The best things to do in Corfu include exploring the UNESCO-listed Old Town, taking a boat to the sea caves at Paleokastritsa, climbing to Angelokastro, swimming at Kalami on the north-east coast and taking a day trip to Paxos. Corfu also offers the Achilleion gardens, Mount Pantokrator and Butrint in Albania.
The best things to do in Corfu combine a day in the UNESCO-listed Old Town with time on the island’s very different coasts: the cliffs and sea caves of Paleokastritsa on the west, the clear pebble coves of the north-east and the dunes around Lake Korission in the south. Add a palace, a ruined Byzantine castle, a mountain-top monastery and boat trips to Paxos or Albania, and a week fills quickly. Here are 25 ideas, grouped by area so you can plan them into days.
Quick facts
- Time needed: a week to do around half of this list comfortably
- Best time: May to June and September for sightseeing and walking; July and August for sea temperatures
- Getting around: a hire car opens up most of the list; buses reach the main sights
- Base: Corfu Town for culture, the north-east or west coast for beaches
- Good for: history, swimming, walking, boat trips and food
Corfu Town and around
1. Get lost in the Old Town lanes
Corfu’s Old Town, listed by UNESCO in 2007, is a maze of narrow kantounia between tall Venetian-era houses. The Campiello quarter, between Saint Spyridon and the old sea walls, is the most atmospheric part. Go early in the morning, before cruise passengers arrive, and simply wander.
2. Coffee on the Liston, cricket on the Spianada
The arcaded Liston, built under French rule and modelled on the Rue de Rivoli, faces the Spianada, regularly called the largest square in Greece. Order a coffee or a local ginger beer under the arches and, on summer weekends, watch a cricket match on the grass, a legacy of half a century of British rule.
3. Visit the Church of Saint Spyridon
Completed in 1589, the church holds the relic of the island’s patron saint, whose silver casket is paraded through town four times a year. The painted ceiling and hanging silver lamps are remarkable. Dress modestly and be respectful of worshippers.
4. Climb the Old Fortress
The Venetian Old Fortress sits on a promontory cut off from town by a sea moat. Climb to the lighthouse for the best view over Corfu Town and across the strait, and look into the British-built Church of St George. The New Fortress, above the ferry port, is a quieter second option. Our Old and New Fortress guide covers both in detail.
5. See the Museum of Asian Art
The colonnaded Palace of St Michael and St George, built for the British Lord High Commissioner, now holds an unexpected collection of Chinese, Japanese and other Asian art. The state rooms alone make the visit worthwhile, and it is a good choice for a hot afternoon.
6. Meet the Gorgon at the Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum in Garitsa is small but holds one of the most important pieces of Archaic Greek sculpture: the Gorgon pediment from the Temple of Artemis, dated to around 590 to 580 BC. Allow about an hour.
7. Walk the Mon Repos estate
South of town, the wooded park of Mon Repos surrounds a villa built for the British High Commissioner Sir Frederick Adam around 1830. Prince Philip was born here in 1921. The villa houses the Museum of Palaiopolis, and paths through the estate lead past excavated remains of the ancient city of Palaiopolis.
8. Watch planes at Kanoni
The viewpoint at Kanoni looks down on the white Vlacherna monastery, reached by a causeway, and the tiny wooded islet of Pontikonisi, or Mouse Island, with its chapel. Planes landing at the airport pass low overhead, which makes this a favourite with families. Small boats run out to Pontikonisi in season.
9. Explore the Achilleion gardens
Empress Elisabeth of Austria built the Achilleion at Gastouri in the early 1890s. The palace interior is closed for a long restoration, but the gardens, statues of Achilles and terraces with views back to Corfu Town are open. Blue city bus 10 runs there from town.
The west coast
10. Spend a day in Paleokastritsa
Paleokastritsa’s small bays have some of the clearest water on Corfu. Take a boat from Alipa harbour into the sea caves, swim at Agios Petros or Ampelaki, and walk up to the monastery on the headland, which tradition dates to 1225. Arrive early in July and August.
11. Climb to Angelokastro
Above the village of Krini, the ruined Byzantine castle of Angelokastro sits on a cliff about 300 metres above the sea. It resisted Ottoman sieges in 1537 and 1571. The walk up from the ticket office takes about 15 minutes, and the views along the west coast are outstanding. It is closed on Tuesdays and in winter.
12. Watch sunset from Pelekas
The hill village of Pelekas, inland from Glyfada, has a lookout known as the Kaiser’s Throne, where Wilhelm II is said to have come to watch the sun set. On a clear evening you can see across the island to both coasts.
13. Swim at Glyfada and Myrtiotissa
The west coast below Pelekas has long sandy beaches backed by cliffs. Glyfada is the most developed, with sunbeds and a steep road down; Myrtiotissa, further north, is wilder and reached on foot. Our best beaches in Corfu guide covers every coast in detail.
