Corfu is one of Greece’s most beautiful islands, with gorgeous beaches, lush green hills and charming villages. If you’re planning a trip, here are the best places to visit in Corfu that you won’t want to miss.
Contents
- Introduction to Corfu
- How to Book a DIY Holiday to Corfu:
- Hiring a Car in Corfu
- One Week in Corfu – Sample Itinerary
- Places to Visit in Corfu
- Messonghi – A Laid-Back Village with the Best Taverna We Found in Corfu
- Agios Gordios – Corfu’s Most Stunning Sunset Beach
- Paxos, Antipaxos and the Blue Caves – The Best Day Trip From Corfu
- Palaiokastritsa – Corfu’s Most Famous (and Beautiful) Beach
- Aqualand – The Best Water Park in Corfu for Families
- Sokraki – The Hidden Mountain Village You Shouldn’t Miss
- Kassiopi – The Best Village in Northern Corfu
- Achillion Palace – A Royal Stop on the Way to Corfu Town
- Corfu Town – A UNESCO World Heritage Site Worth a Full Day
- Why You Should Visit Corfu
- Useful Links to Find Places to Visit in Corfu
- Related Posts
Introduction to Corfu
Imagine waking up to the sound of cicadas, stepping onto a balcony overlooking a blue sea that looks like silk, and spending your days driving narrow mountain roads between hidden coves and traditional villages where the locals insist on feeding you more than you can eat. That’s Corfu.
One of the greenest and most diverse of all the Greek islands, Corfu is a popular island that sits in the Ionian Sea and has been enchanting visitors for centuries – from the ancient Greeks who believed Odysseus was shipwrecked here, to the British writer Gerald Durrell, who immortalised its wild beauty in My Family and Other Animals. It’s lush, dramatic, and surprisingly varied.
We were initially attracted by the budget friendly prices of the hotel accommodation and flights but were slightly sceptical about choosing such a popular island. We went ahead anyway and we were so glad we did because we were blown away by its beauty.
Corfu is a stunning island with mountains, greenery, gorgeous beaches, pebbly coves and pretty villages. . If you’re wondering whether Corfu is worth it, the answer is a resounding yes.
Here are the best places to visit in Corfu, based on our own experience exploring the island from north to south.
Some of my content may contain affiliate links for companies I use and love and recommend to awesome readers like yourself. If you take action, (i.e. subscribe, make a purchase) after clicking one of these links, I’ll earn a small amount of pocket money (at no extra cost to you), so I can buy a coffee while creating more helpful content like this.
How to Book a DIY Holiday to Corfu:
We have holidayed in Corfu twice now. We flew with EasyJet both times and used booking.com to book all of our accommodations.
🌟 I have added accommodation links to the places we stayed.
✈️ Corfu is approximately a 3 1/2 hour flight from the UK and as there are loads of flights with multiple airlines, prices are fairly competitive.
The second time we stayed, we also caught the ferry to Albania to spend a week there too.
🔗 Blog to read: Sarande Albania Guide
Hiring a Car in Corfu
🚗We hired a car on both trips using Auto Union
Driving in Corfu can be some what of a hair-raising experience simply because of the landscape.
⚠️ There aren’t any motorways so most of the time, you are driving along extremely narrow mountain roads with hairpin turns, a lot of pot holes and distracting magnificent scenery.
On one journey, we witnessed a tourist bus skid off the side of the road, and we have watched many hilarious clips of cars getting stuck between buildings in the narrow streets.
At one point, we had to get out of our hire car to guide my husband across a tiny, slim bridge so that we didn’t end up like one of the cars in those videos!
One Week in Corfu – Sample Itinerary
This is roughly how we’d plan a first week in Corfu if we were doing it all again. It’s flexible – swap days around based on your base and interests.
Day 1 – Arrive & Settle In
Check in, find a taverna nearby and don’t rush anywhere. Order a Greek salad, a carafe of local wine, and let Corfu wash over you.
Day 2 – Explore Your Local Area
Get your bearings with a slow morning at a nearby beach, then drive to a local village for lunch. If you’re staying in the south, try Moraitika. If you’re in the north, explore Kassiopi’s castle and harbour.
Day 3 – Palaiokastritsa
Head to the west coast to visit Palaiokastritsa. Get there early (before 9am) to beat the crowds. After the beach, drive up to the hilltop Angelokastro castle for sweeping views over the coastline.
Day 4 – Boat Trip to Paxos, Antipaxos & the Blue Caves
A full day on the water. Book in advance through Get Your Guide. Bring snorkelling gear, sunscreen and more snacks than you think you need.
Day 5 – Mountain Drive: Sokraki & the North
Take the car inland and wind your way up to the mountain village of Sokraki. Stop for coffee, walk the quiet lanes, and enjoy views that stretch all the way to Albania. Continue north towards Kassiopi or Roda for lunch by the sea.
Day 6 – Corfu Town
Spend a full day in the UNESCO-listed Old Town. Start at the Old Fortress, wander through the Liston arcades, browse the narrow shopping streets and stop for lunch at one of the seafront restaurants. On the way, stop at the Achillion Palace.
Day 7 – Beach Day & Farewell Dinner
Choose your favourite beach, go back one last time, and end the trip with a proper Greek dinner somewhere with a sea view. Order the souvlaki. Order the baklava. No regrets.
