Best Time to Visit
May to June and September to October (warm, fewer crowds); July-August is hot and busy
Language
Greek; English and Italian widely spoken
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Time Zone
EET (UTC+2), EEST (UTC+3) in summer
Airport
Ioannis Kapodistrias International Airport (CFU) — 3 km from Corfu Town, 10 mins by bus #15
Population
~102,000 (island total); ~32,000 in Corfu Town
Climate
Mediterranean, avg 10-31°C; rainiest Greek island (green and lush); dry summers
Safety Rating
Very Safe (Level 1)
UNESCO Status
Old Town of Corfu — World Heritage Site since 2007
A UNESCO-listed labyrinth of Venetian, French, and British colonial architecture with the Liston arcade, Spianada (Greece's largest square), and narrow kantounia (alleys). Explore the Old Fortress (€6, stunning views) and New Fortress (€4). Free to wander the streets. Allow 3-4 hours.
A stunning bay on the northwest coast with six turquoise coves, a 13th-century monastery on the promontory, and excellent snorkeling. 25 km from Corfu Town (40 min by bus, €3). Beach lounger rental ~€8/day. Boat trips to hidden grottoes cost €10-15. Allow a full day.
An 1890s neoclassical palace built for Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria, with gardens featuring classical statues and views over the coast. Entry: €10. Open daily 8AM-7PM in summer. 10 km south of Corfu Town (20 min by car). Allow 1.5 hours. The terrace view is the highlight.
Unusual sandstone rock formations creating narrow channels and small coves on the north coast. Legend says couples who swim through the canal will stay together forever. Free to visit. 36 km from Corfu Town. Can be crowded in summer — arrive early. Allow 2-3 hours.
A tiny islet with a Byzantine church, just offshore from the Vlacherna Monastery on the Kanoni peninsula. Boat shuttle €3 round trip. The view from the Kanoni lookout above is one of Corfu's most photographed scenes. 5 km from Corfu Town. Allow 1 hour including the monastery.
Corfu has 4 million olive trees — visit the Olive Museum in Corfu Town (€4) to learn about the island's olive oil heritage. For kumquat, the Mavromatis family distillery in Corfu Town sells kumquat liqueur, marmalade, and sweets. Free tasting. A bottle of kumquat liqueur costs €8-12.
A hidden gem — twin beaches on a narrow peninsula accessible only by a 20-minute downhill hike from Afionas village. Crystal-clear water on both sides. No facilities — bring water, snacks, and sunscreen. Free. The hike back up is steep. Best in May-June or September to avoid crowds.
Fly into Corfu Airport (CFU), just 3 km from town. Bus #15 or taxi to your hotel. First evening walk through the UNESCO Venetian old town.
Bus #15 or taxi from airport to Corfu Town(10 minutes)
Bus €1.70. Taxi €8-10. The airport is remarkably close to town
Hotel check-in in or near old town(45 minutes)
Siorra Vittoria Boutique Hotel (€100/night) or Bella Venezia (€80/night). Stay in old town for best walkability
Walk through Corfu Old Town (Kerkyra)(2 hours)
UNESCO-listed labyrinth of Venetian, French, and British architecture. Walk the Liston arcade (modeled on Paris's Rue de Rivoli), Spianada (Greece's largest square), and the narrow kantounia (alleys). Free to wander
Dinner at Rex Restaurant(1.5 hours)
Kapodistriou 66 on the Liston. Traditional Corfiot cuisine — sofrito (veal in garlic-wine sauce, €12), pastitsada (beef-tomato pasta, €11). Terrace overlooking Spianada
Morning at the fortresses, afternoon at the iconic Mouse Island and Vlacherna Monastery on the Kanoni peninsula.
Old Fortress (Palaió Froúrio)(1.5 hours)
Entry €6. Venetian fortress on a promontory. Climb to the lighthouse for panoramic views. The Church of St. George inside is a neoclassical surprise
New Fortress (Néo Froúrio)(1 hour)
Entry €4. Less visited than the Old Fortress but better views of the old town rooftops. Built by the Venetians in 1577
Lunch at En Plo(1 hour)
Faliraki waterfront. Fresh seafood with fortress views. Grilled octopus €10, Greek salad €7. Casual and excellent
Bus to Kanoni (Mouse Island viewpoint)(20 minutes)
Bus #2 from San Rocco square. €1.70. The most photographed view in Corfu
Walk to Vlacherna Monastery(30 minutes)
Cross the causeway to the tiny whitewashed monastery. Free. Boat shuttle to Mouse Island (Pontikonisi) €3 round trip — tiny islet with a Byzantine church
Dinner at The Venetian Well(1.5 hours)
Plateia Kremasti in the old town. Romantic square setting around an actual Venetian well. Mediterranean-Greek fusion. Mains €14-22. Reserve ahead
Full day at Corfu's most stunning bay — six turquoise coves, a hilltop monastery, and boat trips to hidden grottoes.
Bus from Corfu Town to Paleokastritsa(40 minutes)
Green KTEL bus from San Rocco square. €3. Runs several times daily
Paleokastritsa Monastery(45 minutes)
13th-century monastery on the promontory above the bays. Free (donations appreciated). Small museum with Byzantine icons. Beautiful gardens with sea views. Dress modestly (cover shoulders/knees)
Boat trip to hidden grottoes(1 hour)
Small boats from Paleokastritsa harbor. €10-15/person. Visit sea caves with blue-green water, swimming stops at inaccessible coves. The Blue Eye cave is spectacular
Beach time at Paleokastritsa main beach(2 hours)
Beach lounger ~€8/day. Clear water, small pebble beach. Or walk to the quieter Alipa beach (10 min south)
Lunch at Akron Restaurant(1.5 hours)
Perched on the cliff above the bays. Fresh fish by weight (€40-50/kg), but the view is worth every euro. Cheaper options: moussaka €9, salad €6
Morning at Empress Sisi's neoclassical palace, afternoon at beaches on the south coast.
