17 Best Things To Do in Corfu, Greece
There are many things to do in Corfu, ranging from relaxing beach days to adventurous hikes and boat tours. Whether you’re just here for a few days or spending a full week on the island, you’re sure to find something on this list of the best things to do in Corfu!
Corfu is a relatively small island and it’s easy to get around if you rent a car (we did and I highly recommend it!). We were able to see and do almost everything during our 10-day trip, even visiting a few areas multiple times. If you’re short on time, I’ve added a section about things to do in Corfu in one day to the bottom of this post!
Like most Greek islands, Corfu activities are exceedingly seasonal. Many places shut down in the off-season (typically November through March). Many of the best things to do in Corfu are only open or available during the high season.
Activities in Corfu are almost guaranteed to be available in summer, are most likely available during the shoulder seasons, and are less likely to be available in late fall and winter. Even many restaurants close down completely in winter.
Corfu also has a wet, tropical climate and gets more rain than most other Greek islands. You can expect summers to be hot and rain-free, but spring, fall, and especially winter will likely have many days of rain. Keep this in mind as you plan out which things to do in Corfu during your trip!
No matter which activities you do during your trip, you will have an incredible time because you’ll be in one of the best places in the world: Corfu.
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Walk Around Corfu Old Town
Corfu Old Town is also known as just “Corfu Town” or “city of Corfu.” You will also often see it called Kerkyra, which is the Greek spelling of it.
There are tons of things to do in Corfu Old Town! The streets are like a maze and it’s easy to get lost as you wander around. It’s a great area to stay since it’s pretty central to many activities and close to the airport.
Corfu Old Town was built by the Venetians, so it is exceptionally similar to Venice, Italy, with warm yellow and orange buildings and cobblestone streets.
Downtown Corfu Old Town
Walk to the main area of town for all the action. This is where most of the shops and restaurants are. It is typically bustling with both locals and tourists out shopping or enjoying lunch at one of the many restaurants or cafes.
Closer to the seaside outside of the main downtown area is where the more touristy souvenir shops are located. It’s here where you can get souvenirs and other Corfu and Greek trinkets.
Fortresses of Corfu
A couple of the main things to do in Corfu Old Town are tours of the Old Fortress and the New Fortress, both of which are Venetian fortresses.
Old Fortress of Corfu
Construction on the site of the Old Fortress was believed to have started as early as the 6th century AD. It now houses the Public Library of Corfu in the British barracks, but you can also get tickets to visit the fortress itself.
New Fortress of Corfu
The New Fortress was built by a Venetian architect, but the British built the current buildings within the fortress. You can easily walk along the base of this fortress, as it is located right in Corfu Old Town.
Recommended: Take a guided walking tour of Corfu Town or listen to live Jazz music at a secret spot in the Old Fortress!
Relax on the Beaches
Corfu has some of the best beaches and spending my days on them was one of my favorite things to do in Corfu! There are dozens around the island, some sandy and some rocky, all with crystal clear turquoise waters.
The west side has more sandy beaches than the east side, though they tend to be more crowded. Most beaches I’ve been to in Corfu have been great for lounging in the sunshine and swimming in the sea!
Tip: Bring water shoes! Many beaches are rocky and painful to walk on barefoot. There are also some sea urchins in the shallows at Corfu beaches.
A few of the best beaches in Corfu:
Rovinia Beach in Liapades
Agios Spiridon Beach in Paleokastritsa
Pirate Beach in Paleokastritsa
For a full list, visit my blog post all about the best beaches in Corfu!
Sail on a Pirate Ship
There is a pirate ship called Black Rose that sails along the coast of Corfu Town every two hours from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It’s a gorgeous black ship with Jolly Roger sails and employees dressed as pirates.
If you’re looking for really unique things to do in Corfu, this is it! You’ll get to see all the sights including the Old Venetian Fortress, the Vlacherna Monastery, and Mouse Island.
The tour is an hour and fifteen minutes and is suitable for all ages and kids are even given pirate hats and swords to play with (I’m sure adults could get some too if they asked).