The north and north-east
14. Visit Kalami and the White House
Kalami is a small pebble bay on the north-east coast where Lawrence Durrell lived in the late 1930s, in what is still known as the White House. His brother Gerald’s books about the family’s years on Corfu made the island famous. The bay is a fine spot for a swim and a long lunch.
15. Wander around Kassiopi
Kassiopi, on the north-east tip, is a former fishing village with a pretty harbour, a ruined castle on the headland and a coastal path to small coves. It is busy but has kept more character than most of Corfu’s resorts.
16. Explore Old Perithia
On the slopes of Mount Pantokrator, the old village of Perithia was largely abandoned as people moved to the coast. Its stone houses and churches have been partly restored, and a few tavernas now serve visitors, making it a good lunch stop.
17. Drive up Mount Pantokrator
Corfu’s highest mountain is crowned by a monastery and a telecommunications mast, with views across to Albania and the Greek mainland. The final stretch of road is narrow and steep. See our separate Mount Pantokrator guide for routes and walking options.
18. See the Canal d’Amour at Sidari
The eroded sandstone coves at Sidari on the north coast are among Corfu’s best-known sights. Go early or late, as the area is very busy in season. Our Canal d’Amour and Sidari guide covers the formations and nearby beaches.
19. Take a ferry to the Diapontia Islands
Othonoi, Ereikoussa and Mathraki, the small islands off Corfu’s north-west tip, see few visitors. Ferries and small boats connect them with Corfu, and Ereikoussa in particular has a lovely sandy beach. Check timetables carefully, as services are limited.
The south
20. Walk the dunes at Lake Korission
The lagoon of Korission, on the south-west coast, is separated from the sea by a strip of sand dunes and cedar. It is good for birdwatching, and the long beach of Issos to the south is one of the island’s quietest stretches of sand outside August.
21. Hike a section of the Corfu Trail
The Corfu Trail runs the length of the island, from Kavos in the south to the north coast, divided into a dozen day sections. Even one section, such as the stretch through the olive groves of the central hills, shows a side of Corfu most visitors never see. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for walking.
Further afield
22. Cruise to Paxos and Antipaxos
Day cruises from Corfu Town and the south-east coast visit the harbours of Paxos and the turquoise bays of Antipaxos. It is a long day but one of the most popular excursions on the island. Our Corfu to Paxos day trip guide explains the options.
23. Day trip to Albania
Ferries cross from Corfu port to Saranda in around 30 minutes on the fastest boats. From Saranda, the ancient city of Butrint, a UNESCO site with Greek, Roman and Venetian remains, is about half an hour south by road. Take your passport.
Food and culture
24. Eat like a Corfiot
Order pastitsada, beef or rooster slow-cooked in spiced tomato sauce with pasta; sofrito, veal in garlic and vinegar sauce; and bourdeto, fish stewed with red pepper. Finish with something made from kumquats, which grow in the north of the island. Our Corfu food guide goes deeper.
25. Hear a philharmonic band
Corfu has a strong tradition of philharmonic bands, which play at religious processions and summer concerts on the Spianada bandstand. They are at their most impressive at Easter, when the whole town turns out. Our guide to Easter in Corfu explains the customs.
Practical tips
- Group by area: driving between the north and south takes well over an hour, so plan each day around one region.
- Start early: Paleokastritsa, Sidari and the Old Town are at their best before 10:00 in summer.
- Check opening hours: museum and archaeological site hours change between summer and winter, and some close one day a week.
- Cover up for churches: shoulders and knees, including at monasteries such as Paleokastritsa and Pantokrator.
- Book boat trips the day before: excursions to Paxos and Albania can sell out in August and are cancelled in rough weather.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Corfu best known for?
Corfu is best known for its UNESCO-listed Old Town, shaped by Venetian, French and British rule, and for its green landscape and varied beaches. Paleokastritsa, the Achilleion and the island’s links with the Durrell family are also famous.
What should you not miss in Corfu?
Do not miss Corfu Old Town and the Old Fortress, a day at Paleokastritsa with a boat trip to the caves, the view from Angelokastro and a swim on the north-east coast around Kalami. A day trip to Paxos is the most rewarding excursion off the island.
Is Corfu good for non-beach holidays?
Yes. Corfu has more history and culture than most Greek islands, with a historic capital, museums, castles and monasteries, plus good walking on Mount Pantokrator and the Corfu Trail. Spring and autumn are ideal for sightseeing and hiking.
How many days do you need to see Corfu?
Allow at least five days to see the main sights and a week to include beaches and a boat trip. The island is large and the roads are slow, so trying to cover everything in a few days means a lot of driving.
Can you do Corfu without a car?
You can see Corfu Town, Kanoni, Mon Repos and the Achilleion by city bus or on foot, and reach Paleokastritsa, Sidari and Kassiopi by KTEL bus. Organised day trips cover Paxos and Albania. A car is needed for villages like Old Perithia and for flexible beach hopping.
