Corfu Travel Guide

*Backpacks & Bubbly – Top Pick for Drinks With A View*

La Grotta Bar

La Grotta Bar in Paleokastritsa is a can’t miss bar on your Corfu trip. The bar is literally built into the rocks (or Grotta) and is accessible via boat or by car. You’ll need to walk down quite a few stairs from the road to the Grotta, but it’s worth it!

This casual oceanfront bar offers cocktails, views and cliff diving (or just swimming) I cannot recommend this place enough!

Top Things to do in Corfu

Explore Corfu Town

Corfu Town is the main town in Corfu and is a must-see on your trip. You can opt to stay in Corfu if you want to be in the heart of the action, but I’d recommend staying at a resort on the coast and visiting Corfu Town.

Corfu Town feels a bit like being in Italy, particularly the architecture which is heavily influenced by the Venetians that once occupied Corfu.

The Old Town is a series of picturesque streets and alleyways worth exploring, with tons of shopping, a great selection of restaurants, a charming harbor area, and vibrant nightlife, there is something for everyone!

I’d recommend spending at least half a day of your trip exploring Corfu town!

Hike to Porto Timoni Beach

Porto Timoni Beach is one of the most stunning beaches in Corfu, and like many stunning beaches in Greece, is a bit more of a challenge to get to.

Porto Timoni is actually two beaches separated by a small strip of land located in Northwestern Corfu near Afionas. The beaches themselves are nice, but it’s really the panoramic view that is breathtaking!

The beaches can be reached via hiking down from the main parking area (there are two trails, one is more direct, but steeper, the other is a little less steep, but longer. It also gives you some panoramic views of neighboring Agios Georgios beach.

I recommend taking this trail down, and the other one up, as it’s quicker.

If you’re just going to the viewpoint it’s a 10-15 minute walk, if you’re going all the way down to the beach it’s about 20-25 minutes. This trail is rocky and a bit steep, don’t make the mistake of wearing flip flops (like I did!)

You can also hire a water taxi from Agios Georgios beach directly to Porto Timoni and skip the hike, but I don’t recommend this as the best views are the ones from the hike!

This beach is small and gets crowded, so I recommend getting there early and just planning on visiting for an hour or two, if you’re looking for a beach day head to nearby Agios Georgios beach after visiting Porto Timoni.

Explore Paleokastritsa

Paleokastritsa is a village in Northwestern Corfu that offers some of the most stunning views the island has to offer. There are several highlights in Paleokastritsa

• Monestary of Paleokastritsa & the Viewpoint – located right next to each other these are some of the most iconic views in Corfu. You can drive up the narrow road or park in the lot next to Agios Spiridon Beach and walk up the road to the Monestary (about 20 minute walk)
• Agios Spiridon Beach – located at the bottom of the Monestary is a cute little beach with cliffside views that is a great stop
• Bella Vista Viewpoint – worth a stop for some stunning photos of the Paleokastritsa coastline
• La Grotta Bar – the most scenic bar in Corfu, worth a stop even if just for a quick drink!

Relax on Corfu’s Top Beaches

Corfu has a series of stunning, sandy beaches with blue waters and great waves if you’re into surfing that are well worth a visit during your trip. Some of my favorites are:

• Glyfada Beach
• Agios Gordios Beach
• Agios Spiridon Beach
• Agios Georgios beach

Visit Charming Kassiopi

Kassiopi is a charming fishing village in the northeast of Corfu that has become a popular tourist destination. It has retained a mix of it’s traditional, old world charm and is still an active fishing village, but also offers a lovely selection of tavernas and bars with picturesque patios on the harbor.

It’s a great place to explore for a morning or afternoon.

Rent a Boat and Explore the Coast

Corfu has many charming beaches, grottoes and caves that are only accessible via boat. If you feel comfortable renting a boat it is a great way to explore some of the lesser discovered areas of the island!

Depending on where you are based, the two most popular spots to rent a boat are the port of Corfu Town (located on the east side of the island) or in Paleokastritsa (on the west side of the island)

Take a Day Trip to Paxos & AntiPaxos

Paxos and AntiPaxos are two small islands located near Corfu that make for a great day trip. There are many guided boat tours from Corfu that allow you to explore the stunning beaches of Antipaxos, the infamous Blue Caves of the islands that can only be reached via boat, and explore the charming island of Paxos on your own for a few hours.

This is a long day trip, but a great way to explore some of the other Ionian islands during your trip to Corfu.

Swim Across Canal d’Amour

The infamous Canal d’Amour in Sidari, an area of Northwestern Corfu, is worth a quick stop if you’re in the area. Translating to the Channel of Love, the narrow crystal clear canal is surrounded by picturesque sandstone cliffs that have been sculpted for years by the waves.

Legend has it couples who swim the canal together will find the love of their life, and those who swim to the end of the canal will meet the love of their life soon after.

The area is a bit small and can get crowded, so try to get there earlier, or head there later in the day. There are plenty of local beach bars to grab a drink or lunch while you’re nearby!

Party in Kavos

Kavos is a town in Southern Corfu with a reputation for its nightlife. Kavos is a seasonal resort town that caters to younger tourists looking for the bar and nightlcub scene in Corfu.

Renting a Car in Corfu

I highly recommend renting a car if you want to explore Corfu. It’s a large island with tons to see, but not super accusable without a car.

If you’re planning on just hanging at a resort on the beach or spending most of your time in Corfu Town, you could probably get away with not having a car, but it will really limit your ability to explore some of the best sites of the island!

Driving in Corfu was mostly ok. The roads can be narrow and quite windy, but as long as you feel comfortable and go slow you shouldn’t have too much of a problem. Driving in Corfu town can be a bit chaotic, but there are several parking lots around the edge of the downtown area where you can leave your car!

Although I do recommend being careful on some of the less well paved roads, the bottom of my rental bumper got scratched from a rock on a dirt road and I had to pay for the damage!