Corfu: An Ionian Dream
Corfu is a stunning island. After spending time in the Cycladic Islands and then heading to Athens, Corfu was quite the pleasant surprise. As an island, it has a much more lush and thriving landscape full of mesmerizing sights. While the other islands we visited were gorgeous, the greenery and abundance of Corfu took the cake.
Last year we took our first trip to Greece and we loved it. This post will detail our final stop in Greece to the island of Corfu. I will share highlights from our trip to Corfu and all of the remarkable places we visited around the island. The first post in the series was about Santorini, followed by Milos, Naxos and Athens.
Trip Planning: Before
We came to visit Corfu as a bit of an accident. I had read about the Ionian Islands in my Greek research, but I wasn’t sure if I could fit them into our itinerary. During my planning, I found a cheap flight on Norwegian Air back to NYC from Corfu via London. Even though it was far from the other islands, I found a way to work in a few days on the island before flying home.
In addition to booking our flight to and from Corfu, I reserved a rental car to get around the island. There isn’t much public transit on Corfu and you’ll need a car to reach many of the beaches. Lastly, since Corfu is such a tourist destination, I booked my Airbnb ahead of time.
Getting There
We took a flight on Olympic Air from Athens to Corfu, which was under an hour. Upon arrival in Corfu, the rental car agencies are located in the airport parking lot, making it easy to pick up your rental. There are also a number of ferries between the mainland and nearby islands that travel to Corfu daily. Also, you can take a ferry to Bari, Italy.
Corfu Basics
Corfu, or Kerkyra, is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea located off the northwest coast of Greece. It is part of the Ionian Island Group. Corfu is 592.9 square kilometers in size, about 64 km in length and 32 km at it’s largest width. The island sits very close to Albania on it’s northeastern coast, and Italy on the western coast. The island was under Venetian rule for four centuries, so both the architecture and the cuisine have a heavy Venetian influence.
The population of Corfu is over 100,000 people. It has a mild Mediterranean climate that is pleasant year round. There is a large tourist presence on the island, with many tourists from nearby European countries. There are many extraordinary beaches located throughout the island, as well as a large mountainous region in the northern part of the island. In addition to the natural wonders that Corfu has to offer, there are also tons of cultural opportunities and museums to visit.
Where to Stay
We stayed at a basic Airbnb, where we rented a room in someone’s house just outside of Corfu town. We appreciated our passionate host who gave us great ideas about where to visit in our limited time on the island. There are a lot of options to stay in Corfu town, as well as around the various parts of the island. I would recommend staying near one of the island’s coasts, especially in the north or the western side of the island. There are a lot of options on Airbnb, as well as on Booking.com.
What to Eat
There are a lot of food options in Corfu, from elegant restaurants in town to basic food shacks along the beaches. There really is something for everyone. We ate at a few random restaurants during our stay, which held yummy gyros and delicious pizzas. I’d recommend exploring where you are staying for the best food options and you are likely to be impressed.
What to Do
There are so many things to do in Corfu. Most of activities we did centered around the natural beauty and the abundant culture of the island. Here are a few things that I recommend from our short time there.
Go to the Beach
One of the main reasons to visit Corfu are to visit some of the jaw-dropping beaches. Many of the beaches we went to were suggested to us from our host. Since not everything will be on the tourist lists, ask a local for advice. Despite the tiny, windy island roads we took to find some of these beaches, they were all well worth it.
Rovinia Beach
On our first day in Corfu, our host recommended an off-the-grid beach on the west of the island. He painstakingly described directions to us using Google Earth and then sent us on our way. While it was an adventure to take the one-way dirt roads to get there, the beach turned out to be a hidden gem. After paying to park in a small dirt lot, we walked down about half a mile amid olive trees to find the secluded cove of Rovinia Beach. The small pebbled beach has clear turquoise waters and it will feel like you are taking a page out of paradise. Also, bring everything you need because there are no amenities once you get there.
Loggas Beach
Loggas Beach was highly recommended on a number of places that I researched and it did not disappoint. We took a number of small country roads to get to this northwestern beach. Once there, we found a large parking lot and an easy walk down to the beach. There are a few shops and a restaurant above the beach that you can purchase snacks and food at. The beach itself is a long, narrow stretch of soft sand with lapping waves.
Hike to Porto Timoni Beach
This beach was the highlight of our beach trips in Corfu. To get to Porto Timoni Beach, you drive to the small town of Afionias up in the hills of the northwestern part of the island. After parking, you follow a small rocky path for about thirty minutes to reach the beach. The hike is moderate, but short. You can also access the beach via boat from nearby Agios Georgios Beach.
After hiking down to the beach, you are greeted with back to back coves with crystal clear waters. The beach is made up of lots of pebbles and rocks, so it is not smooth sand but still nice to lay out on. There are no amenities once you get down to the bottom. Bring lots of water for the hike and snacks, beach towels and an umbrella for the beach.
Overall, we loved the adventure of hiking to the secluded beach. It was one of our top memories from the entire trip. I definitely recommend it!
Visit the Old Venetian Fortress
On our last full day in Corfu, we explored the Old Venetian Fortress in Corfu Town. It was an interesting, if hot, view into some of the history of the island. The fortress is worth a solid hour or two of exploring, ideally accompanied with a walk into Old Town. After getting sweaty from all of that walking, we found our way to the Faliraki Bathing Beach. While it wasn’t as beautiful as some of the other beaches of our trip, it was a cool break within the city. There is also a small restaurant here where you can order drinks and snacks while you lounge around.
Walk around Corfu Old Town
I highly recommend setting aside some time for exploring Old Town. There are tons of interesting shops, cafes and restaurants to visit in this area. We enjoyed walking among the ancient cobblestones and viewing the historical architecture of the ancient city.
Running Corfu
Running in Corfu was a bit of a challenge. It was hot and there was a lot of traffic on the roads near where we stayed. Nonetheless, we made due. We were able to utilize the sidewalks along the water and that kept us pretty safe. I suspect you’d have better luck getting some runs in the smaller country roads outside of the main town.
Goodbye Greece
I’m so grateful that we got to visit this gorgeous country and all the amazing islands within it. Corfu was a wonderful ending to our Greek adventure. I would love to return to Greece some day, as well as return to the Ionian Islands to explore them some more.