Places to Visit in Corfu
Messonghi – A Laid-Back Village with the Best Taverna We Found in Corfu
Our first destination was Messonghi, on the east coast, close to Moraitika. Messonghi is a small laid back village with a coarse, sandy beach.
The children enjoyed the calm waters and jumping off the jetty and we were happy at Booca Beach bar, which allowed you to lie on their sunbeds for free, if you ordered their yummy food and drink from their cafe/bar.
In the evening, we watched the thunderstorms over the sea and ate at another fantastic restaurant, Tavern Bacchus, located on the beach, which served the most delicious souvlaki and Greek salad I have ever had.
The locals in Messonghi are wonderful hosts; accommodating and friendly – everywhere we went, we had a warm welcome.
🍽️✨ Don’t miss: Tavern Bacchus on the beach at Messonghi serves some of the best souvlaki and Greek salad we’ve ever eaten. It’s simple, beachside and completely unpretentious – exactly what a Greek taverna should be.
Agios Gordios – Corfu’s Most Stunning Sunset Beach
The second place we stayed was at Romantic Palace, on Agios Gordios beach.
Agios Gordios is a pretty hillside resort, with enough restaurants tavernas to keep you well fed and watered for at least a week. It has a sandy beach with stunning scenery and spectacular sunsets.
Romantic Palace is also a restaurant so we ate breakfast overlooking the beach and enjoyed one of the many Greek nights hosted here.
👉 See Availability for Romantic Palace on Booking.com
🍽️ Eat with a view: Romantic Palace isn’t just a hotel – it’s also a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the beach. The Greek nights they host are a fun evening out, complete with traditional food, music and dancing.
Paxos, Antipaxos and the Blue Caves – The Best Day Trip From Corfu
🛥️ During our week in Agios Gordios, we went on a boat trip to Paxos, Antipaxos and the Blue Caves.
These small islands are secluded, hardly inhabited and gorgeous; surrounded by incredible blue waters that are ideal for swimming and snorkelling. The water’s so clear, the boats appear to be floating on air!
We loved our day out – iconic islands, delicious lunch and jumping off the boat into those crystal waters.
👉 Check Out Boat Trip to Paxos and Antipaxos on Get Your Guide
Palaiokastritsa – Corfu’s Most Famous (and Beautiful) Beach
🏖️ While in Corfu, we have spent lots of time exploring by car, visiting many beaches. One of our favourite places to visit in Corfu was Palaiokastritsa, famous for its mention in Greek mythology because Odysseus was shipwrecked here.
This beach is undoubtedly picturesque but unfortunately incredibly busy.
🌟 Tip: Get there early in the morning before the crowds!
Aqualand – The Best Water Park in Corfu for Families
💦 Having three children always means an obligatory trip to a water park.
Aqualand is the main one in Corfu. It is an impressive water park and has enough there to keep you entertained for a whole day.
Sokraki – The Hidden Mountain Village You Shouldn’t Miss
Our final stay was in the mountain village of Sokraki, north of the island.
🛏️ Sokraki villas has an infinity pool overlooking an amazing view of the mountains and sea and they serve a delicious Greek breakfast included in the price.
👉 See Availabilty for Sokraki Villas on Booking.com
Sokraki is a pretty, traditional village, with kind and friendly people. We fell in love with its character and beauty.
Kassiopi – The Best Village in Northern Corfu
On our second holiday, we stayed in Kassiopi. Kassiopi has a white pebbled coved beach with crystal clear waters, a wonderful marina dotted with tavernas and bars and an ancient Byzantine castle at the top of a small hill overlooking the sea.
🛏️ We stayed at Emily’s apartments, which offers four spacious, well appointed apartments, a superb swimming pool and a great outdoor table and barbecue area.
🍽️ Harbour dining: The restaurants dotted around Kassiopi marina are ideal for a long, lazy lunch. Janis restaurant in particular has stunning views over the water.
👉 See Availability for Emily’s Apartments on Booking.com
Achillion Palace – A Royal Stop on the Way to Corfu Town
On our last day we went to Corfu town. On the way there, we stopped to admire the Achillion palace, which was built by an Austrian princess for her holiday home.
Corfu Town – A UNESCO World Heritage Site Worth a Full Day
Corfu town is a UNESCO world heritage site and sits between two fortresses. It is definitely worth a visit to admire the beautiful architecture, eat at its many restaurants and it is also fantastic for shopping.
🛍️ There are a multitude of cute little souvenir shops, selling handmade gifts and also designer stores selling top labels, a Sephora store and even a Marks and Spencers!
Why You Should Visit Corfu
Corfu is a well trodden island and a firm favourite for many people. There are so many places to visit in Corfu that suit all tastes, from quaint fishing villages with tavernas serving traditional Greek cuisine and typical Greek night entertainment, that we all know and love, to lively bars and nightclubs along the ‘strip’ in Kavos.
There is lots of information available and so many different choices of places to stay that you are guaranteed to find somewhere that ticks all your boxes.
We love its greenery, mountains, spectacular sunsets, clear warm waters, food, wine and welcoming people. Such a beautiful island – it’s no wonder people return again and again.
Useful Links to Find Places to Visit in Corfu
This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or travel directions to the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Corfu on GPSmyCity.
Leave a Reply