Choose from a day cruise, sunset cruise, or special Saturday evening 3-hour party cruise with a DJ. No matter what you choose, you’re sure to have a swashbuckling time!
Swim Next to the Anemomilos Windmill
The Anemomilos Windmill is the only standing windmill in Corfu. The original windmill fell into disrepair and the one you see today is a rebuilt replica of it.
The windmill sits at the end of a long stretch of road along the water. It has a concrete pier that juts off to the side where locals and tourists can sit and enjoy the sunshine.
There are a few areas along the pier where you can walk down steps to get in the water. On a hot summer day, a dip in the sea is one of the best things to do in Corfu — it was very much needed the day we went.
If you time you visit right, the Black Rose Pirate Ship will sail right past the windmill while you swim in the sea. We timed it right by accident and it was a fun surprise to see the pirate ship go by!
Explore the Achilleion Palace
The Achilleion Palace is a grand palace with gardens on a hilltop overlooking the gorgeous Ionian Sea. It was closed for a long time in 2023 for restoration work but is open again for tours.
Here you can walk through the palace where Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Kaiser William II of Germany once lived. The interior has beautiful, intricate designs throughout the walls, ceiling, and floors, along with grand statues and furniture.
There is a beautiful courtyard with Greek statues standing in front of each of the columns that hold up the awning. Stroll through the gardens out to the edge for incredible views of the sea and Corfu.
Of all the things to do in Corfu, visiting the Achilleion Palace stands out as one of the best indoor activities.
You can park in a large parking lot at the bottom and walk up the staircase to the palace. At the top of the stairs, you’ll find the ticket booth where you can purchase tickets to enter.
Shop For Gifts at Tsami Ceramics
Near the Achilleion Palace is a small pottery shop with lovely handmade pottery. I bought a couple of small cups and successfully brought them home to California in one piece.
This is a great spot to get a souvenir and gifts. There is a small studio in the back where you can even watch the artist at work! I love looking at local pottery shops on my trips and finding this gem was so fun.
If you’re visiting the Achilleion Palace, this ceramics shop/studio is within walking distance and worth a stop.
Location: Ethniki Odos Kerkiras Achiliou, Gastouri, Corfu 490 84
Rent a Boat in Nissaki
Renting a boat is one of the top things to do in Corfu! You can rent a boat yourself without any licenses or permits in Corfu, which is a unique experience compared to other places I’ve been.
After getting snorkel gear in Corfu Town, we headed to a boat rental in Nissaki that came highly recommended by the man at the snorkel shop. He said this was the only boat rental place he trusted. Nissaki Rent A Boat was great! They gave us a full run down about how to drive the boat and where we could go.
Since we got there around midday, the boats were all rented out except for the largest one, which we happily rented! You pay for the boat rental and then pay for however much gas you use while driving the boat around.
Be sure you fully anchor the boat before hopping off to swim in the sea or swim to shore at one of the many coves. We mistakenly thought we anchored well (we didn’t) and the boat was blown away from us since it was a windy day. I was able to swim with my flippers and get it in time, but I’m still a bit traumatized from the experience since I had to swim so far out to sea over deep, black water.
Even after that bad experience, I would rent a boat again and just be extra sure we anchored it well. It was completely our fault for not anchoring properly. It’s still an activity I recommend!
If you’re unsure about your abilities to drive and anchor the boat, you can rent a boat with a skipper who will do that for you — that’s probably what I’ll do next time.
Note: Nissaki Rent A Boat only serves the northeast area of Corfu. If you want to explore the northwest area, you’ll need to rent a boat on that side of the island.
Go Snorkeling
There are great snorkeling spots all around the island and it is one of the best things to do in Corfu if you enjoy snorkeling! I highly recommend renting some snorkeling gear at the beginning of your trip and taking it with you to all the beaches you visit.
