Corfu Travel Guide: Old Town, Beaches and Getting Around
This Corfu travel guide covers where to stay, Old Town and the fortresses, Paleokastritsa, Paxos day trips, buses, taxis and 2026 costs.
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In this guide
Corfu is the green island at the top left of Greece, sitting in the Ionian Sea within sight of the Albanian coast and about 60 km from the mainland port of Igoumenitsa. It rewards four to seven days: a UNESCO-listed Old Town you can walk end to end, two fortresses above the harbour, west-coast bays worth a full day, and cheap blue buses that run from an airport only 2 km from the centre. This Corfu travel guide sorts the days, the bases and the transport costs so the trip holds together without a hire car unless you want one.
How many days do you need in Corfu?
Four days is the working minimum. That gives you the Old Town, Spianada and the Liston on day one, the Old Fortress plus the Achilleion on day two, Paleokastritsa on day three, and a free day for the New Fortress, a beach or the canal-side lanes of Kanoni.
Five to seven days is better. Add the north-east, where villages such as Kassiopi and bays around Avlaki and Agios Stefanos sit within an hour of town, plus one day for Mount Pantokrator, the 906 m high point with the island spread out below it. Keep one spare day for a boat: Paxos and the Blue Caves are the standard choice, Antipaxos included on most tours.
Ten days or more opens the Corfu Trail, about 180 km of marked path running the length of the island, normally walked over eight to 15 days between mid-April and October. You do not need the full route. Two or three stages from the middle of the trail give you the flavour without turning the holiday into a logistics project.
If Corfu is one stop on a longer Greek trip, see our seven days in Greece itinerary for how an Ionian leg fits beside the mainland, and two weeks in Greece if you have the time to pair Corfu with a second island.
Where should you stay on Corfu?
Base in Corfu Town for a first visit, then branch out for a second week. The town puts you on the bus network, the ferry quays and inside a 15 minute walk of the fortresses and the Liston cafes.
| Base | Best for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Corfu Town (Old Town and San Rocco) | First-tips, museums, ferries, evenings out | No beach on the doorstep; pick a rooftop pool or take the bus to Mon Repos |
| Kanoni and Mouse Island | Short stays, airport-side quiet, canal views | Bus corridor to town, but dead streets after dark |
| Paleokastritsa and Glyfada | West-coast bays, boat trips, one-base beach weeks | 25 to 30 km from town; evening life is thin |
| North-east coast (Kassiopi, Avlaki, Agios Stefanos) | Swimming, hiking heads, quieter nights | Long drives to the Old Town and the Achilleion |
| Benitses or Perama | Cheaper rooms on the Achilleion bus and boat routes | Functional shoreline; not a pretty-swim base |
Corfu Town splits into two characters. The Old Town, inside the twin fortresses, is the dense, Venetian-planned core with laundry-hung lanes, kumquat shops and late-running tavernas. San Rocco and the New Town stretch west with more everyday services, a weekly market and easier parking. Rooms inside the Old Town fill first for July and August; book several months ahead if those months are fixed.
Kanoni suits arrivals and departures. The airport runway ends above the canal, Mouse Island sits offshore with its chapel, and Zone A buses reach the centre in about 15 minutes. It is a practical one or two night base, not a week-long one.
Paleokastritsa earns its reputation on scenery: a monastery on a headland, several small coves and boats leaving for sea caves through the day. It sits 25 to 30 km from town, so treat it as a beach base, not a town base. Glyfada, a few kilometres south, is the organised option with sunbeds and a longer sand strip.
The north-east, from Kalami down through Kassiopi, is where returning visitors settle: swimming off rocks, tavernas at the water, and sunset without the Paleokastritsa coaches. It works with a hire car.
For wider Greece planning before you book, our Greek island hopping guide covers how Corfu sits next to Paxos, Lefkada and the mainland, and Greece trip cost ranges put ferries and rooms in context.
Find experiences for your Corfu trip
If you book through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.What belongs on a first visit to Corfu?
The Old Town first, the fortresses second, then the west coast and the Achilleion. Beaches and day trips fill whatever days remain.
The Old Town of Corfu has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2007, recognised for its Venetian fortifications and the mix of later buildings layered on top. Walk it without a plan: the Spianada, one of the largest squares in Greece, the double row of arches along the Liston, then the narrow lanes climbing toward the Church of Saint Spyridon, patron saint of the island. The New Fortress, a short climb above the commercial harbour, costs 5 euros full and 3 euros reduced, open 8am to 8pm from 1 April to 31 October and closed through the winter, per the official Hellenic Heritage listing.
Cafe tables along the Spianada, with the arched Liston arcade behind them in Corfu Town.
