What sets Corfu apart from other Greek islands is the richness: nature, history, landscapes, monuments, authenticity. It is also the Venetian past, Greek hospitality and tropical greenery. Frivolity. The blues, mountains and mist. Nearby Epirus and Albania. Meet the ancient world of Phaeacians, setting Ulysses off on his last voyage to Ithaca. For decades, it was also a magnet for rich of this world.

Corfu Town

Being UNESCO Heritage, Corfu Town is a magic place to dive in. Old Venetian houses, unpretentious restaurants, not too much noise, plenty of options for vegetarians, hundreds of backstreets where you can get decently lost. Coffee roasters? Yes. Tavernas with the twist? Why not? Simple and affordable food? Yep!

Magic south

As soon as you leave Corfu Town heading south towards Benitses, you will first be immersed in the mess of the suburbs, but as soon as you pass Queen Sissi’s palace, the whole world will slow down and the tourist face of Greece starts to fade. For those who choose a slower, quieter, more authentic experience, the south has much more to offer than the touristy and opulent north.

Chlomos is one of the least touched little villages on the hill; the channel in Lefkimmi has great chances of becoming Corfu’s Grand Canal; Halikounas and Issos beaches are the only wild and empty sandy beaches on the island; Boukari and Petriti are still like fishing villages from the 80s.

Beaches

Pebbled in the East, sandy in the West; dramatic in the North, calm and lazy in the South. Windy and empty Halikounas, Hawaii style Arkoudillas, iconic Porto Timoni, picturesque Kaminaki, dramatic Palaiokastritsa, secluded Kastelli, hidden gem Giali, boat-only Kastelli…there are hundreds of them.

Epirus

Zagori in Epirus became recently UNESCO Heritage place and its only 2 hours drive from Corfu. Empty mountains, stunning stone architecture, magnificent Vikos Gorge and unbelievable amount of air and light. Trekking along the bottom of Europe’s deepest gorge is an extraordinary experience: walls several hundred metres high and old stone bridges, lots of peace and quiet. Nearby of Dodoni is worth a visit, with its ancient theatre, lots of archeological sites and the entrance to Hades. The Hades & Persephone Temple is also interesting place to see.

Ionian Sea

The sea surrounding Corfu was the scene of many of the events described in the Odyssey. It was on nearby Othoni that the nymph Calypso held Ulysses for seven years; it was across the Ionian Sea that his final voyage to Ithaca in the ships of the Phaeacians led. Its calm blue waters allow safe sailing, and the short distances between the islands – Othoni, Erikousa, Mathraki, Paxos, Antipaxos – make any trip easy. A large marina with sailing and motor boat rentals is located in Gouvia, a smaller one in Benitses. From Palaiokastritsa, Kavos, Sidari or Boukari you can also easily book a cruise to any of the islands or rent a motorboat (unlicensed up to 30 hp).

Old Perithia

A traditional Korfian village in the mountains, abandoned decades ago, today – thanks to two Brits – a lively place, with taverns and guesthouses. A captivating history and buildings that remember the time of the Venetian Republic. Read more about Old Perithia on the website of the madmen who provided the spark for the restoration of this ghost village.