We rented from Ocean - Diving & Spearfishing Shop in Corfu Town and got great service, in-depth advice about snorkeling spots and boat rentals, as well as nice snorkel gear. It was affordable and high-quality items and service.
Some of the top beaches that the shop owner recommended for the best snorkeling in Corfu:
Erimitus Beach
Arillas Beach
Porto Timoni Beach
Paleokastritsa Beach
Ermones Beach
Panorama
Prasoudi
The stretch between Chalikounas Beach and Issos Beach
If you’re not comfortable going snorkeling yourself, consider booking a sailing tour that includes snorkeling.
These are some of the highest-rated sailing tours in Corfu:
Visit the Vlacherna Monastery
At the end of a narrow pier, with a small island in the background, you’ll find Vlacherna Monastery. It’s a picturesque, tiny white building that stands out against the blue sea that surrounds it.
Vlacherna Monastery, also known as the Holy Monastery of Vlacherna, was built in the 17th century. It’s located right next to Corfu Airport and depending on the time of day you visit, it is common to see planes landing and taking off from here.
Along the pier that leads to the monastery, you can rent a boat to visit the small island, known as Mouse Island or Pontikonisi, just behind the monastery. This is one of the best things to do in Corfu for photographers.
Mouse Island is a tiny island that houses the Holy Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior. It’s incredibly famous, believed to be the island where Poseidon turns the Phaiákian Cutter to stone in The Odyssey.
Recommended: Take a sunset cruise around Corfu and Mouse Island (Pontikonisi) with drinks and snacks.
Get Coffee at Coffee Lovers
Our favorite coffee place in Corfu is Coffee Lovers. It is run by two cousins, Maria and Fiorella, who serve delicious coffee, tea, cakes, and meals in Barbati.
We stopped here half a dozen times during our trip to get brunch, end an evening with some tea, or just for dessert. Their food is incredible and very reminiscent of Californian dishes.
They’re located in Barbati, not far from the beach. If you’re in the area, stop in for a treat — they make great baked goods each day.
Want to stay in Barbati? There is a luxury apartment with a private pool just above Coffee Lovers that you can book for your stay!
Eat at the Best Restaurants
One of the most surprising things about Corfu was the incredible meals! The restaurants in Corfu are some of the best I have ever been to. It’s fresh, affordable, and incredibly high quality.
While most places have traditional Greek food, many places also have a mix of Greek and Italian food due to the Venetian influence that can be found throughout the entire island.
I didn’t expect eating to top my list of favorite things to do in Corfu, but the food is just that good!
The more touristy the area, the lower the quality of the food. Some of the best restaurants we went to were in Dassia, a quieter area of the island that isn’t as frequented by tourists. Paleokastritsa has a few amazing restaurants, but some of the ones near the popular hotels and beaches are not so great.
Despite being both a popular and touristy area, Corfu Town has a large selection of great restaurants. You may just need to go to the lesser-known streets to find the best ones!
A few of the best restaurants in Corfu:
Sagrado in Corfu Town
Castello in Dassia
Lucciola Garden in Sgombou Area (inland from Dassia)
Flavor in Paleokastritsa
Jump Off a Diving Board Into the Sea
At La Grotta Beach Bar you can get a drink with sea views, sunbathe on the rocks, or jump off a diving board into the sea! It’s one of the most popular things to do in Corfu and therefore can get crowded.
We arrived around 10 a.m. and it didn’t start to get busy until around 11 a.m. The beach bar at the top has lots of seating overlooking the gorgeous sea and rocks that surround the area. There are also lounge chairs with umbrellas if you just want to relax at the top and take in the views.
If you head down the stairs to sea level, there are many rocks you can sit on, a diving board that launches you directly into the sea, an outdoor shower, and a dock with water taxis.
The water was clear and warm, which made it easy to spend hours here! Bring a towel, sunscreen, and a hat or sunglasses and you’ll be set for the day. You can get drinks and food at the beach bar, use the bathroom there as well, and enjoy a day of sun and sea.
