on summer weekends you can stand under the trees and watch a match. In the southern half of the square you will find the **Maitland Rotunda**, a small circular Ionic monument to Sir Thomas Maitland, the first British Lord High Commissioner, and the bandstand where the town’s philharmonic bands play on summer evenings. ### The Palace of St Michael and St George At the northern end of the Spianada stands the long colonnaded Palace of St Michael and St George, built between 1819 and 1824 to designs by the British officer George Whitmore. It was the seat of the Lord High Commissioner and later a royal residence. Today it houses the Museum of Asian Art, whose collection began in 1927 and grew mostly through donations. Even if you skip the museum, walk round to the back of the palace for the view over the sea towards Vido island and the mainland mountains. ## Stage 2: The Old Fortress Cross the Spianada to the bridge over the *Contrafossa*, the sea moat the Venetians cut to turn the old headland into an island. The water below now doubles as a small harbour for local boats. [The Old Fortress](https://theauthenticgreece.com/corfu-old-fortress/) beyond is a large, open site with ramparts, British barracks and the Doric-style church of St George, built by the British as a garrison church. A climb to the upper citadel takes 15 to 20 minutes and gives the best overview of the town you are about to walk through: the red roofs of the Old Town, the bell tower of Saint Spyridon, and the New Fortress to the west. Allow an hour here if you go in. Ticket prices and hours change by season, so check current details on site. On a very hot afternoon, do the fortress first thing and leave the shaded lanes for later. ## Stage 3: Into the lanes to Saint Spyridon Return across the bridge and walk back along the Liston, then turn into any of the lanes behind the arcades heading west. Within two or three minutes you reach the Church of Saint Spyridon, recognisable by its tall red-domed bell tower, the highest in town. The church was completed in 1589 and the bell tower added in 1620. Inside, in a silver casket in a side chapel, lie the relics of Saint Spyridon, the island’s patron saint, brought to Corfu in 1456. The relics are carried through the streets four times a year: on [Palm Sunday, Holy Saturday](https://theauthenticgreece.com/easter-in-corfu/), 11 August and the first Sunday of November. Each procession commemorates an event the islanders credit to the saint, including the lifting of the Ottoman siege of 1716. If your visit falls on one of these dates, the route below will be packed with brass bands and crowds, which is worth seeing but slow to walk through. Dress respectfully inside: shoulders and knees covered. Photography inside is often discouraged, especially during services. ### Nikiforou Theotoki and the shopping streets From Saint Spyridon, follow Nikiforou Theotoki Street, one of the main arcaded shopping streets. The ground floors are souvenir shops, jewellers and [kumquat liqueur sellers](https://theauthenticgreece.com/corfu-kumquat/), but look up: the upper storeys, with their faded ochre and pink plaster and green shutters, are the reason the Old Town feels Italian. Side streets off Theotoki lead to small squares with plane trees and cafes that are noticeably cheaper than the Liston. ## Stage 4: Town Hall Square Head south-west through the lanes towards Plateia Dimarchiou, the Town Hall Square. The square slopes gently and is framed by some of the town’s most important buildings. The Town Hall itself began life in the 17th century as a Venetian loggia for the nobility and was later converted into the Teatro San Giacomo, for generations the town’s opera house, before becoming the municipal building. Opposite and above it stands the Catholic Cathedral of Saints James and Christopher, a reminder that Corfu still has a resident Roman Catholic archbishop alongside the Orthodox metropolitan. The square has a couple of good restaurants with outdoor tables. It is quieter than the Liston and makes a sensible lunch stop if you started late. ## Stage 5: Up into Campiello From the Town Hall Square, work your way north towards the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral, the church of Panagia Spiliotissa, which sits at the top of a broad flight of steps above the Old Port. It holds the relics of Saint Theodora, an empress revered for her role in restoring icons. Beside and behind it begins Campiello, the oldest part of the walled town. Campiello is where the walk earns its keep. The lanes narrow, climb and double back; buildings rise four or five storeys because space within the walls was always short; and the only sounds are televisions, birds and the occasional moped. There is no single correct path. A good rule is to keep the sea on your right as you head north and west, and to follow any stairway that looks interesting. ### Kremasti and its well Look for Kremasti, a small square around a carved Venetian well head, with the little church of Panagia Kremasti beside it. It is one of the quietest and most photographed corners of the Old Town. Nearby, on Arseniou Street along the old sea walls, is the **Antivouniotissa Museum**, set in a late 15th century timber-roofed basilica with a gilded carved ceiling. It holds around 90 icons