The Old Fortress is the bigger of the pair, on a rocky peninsula joined to the town by the Contrafossa canal. A full ticket is 10 euros, reduced 5 euros, with daily hours of 8am to 8pm from 1 April to 31 October according to Hellenic Heritage. Buy through the official portal and arrive before 10am in summer: the climb to the upper tower is exposed, and cruise passengers fill the paths by late morning. Bus line 2A stops at the Liston, ten minutes’ walk away.
The Achilleion, built for Empress Elisabeth of Austria at Gastouri below Pantokrator, costs 7 euros full and 5 euros reduced. Hours run 8am to 8pm from April to October and 8am to 4pm from November to March. The catch is restoration: as of October 2026 only the outdoor areas and Imperial Gardens are open, per the official Achilleion site. The terrace views and the Achilles statue still justify the trip; check the site before you go in case parts of the interior reopen.
The Achilleion palace above Gastouri, with terraces looking toward the Ionian Sea.
Paleokastritsa is the west-coast day that earns its drive. The monastery on the headland is free to enter and open through the day; donations keep the place running. Below it, the coves take swimming when the wind is off the sea, and small boats run to the caves and out toward Lakka when the weather allows. Arrive before 11am in July and August. The road down is narrow, single-track in places, and the car parks fill by midday.
Paleokastritsa on Corfu’s west coast, where coves sit below wooded headlands.
Paxos and Antipaxos make the standard boat day. Ferries leave Corfu New Port for Gaios in about 55 minutes, one way from roughly 20 euros, and return the same evening if you check the timetable first. Organised cruises add the Blue Caves and a swim stop at Antipaxos, from about 38 pounds (about 45 euros) per adult. Both options thin out after October.
Mount Pantokrator takes the winding road or a Corfu Trail stage to reach. The summit, about 906 m, carries a monastery and a cafe, and on a clear day the view runs from the Albanian mountains to the northern Ionian isles. Cloud sits on the top often in winter and spring; summer mornings are the reliable window.
Corfiot food differs from the mainland standard. Ask for pastitsada, rooster or beef slow-cooked in tomato and spices with pasta; sofrito, slices of beef in a white wine and garlic sauce; and bourdeto, fish or octopus in a peppery tomato stew. A taverna main in the Old Town generally lands between 12 and 18 euros (about $13 to 20/£10 to 15), with house wine by the half-litre. Our Greek food guide lists more dishes to order by name, and Crete covers the southern island equivalents if the trip continues.
How do you get around the island?
Blue city buses, green KTEL coaches and taxis cover most of what a first visit needs. A hire car earns its keep in the north and west, not in town.
The city network, run by Astiko KTEL Kerkyras, splits into two zones. Zone A costs 1.30 euros a ride and covers the airport, San Rocco Square, the port, Spianada and the Liston, plus Kanoni and Mon Repos. Zone B costs 1.80 euros and reaches the Achilleion, Pelekas, Perama, Benitses and the Ipsos-Dasia-Gouvia corridor. Buy at a kiosk or machine before boarding: tickets cost more on the bus, in line with Greek law, per the official ticket page. A daily ticket is 5 euros if you plan three or more rides. Line 15 links the airport, the port and San Rocco, which covers most arrival transfers.
Green KTEL coaches leave from the port bus station for villages beyond the city zones, including the north-east and Peloponnese-style inland stops, at roughly 2.20 to 3.30 euros depending on distance. They run less often than the blue buses and stop earlier in the evening.
A taxi from the airport to the centre costs about 15 euros in daytime, less late at night once the surcharge drops. The airport sits roughly 2 km south-west of the Old Town, so a taxi is a five to ten minute ride and often cheaper than a transfer booking. For the return, allow extra time: taxis queue at the rank, and summer mornings clog the airport approach.
Hire a car if your base is north of Gouvia or you want early coves without the bus timetable. Parking inside the Old Town is effectively impossible in summer; garages sit on the New Town edge. Book early for July and August, and read the gravel clauses if you plan to drive up to Pantokrator.
Ferries matter for everything beyond the island. Corfu to Igoumenitsa on the mainland takes 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30, with foot passenger fares from about 6 euros, and most sailings connect to long-distance coaches toward Athens. To Paxos, use the New Port as described above.
| Item | Price in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Old Fortress | 10 euros full (about $11/£8.50); 5 euros reduced |
| New Fortress | 5 euros full; 3 euros reduced |
| Achilleion | 7 euros full; 5 euros reduced, gardens only during restoration |
| Blue bus, Zone A or B | 1.30 euros or 1.80 euros from a kiosk; more on board |
| Bus daily ticket | 5 euros |
| Taxi, airport to town | About 15 euros daytime |
| Corfu to Igoumenitsa, foot ferry | From about 6 euros each way |
| Corfu to Gaios, Paxos | From about 20 euros each way |
| Paxos and Blue Caves cruise | From about 38 pounds (about 45 euros) per adult |
When is the best time to visit Corfu?