Hike Porto Timoni
One of the more strenuous hikes in Corfu with an incredible payoff is Porto Timoni. Although hiking might not be at the top of your “things to do in Corfu” list, this one ends with gorgeous dual bays that make the tough hike worth it.
On a hot day, get out to do the hike as early as possible — ideally before 9 a.m., and earlier if you plan to spend more than an hour or two at the beaches.
The hike can be steep in some areas and narrow with drop-offs in others. I wouldn’t recommend it if you have kids with you or you are not able-bodied, though we did see many people trudging down with their kids if you want to take the risk.
Wear closed-toed shoes that have some tread. My top recommendation is to wear trail shoes, which will make this hike much easier!
Once you get to the bottom, you can go left for Porto Timoni or right for Pirate Beach. The Porto Timoni side is more teal-colored, while Pirate Beach is more aqua turquoise. Both beaches are lovely and Porto Timoni even has some good snorkeling!
If you don’t want to hike down, water taxis will drop you off right at Porto Timoni Beach. Still, be prepared for a hike because you will need to hike back up yourself.
Tour an Olive Grove
Corfu, and much of the Mediterranean, is known for its olive groves. You will see them throughout the island as you drive from place to place, but you can also stop and take a tour of one!
You can learn about the groves, taste the olive oils made on the farms, and even try seasonal vegetables! You can take a few different tours of individual farms, or sign up for a cooking class that includes olive oil tasting.
Take in the Views at Cape Drastis
One of the most stunning views in Corfu is Cape Drastis in the northwest. It’s one of the few things to do in Corfu that didn’t make it on our itinerary — we unfortunately ran out of energy after our Porto Timoni hike.
Cape Drastis has become famous for its unusually shaped white, sand-like cliffs. The main thing to do here is take in the views from above. The beaches are not accessible by foot and are only accessible by boat when sea conditions are calm enough. You can rent a boat with or without a skipper in this area to explore Cape Drastis, Canal d’Amour, and Mermaid Island.
Photo by Ákos Sánta on Unsplash
Swim Through Canal d’Amour
Another popular spot near Cape Drastis in Sidari is Canal d’Amour. This canal has a tiny beach that is often packed with people and a long canal you can swim through to reach the open sea.
Swimming through the canal is one of the more popular things to do in Corfu, especially for couples. The legend of this canal varies, but it’s always along the lines of couples who swim through the canal will be in love forever or will be married soon if they are not already.
The water is great here and it was nice to swim in. There is also a small cave called Dionysus Cave that you can swim through!
Tip: If the canal is a bit too busy when you go, try the beach between Canal d’Amour and D’Amour Beach. It was less crowded and there’s a neat rock you can swim out to and climb on.
Take a Day Trip to Albania
Corfu is incredibly close to the west coast of Albania. So close, that we were told in no uncertain terms when renting the boat that we could not take it too far away from Corfu’s coast or we would be in Albanian waters. The employees at the boat rental said they—more than a few times—had to go get tourists who were stopped and held by the Albanian authorities for crossing the sea border.
All that to say, it’s really easy to take a day trip to Albania from Corfu! There are a few ferries that operate services from Corfu to Albania and back. The fastest ferry is just a 30-minute trip from coast to coast and the longest is an hour and 10 minutes.
Although there are so many things to do in Corfu, if you want to explore another country during your trip, it’s just a short ferry away to Albania!
How to Spend One Day in Corfu
If you only have one day to spend on Corfu (though I recommend at least 3 days, ideally 5-7 days), here is a packed itinerary to maximize your day!
Go to Coffee Lovers for breakfast and coffee.
Drive to Paleokastritsa on the west side and hike to Porto Timoni.
Head to La Grotta Beach Bar and jump off the diving board.
Get lunch at Flavor.
Drive back to the east side and walk around Corfu Town.
Visit the Old Fortress of Corfu and New Fortress of Corfu.
Take a sunset ride on the Black Rose Pirate Ship.
Have dinner at Sagrado in Corfu Town.
More Corfu Travel Guides
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