Solo travel · Corfu · Greece
Solo travel in Corfu
How to enjoy Corfu at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Own work I am the author. Dr.K. 15:51, 6 September 2006 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Corfu works well for solo travellers who like hiking, beaches and history. Corfu Town is lively and walkable, and group boat trips and the Corfu Trail make it easy to explore without a car. Many solo travellers base themselves in Pelekas and Glyfada.
Key facts
- Base
- Pelekas and Glyfada
- Getting around
- Car
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
- Language
- Greek
Solo travel tips
- Stay in Corfu Town for the most restaurants, buses and evening life within walking distance.
- Walk sections of the Corfu Trail in spring or autumn, when temperatures are lower.
- Join group boat trips to Paxos and Antipaxos to meet other travellers.
- Pelekas has hostels and guesthouses close to the west-coast beaches.
- Carry water and sun protection on hikes; shade is limited on exposed ridges.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for couples, beach and solo travellers
Pelekas and Glyfada
Pelekas is a traditional village on a ridge in the centre of the west coast, known for sunset views from the Kaiser's Throne lookout. Below it, Glyfada has a long sandy beach with beach bars, and nearby Myrtiotissa is a secluded cove reached by a steep track.
- Good
- Sandy west-coast beaches; Sunsets; About 25 minutes from Corfu Town
- Watch out
- Waves on windy days; Steep roads down to the beaches
- Nearby
- