The best things to do in Corfu mix the UNESCO-listed Venetian Old Town, the opulent Achilleion Palace, the cliffs and coves of Paleokastritsa, and boat trips to Paxos and Antipaxos. Greener and more cosmopolitan than the Cyclades, the Ionian island blends history, beaches and lush hills. This guide ranks the island’s top attractions, activities and experiences and how to book them.
Corfu offers far more than a beach holiday, the highlights of which feed into the wider Corfu tours and travel guide. The island rewards culture, nature and the sea alike. The sections below cover what to see and do.
What are the top attractions?
The top attractions are the Venetian Old Town of Corfu with its two fortresses, the neoclassical Achilleion Palace, and the cliff-backed resort of Paleokastritsa. Together they cover the island’s Venetian heritage, its imperial history and its dramatic coast.
The island’s headline sights span history and scenery. The UNESCO-listed Old Town of Corfu is a maze of pastel Venetian houses, arcaded streets and two great fortresses, the elegant heart of the island. South of the capital, the Achilleion Palace, built for the Austrian Empress Elisabeth, dazzles with marble statues, frescoes and gardens. On the west coast, Paleokastritsa wraps turquoise coves around a clifftop monastery. These three anchor any visit, set out in the guides to Corfu Town and Achilleion Palace. The capital deserves a full day.
What can you do in Corfu Town?
In Corfu Town you can wander the Venetian Old Town’s cobbled lanes, climb the Old and New Fortresses, stroll the arcaded Liston and the Esplanade, and visit the church of Agios Spyridon. The UNESCO old town is one of the loveliest in Greece.
The capital is a joy to explore on foot. Its Old Town, dreamed up by the Venetians, is a warren of narrow lanes lined with tall, shuttered houses in chalk-box pastels, opening onto squares and churches. The 14th-century Old Fortress and the later New Fortress guard the town, the arcaded Liston, modelled on Paris, fronts the green Esplanade, and the fresco-filled church of Agios Spyridon holds the island’s patron saint. Wandering these streets is one of the island’s great pleasures, set out in the guide to Corfu Town, and a guided walking tour brings the history alive. The beaches draw visitors out of town.
What are the best beaches?
The best beaches include the turquoise coves of Paleokastritsa, the golden sands of Glyfada and Agios Gordios on the west coast, and Sidari with its Canal d’Amour rock formations to the north. The island has both sandy bays and pebble coves.
The island’s coast offers remarkable variety. The west coast holds the dramatic cliffs and clear coves of Paleokastritsa, the wide golden sands of Glyfada and Agios Gordios, and the cliff-lined Canal d’Amour at Sidari to the north. The north-east coast adds pebbly, sheltered bays such as Barbati and Kassiopi with views to Albania, while the south has long sandy stretches like Issos. From organised resorts to quiet coves, there is a beach for every mood, set out in the guide to Corfu beaches and the resort of Paleokastritsa. The sea offers more than swimming.
What boat trips can you take?
You can take boat trips to the islands of Paxos and Antipaxos with their blue caves and turquoise water, sunset cruises along the coast, and trips to the sea caves of Paleokastritsa. Day cruises also reach Albania and the mainland resort of Parga.
The sea is half the island’s appeal. The classic day trip sails south to Paxos and Antipaxos, with their sea caves, blue grottoes and crystal water, while shorter cruises explore the coves and caves around Paleokastritsa. Sunset cruises, glass-bottom boats and private charters add variety, and day trips cross to the Albanian Riviera at Saranda and Butrint, or to Parga on the mainland. These trips reach spots no road serves, set out in the guide to Corfu boat tours. Active travellers find plenty on land and water.
What watersports and outdoor activities are there?
You can try paragliding over Kontogialos, parasailing at Dassia, stand-up paddleboarding and scuba diving, plus hiking the Corfu Trail, the coastal Erimitis route and the ascent of Mount Pantokrator. The green island is rich in outdoor adventure.
The island rewards the active in every season. Watersports abound, from paragliding above Kontogialos beach and parasailing over Dassia to paddleboarding and scuba diving in sheltered bays such as Kontokali. Inland, an excellent network of trails includes the long-distance Corfu Trail, the seaside Erimitis walk and the path up Mount Pantokrator, the island’s highest peak, with sweeping views. Olive groves, cypress hills and the Durrell family’s old haunts add gentle walks. These outdoor options balance the culture and the beaches, set out alongside the guide to Corfu tours. History and palaces deepen a visit.
What cultural and historic sites should you see?
Beyond the Old Town, you should see the Achilleion Palace of Empress Sisi, the Mon Repos estate, the iconic Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island, and the island’s museums. They trace Corfu’s Venetian, imperial and mythological past.
The island is unusually rich in history. The Achilleion Palace, built in the 1890s for Empress Elisabeth of Austria, draws visitors for its statues, frescoes and gardens, while the Mon Repos estate near town holds a neoclassical villa and ancient ruins in wooded grounds. The much-photographed Vlacherna Monastery and the tiny Mouse Island at Kanoni capture the island’s romance, and museums of Asian art, archaeology and Byzantine icons fill rainy days. These sites give depth beyond the beaches, set out in the guide to Achilleion Palace. Food and villages round out the island.
What about food, wine and villages?
You can taste Corfu’s Venetian-influenced dishes such as sofrito, pastitsada and bourdeto, the local kumquat liqueur and fine olive oil, and explore hill villages like Pelekas, Lakones and the ghost village of Old Perithia. The island’s interior is green and traditional.
The island’s culture lives in its food and villages. Corfiot cooking, shaped by centuries of Venetian rule, offers distinctive dishes such as the slow-cooked sofrito, the rich pastitsada and the spicy fish bourdeto, alongside the island’s famous kumquat fruit and liqueur and some of Greece’s finest olive oil. Inland, hill villages such as Pelekas with its sunset rock, Lakones above Paleokastritsa and the restored ghost village of Old Perithia reward a drive, set out in the guides to Corfu food and wine and Corfu villages. Planning ties the highlights together.
How do you plan your time?
You plan your time by basing yourself in or near Corfu Town or a west-coast resort, renting a car or joining tours to reach the scattered sights, and allowing five to seven days to combine the town, the palaces, the beaches and a boat trip. Three days covers the highlights.
A little planning makes the most of the large, varied island. Most visitors base in or near Corfu Town for culture and transport, or in a west-coast or north-east resort for the beaches, then explore by hire car, bus or guided tour. The island is big enough that distances matter, so grouping sights by area helps. Five to seven days allow the town, the Achilleion, Paleokastritsa and a Paxos boat trip without rushing, while three days cover the essentials, set out in the guides to a Corfu itinerary and where to stay in Corfu. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Corfu best known for?
Corfu is best known for its UNESCO-listed Venetian Old Town and fortresses, the Achilleion Palace of Empress Sisi, the cliffs and coves of Paleokastritsa, and its lush green landscape. It blends history, beaches and boat trips to Paxos and Antipaxos.
How many days do you need in Corfu?
You need about five to seven days to see Corfu Town, the Achilleion Palace, the best beaches and a boat trip to Paxos without rushing, given the island’s size. Three days cover the highlights, while a week allows a relaxed pace.
What are the best things to do in Corfu with families?
Families enjoy the beaches of Paleokastritsa and Glyfada, boat trips to Paxos and Antipaxos, the Corfu Aquarium, watersports at Dassia, and exploring the Old Town and the Achilleion gardens. The island offers a gentle mix of beach and culture.