Running the length of the island from the far south to the north, the Corfu Trail is a 180-kilometre waymarked long-distance walking route that takes 10 to 15 days to complete. It reveals a green, traditional Corfu far from the resorts. This guide covers the route, the day walks, the difficulty and the best time to hike.
The trail showcases the island’s wild interior, an active highlight of the wider Corfu tours and travel guide. It links villages, hills and coast end to end. The sections below cover the walk.
What is the Corfu Trail?
One of the most established long-distance walking routes in Greece, the Corfu Trail runs about 180 kilometres from the south of the island to the north. Created and waymarked, it crosses hills, villages, olive groves and coast, showing a green, traditional Corfu beyond the resorts.
The Corfu Trail is the island’s great walk. Officially created and waymarked by long-time resident Hilary Whitton Paipeti, it threads roughly 180 kilometres along the length of the island, from the dramatic white cliffs of the far south to a wild beach in the north. Rather than sticking to the coast, the route climbs through the green interior, linking mountain villages, olive groves, monasteries, viewpoints and quiet beaches, offering a side of Corfu that beach holidays never reveal. It has become one of the best-known long-distance trails in Greece, drawing walkers from across Europe, set within the wider things to do in Corfu. The route has a clear shape.
What is the route?
The trail officially runs south to north, starting amid the white cliffs of Arkoudilas near Kavos and ending at the wild beach of Agios Spyridon in the north. It passes 13 villages used as daily stops, including Lefkimmi, Benitses, Pelekas, Liapades, Agios Georgios Pagon and Old Perithia.
The route is designed as a journey across the whole island. Beginning in the dramatic south among the white cliffs of Arkoudilas near Kavos, it heads north through a sequence of landscapes, from the southern beaches and the Korission Lagoon area up through the central hills around Pelekas and the west-coast villages, over the slopes of Mount Pantokrator and down to its end at the beautiful, wild beach of Agios Spyridon on the north coast. Thirteen settlements serve as natural daily stops, among them Lefkimmi, Benitses, Pelekas, Liapades, Agios Georgios Pagon, Spartylas and Old Perithia, each offering food and a bed, set out alongside the guides to Pelekas and Mount Pantokrator. It need not be walked in full.
How long and how hard is it?
The full Corfu Trail takes most walkers 10 to 15 days, depending on pace. Despite its length, the route avoids steep or tiring passages where possible, making it a walk of generally low to moderate difficulty, though good fitness and proper footwear are still needed.
The trail is long but not punishing. Walking its full 180 kilometres typically takes between 10 and 15 days, allowing time for the villages and hidden gems along the way, and most people use the 13 daily stops to break it into manageable stages with overnight stays. Although it crosses hills and the flanks of Mount Pantokrator, the route was deliberately planned to avoid the steepest and most tiring passages, giving it an overall low to moderate difficulty rather than that of a high mountain trek. Even so, the daily distances, summer heat and rough ground call for reasonable fitness, sturdy walking shoes and plenty of water, set out alongside the guide to the best time to visit Corfu. Day walks are an easy alternative.
Can you walk just part of it?
You can easily walk just part of the Corfu Trail as day hikes, choosing scenic sections near your base rather than the whole route. Popular shorter stretches include the west-coast villages around Pelekas and the climb toward Mount Pantokrator and Old Perithia in the north.
Most visitors experience the trail in pieces. There is no need to commit to the full two-week walk: the route is made up of distinct sections that work beautifully as half-day or day hikes, letting you sample the best scenery near wherever you are staying. Fine shorter stretches include the green hills and viewpoints around Pelekas on the west coast, the olive groves and villages of the centre, and the climb through the north toward Mount Pantokrator and the ghost village of Old Perithia. Local guides and walking companies also offer guided sections and self-guided itineraries, set out alongside the guides to Corfu villages and a Corfu itinerary. Timing and navigation matter.
When is the best time and how do you navigate?
Spring and autumn, especially April, May, September and October, are the best times to walk, with mild temperatures and green landscapes, avoiding the summer heat. The trail is waymarked with yellow CT signs and arrows, and an official guide app researched by its creator aids navigation.
Timing and good navigation make the walk a pleasure. The ideal seasons are spring and autumn, when April, May, September and October bring mild temperatures and the island at its greenest, while the heat of July and August makes long daily stages hard going. The route is waymarked throughout with aluminium yellow “CT” signs, backed up by yellow painted arrows, spots and blazes at key points, though these can fade, so carrying the official guide is wise. The Official Guide to the Corfu Trail, written by its creator and resident walking expert, is now available as an app, giving detailed directions and stage information, set out alongside the guide to Corfu car rental for reaching trailheads. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Corfu Trail?
It runs about 180 kilometres, the length of the island from the south near Kavos to Agios Spyridon in the north. It takes most walkers 10 to 15 days to complete in full, using the 13 villages along the route as daily stops.
Is the Corfu Trail difficult?
The trail is of generally low to moderate difficulty, as the route was planned to avoid the steepest passages where possible. Even so, the daily distances, rough ground and summer heat mean good fitness, sturdy footwear and plenty of water are needed.
When is the best time to walk the Corfu Trail?
Spring and autumn are best, especially April, May, September and October, with mild temperatures and green landscapes. These seasons avoid the intense summer heat of July and August, which makes the long daily walking stages much harder.