Bus or taxi to Achilleion Palace (Gastouri)(20 minutes)
Bus #10 from San Rocco. €1.70. Or taxi €15
Achilleion Palace(1.5 hours)
Built in 1890 for Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Entry €10. The gardens with classical statues and the terrace view over the coast are the highlights. Dying Achilles statue is iconic
Continue to Benitses village(15 minutes)
Former fishing village on the southeast coast. Walk the harbor and Roman bathhouse ruins
Beach at Moraitika or Messonghi(2 hours)
Sandy beaches on the south coast. Organized with loungers (€8/day) or free sections. Warmer water than the west coast
Lunch at Tripas taverna in Kinopiastes(1.5 hours)
Inland village 15 min from Achilleion. Famous for traditional Corfiot meat dishes — sofrito, pastitsada, lamb kleftiko. Full meal €10-14. A locals' favorite
Sleep in, explore the old town slowly, taste kumquat liqueur, and find Corfu's hidden churches.
Sleep in and Greek coffee at a local kafeneio(1.5 hours)
Traditional Greek coffee house — order 'ellinikó glyko' (sweet). Sit, read, watch the world. €2-3
Kumquat tasting at Mavromatis distillery(30 minutes)
In the old town. Free tasting of kumquat liqueur, marmalade, and sweets. A bottle €8-12. Corfu is the only place in Greece that grows kumquats
Visit the Olive Museum(45 minutes)
Entry €4. Learn about Corfu's 4 million olive trees. The island's olive oil heritage dates back thousands of years
Walk through Campiello neighborhood(1 hour)
The oldest part of the old town — narrow alleys, hanging laundry, Venetian balconies, cats on windowsills. The furthest from the tourist path
Lunch at Bellissimo(1 hour)
Plateia Dimarcheio. Pizza and pasta in the Town Hall square. €8-14. Good for a lighter meal
Dinner at Pomo d'Oro(1.5 hours)
Guilford 13. Italian-Corfiot fusion. Their handmade pasta and local wines are excellent. Mains €12-18
Drive or bus to the north coast — the rock formations of Sidari, then the charming harbor town of Kassiopi.
Rent a car for the day(30 minutes)
From €25-40/day. Pick up in Corfu Town. Or take KTEL green bus to Sidari (€5, 1.5 hrs — less flexible)
Canal d'Amour at Sidari(1.5 hours)
Unusual sandstone channels and coves on the north coast. Legend: couples who swim through will stay together forever. Free. Can be crowded — arrive early
Drive to Kassiopi(30 minutes)
Along the north coast road with Albanian views
Kassiopi village and harbor(1.5 hours)
Charming harbor town with a Byzantine fortress ruins. Walk the harbor, swim at Bataria Beach (small, pebbly, crystal water). Less touristed than Paleokastritsa
Lunch at Tavernaki in Kassiopi(1.5 hours)
Harbor-side. Excellent grilled fish and mezze. €8-14. One of the north coast's best tavernas
Stop at Barbati Beach on return(1 hour)
Long pebble beach on the northeast coast. Clear water, organized section with bar
Final morning in Corfu. Last old town walk, last olive oil purchase, bus to the airport.
Morning walk through waking old town(1 hour)
The kantounia before the shops open. Cats, church bells, morning light on Venetian facades
Last Greek coffee at a Liston café(45 minutes)
Sit under the French arcade one last time. Greek coffee €2.50, freddo espresso €3
Bus #15 or taxi to airport(10 minutes)
€1.70 bus or €8 taxi. Allow 2 hours before flight
Greece is in the Schengen Area and EU. US, UK, Canadian, and Australian citizens can visit visa-free for 90 days. ETIAS authorization (€7) required from 2026 for non-EU visitors.
Public buses exist but are infrequent outside Corfu Town. Rent a car (from €25-40/day) or scooter (from €15/day) to explore beaches and villages. Roads are narrow and winding — experienced drivers preferred. International license recommended. Book ahead in July-August when cars sell out.
If driving through Greece, take the ferry from Igoumenitsa on the mainland (1-1.5 hours, from €10/person, €35/car). Ferries run hourly in summer. You can also ferry to Saranda, Albania (30 min, €19) for a visa-free day trip — bring your passport.
Resort-area restaurants charge tourist prices. Drive 10 minutes to any inland village for authentic Corfiot cuisine at half the price. Try sofrito (veal in garlic-wine sauce), pastitsada (beef-tomato pasta), and bourdeto (spicy fish stew). A full taverna meal with wine costs €12-18/person.
Corfu is the greenest Greek island because it gets significant rain even in shoulder months. May and September can see brief showers. Always carry a light rain jacket when hiking or visiting remote beaches. The upside: the island is far lusher and more beautiful than drier Cycladic islands.
Rocky beaches are common and sea urchins live on underwater rocks. Bring water shoes — stepping on an urchin is painful. Organized beaches with lifeguards charge €8-15 for two loungers and an umbrella. Wild beaches are free but have no facilities.
Travel GuidesIs Corfu worth it compared to Santorini? Do I need a car? What's a kumquat? Every question you're asking, answered by someone who went expecting little and left planning a return trip.
StoriesI went to Corfu for the beaches. I stayed for the kumquat liqueur, the village tavernas where €12 buys a feast, and a double beach you reach by hiking downhill for 20 minutes.
Travel GuidesCorfu doesn't cook like the rest of Greece. Four centuries of Venetian rule left behind pasta dishes, wine sauces, and a food culture that deserves its own category.
