Visiting Corfu, Greece
Corfu, Greece is an incredible island of Greece and is a popular cruise destination. With Venetian architecture, dramatic coastlines, charming villages, and some of the country’s best beaches, Corfu offers something for every traveler. Corfu receives between 1.5 and 2 million visitors per year. You may be stopping here for a cruise stop, short trip or weekend getaway. You can easily spend a whole week here. Check out my two day itinerary for inspiration!
Arrive Corfu
How to get to corfu
There are several ways to visit Corfu. You may be stopping just for the day as part of a cruise. You can also fly into the airport or arrive by ferry from Albania. On Day 1, my friends and I arrived in the early afternoon from red eye flights with layovers from the United States. On this day we were able to catch sunset, have an amazing dinner and walk the town at night. I am not counting this day as part of my two day itinerary but depending on when you arrive you may be able to squeeze in some more activities. Highlights of our evening included dinner at the Venetian Well and gelato at Papagiorgis Patiserie-Gelateria.
Day 1
Visit Paleokastritsa
Often considered the most beautiful area on the island, Paleokastritsa is famous for its emerald bays, cliffs, and crystal-clear waters. Spend the day swimming, snorkeling, or taking a boat trip to explore hidden caves. The hilltop monastery offers breathtaking views over the Ionian Sea. In the morning, we took a taxi from Corfu Old Town where we were staying to this beach. The taxi costs us 50 euros each way. You can lay out on your own towel. There are beach bars to grab drinks or food. It was a great way to soak in the sun.
Corfu Town
After coming back from the beach and showering. My friends decided to walk around the town more in the light and we stopped at a restaurant to grab drinks and some food/snacks. The town has a great atmosphere. There are lots of shops and cute places to eat and drink.
Take a Boat Trip Around the Island
Next, we did a sunset cruise from Corfu Old Town past Mouse Island. It included a light snack and drinks. Highly recommend it! We were so lucky to have incredible sunset and it was a great way to see the island from the water.
A boat trip is one of the best ways to experience Corfu’s dramatic coastline. Cruise along hidden coves, sea caves, and remote beaches only accessible by water. Day trips to nearby islands such as Paxos and Antipaxos are also popular for their bright-blue waters. If we had an extra day I would have loved to do this.
Day two of Corfu itinerary
Visit the Old Fortress of Corfu
The Old Fortress of Corfu offers sweeping views of the Ionian Sea. Built by the Venetians, its thick walls, tunnels, and bastions reveal centuries of defense history. Walking to the lighthouse gives unforgettable island panoramas.
We visited in the early morning and is was practically empty. The views were amazing. There is a little shop with tables to grab drinks. It cost 10 euros to enter (2025). We also walked down to the boat club which was beautiful and gave scenic views.
Enjoy Corfu Local Beaches
After we checked out of our accommodation we headed down to a local beach. We really enjoyed Faliraki Corfu beach bar where we were able to eat, drink, swim and soak in views of the Old Fortress. It was a great way to spend the afternoon and eat. We hung out here until it was time for us to take a taxi to the ferry terminal. We were taking a late afternoon ferry from Corfu to Sarande, Albania.
If you had a full day here you could explore more in Old Town Corfu or check out one of the other amazing beaches around the island. Other things worth checking out include: Achilleion Palace, Kanoni & Vlacherna Monastery, Angelokastro and more.
So many things to do in Corfu, Greece
You will not be bored on your visit to Corfu. If you are just stopping for a day or have a whole week to explore. We were there for 2 nights and only scratched the surface. If you would like more inspiration check out the top things to do in Corfu or if you are interested in combining Corfu with a trip to Albania check out my itinerary HERE! I have a feeling I will be back to this island.