from the 15th to 19th centuries, including work by Cretan painters such as Michael Damaskinos and Emmanuel Tzanes, who passed through Corfu on their way to Venice. In 2026 it opens 08:30 to 15:30 and closes on Tuesdays, with a full ticket at around 5 euros; check before you go, as hours change. ## Stage 6: The sea walls and the Old Port Arseniou Street runs along the top of the old sea walls, known locally as Mourayia, with views across to Vido island and the Albanian coast on a clear day. Follow it west and drop down to the Old Port, where small ferries leave for Vido. If you still have energy, the New Fortress rises just behind the port; it is a steeper climb than the Old Fortress and is not always open, but the gate with the Venetian winged lion of St Mark is visible from the street. From the Old Port, the walk back to the Spianada along the seafront takes 10 to 15 minutes. ## Practical tips - **Shoes:** the paving is polished smooth by centuries of feet and gets slippery, especially after rain. Trainers beat sandals. - **Heat:** in July and August, start before 09:00. The lanes of Campiello stay shaded, but the Spianada and the Old Fortress are exposed. - **Cruise days:** when several cruise ships are in port, the Liston, Saint Spyridon and Theotoki Street get crowded from mid-morning. Campiello stays relatively calm regardless. - **Getting lost:** it will happen. The Old Town is small enough that walking downhill always brings you to the sea or the Spianada. - **Parking:** do not try to drive into the Old Town. Park outside it, for example near the New Port or the Old Fortress, and walk in. - **Museum days:** several state museums close one day a week (often Monday or Tuesday). If a particular museum matters to you, check before you set the date. - **Evening version:** the same route works at dusk, when locals do their *volta* along the Liston and the lanes of Campiello are lit by wall lamps. Skip the fortresses, which close earlier. ## Shortening or extending the route With only an hour, walk the Liston, look into Saint Spyridon, and cut straight up through the lanes to Kremasti and back. With a full day, add the Museum of Asian Art in the morning and the Antivouniotissa Museum before it closes, then take a taxi or a local bus to Kanoni in the late afternoon for the view over Vlacherna monastery and Pontikonisi (Mouse Island). [Families with younger children](https://theauthenticgreece.com/corfu-with-kids/) may prefer to drop Campiello’s many steps and concentrate on the Spianada, the Old Fortress and an ice cream on the Liston. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How long does it take to walk around Corfu Old Town? The core route from the Liston to Campiello and the Old Port is roughly 3 to 4 km and takes about two hours at an easy pace. With a visit to the Old Fortress, a museum and a coffee, plan on half a day. ### Is Corfu Town easy to walk? Yes, the Old Town is compact and mostly flat around the Spianada and the shopping streets. Campiello has steps and uneven, polished paving, so wear shoes with grip and take care after rain. ### What is Campiello in Corfu? Campiello is the oldest quarter of Corfu’s walled town, on the slope between the Metropolitan Cathedral and the sea walls above the Old Port. It is a maze of narrow stepped lanes, tall houses and small squares such as Kremasti, with its Venetian well. ### When are the Saint Spyridon processions in Corfu Town? The relics of Saint Spyridon are carried through the town four times a year: on Palm Sunday, Holy Saturday, 11 August and the first Sunday of November. Expect bands, large crowds and closed streets on these days. ### Can you do a guided walking tour of Corfu Town instead? Yes, licensed guides run walking tours of the Old Town, and they are useful if you want the history explained as you go. The route in this guide works perfectly well self-guided, since the town is small and hard to get seriously lost in. ## Frequently asked questions ### How long does it take to walk around Corfu Old Town? The core route from the Liston to Campiello and the Old Port is roughly 3 to 4 km and takes about two hours at an easy pace. With a visit to the Old Fortress, a museum and a coffee, plan on half a day. ### Is Corfu Town easy to walk? Yes, the Old Town is compact and mostly flat around the Spianada and the shopping streets. Campiello has steps and uneven, polished paving, so wear shoes with grip and take care after rain. ### What is Campiello in Corfu? Campiello is the oldest quarter of Corfu's walled town, on the slope between the Metropolitan Cathedral and the sea walls above the Old Port. It is a maze of narrow stepped lanes, tall houses and small squares such as Kremasti, with its Venetian well. ### When are the Saint Spyridon processions in Corfu Town? The relics of Saint Spyridon are carried through the town four times a year: on Palm Sunday, Holy Saturday, 11 August and the first Sunday of November. Expect bands, large crowds and closed streets on these days. ### Can you do a guided walking tour of Corfu Town instead? Yes, licensed guides run walking tours of the Old Town, and they are useful if you want the history explained as you go. The route in this guide works perfectly well self-guided, since the town is small and hard to get seriously lost in.