May, June and September are the strongest months. Daytime temperatures sit in the mid-20sC, the sea reaches swimming temperature by early June, and the Old Town stays lively without August density. Shoulder-season rooms run cheaper, and the Achilleion and fortress queues thin noticeably.
July and August are peak: hottest days, fullest west-coast car parks and the highest room rates on the island. If those months are fixed, book the Old Town room early, start beach days before 11am, and treat Paleokastritsa as an afternoon stop rather than a morning one.
Late October into November brings rain chances up and closes the seasonal rhythm: the Old Fortress keeps summer hours only until 31 October, boat trips to Paxos stop, and parts of the coast go quiet. Winter is for locals. Ferries to Igoumenitsa keep running, but most beach businesses shut and the fortresses move to reduced hours or close on some dates.
For month-by-month comparisons across the country, see our best time to visit Greece guide.
Corfu holds together on a simple formula: sleep in or near the Old Town, ride the blue buses for the Achilleion and Kanoni, keep one day for Paleokastritsa and one for a boat, and book the fortress tickets online before the coaches arrive. Get those right and the island feels compact rather than large.
Know before you go
Greece at a glance
Best time to visit
May to June, September to October
- January: cool, some showers
- February: cool, some showers
- March: mild, some showers
- April: mild, mostly dry
- May: warm, some showers
- June: hot, some showers
- July: hot, mostly dry
- August: hot, mostly dry
- September: warm, some showers
- October: warm, mostly dry
- November: mild, some showers
- December: mild, some showers
Mostly dry Some showers
- Capital
- Athens
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- Greek
- Time zone
- EET, UTC+2
- Plugs
- Type C / F, 230 V
- Driving
- On the right
Emergency112
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Corfu?
Four days covers the Old Town, both fortresses, the Achilleion gardens and one full day at Paleokastritsa. Five to seven days adds the north-east coast, Mount Pantokrator and a Paxos day trip. Two weeks lets you walk stretches of the 180 km Corfu Trail without rushing.
Do you need a car in Corfu?
No for Corfu Town, Kanoni, the Achilleion and the main coastal corridors, which the blue city buses and green KTEL coaches cover at 1.30 to 3.30 euros a ride. Yes if you want early starts at north-coast coves, mountain villages or flexibility with beach gear. A taxi from the airport to the centre is about 15 euros in daytime, which covers most arrival transfers on its own.
Is Corfu expensive?
Day-to-day costs are moderate by Greek island standards. City bus rides start at 1.30 euros, the Old Fortress costs 10 euros full price, a taxi across town is a few euros, and the ferry to mainland Igoumenitsa runs foot passengers from about 6 euros. Accommodation in the Old Town in July and August is the line item that bites.
What is Corfu famous for?
Its Venetian-designed Old Town, on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2007, with two fortresses, the Spianada square and the Liston arcade. Beyond the town: the green interior, west-coast bays such as Paleokastritsa, the 19th-century Achilleion palace, and a food tradition that runs on slow-cooked dishes such as pastitsada and sofrito.
Can you visit Paxos from Corfu in a day?
Yes. Ferries leave Corfu New Port for Gaios in about 55 minutes, with fares from about 20 euros one way, and organised boat trips add Antipaxos and the Blue Caves from roughly 38 pounds (about 45 euros) per adult. Check the last return sailing before you commit; winter schedules thin out.
When is the best time to visit Corfu?
May, June and September. The sea is swimmable, walking weather holds through the day, and the Old Town is busy without peak-August pressure. July and August bring the hottest days, the fullest beaches and the highest room rates. November to March is quiet: the fortresses keep summer hours only to 31 October, and many seasonal businesses close.
Useful links (6)
- Hellenic Heritage, Old Fortress of Corfu tickets and hours— hh.gr
- Achilleion Palace, opening hours and prices— achillion-corfu.gr
- Astiko KTEL Kerkyras, city bus ticket prices and zones— astikoktelkerkyras.gr
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Old Town of Corfu— whc.unesco.org
- Direct Ferries, Corfu to Igoumenitsa ferry information— directferries.com
- Paxos Lines, Corfu to Paxos tickets— paxoslines.com
Photo credits
Thank you to Maksym Kozlenko, Przemek Pietrak and George C. Tsiagalakis for sharing these beautiful photographs and helping bring this guide to life.
Editorial byline
Emma Collins Croatia, Greece and Turkey editor
Emma covers Croatia, Greece and Turkey for Epic Trip Ideas: city breaks, island hops, ferry routes, where to eat and what a trip really costs. Emma Collins is a pen name the Epic Trip Ideas editors use for Croatia, Greece and Turkey; every guide is checked against official sources before it goes live.
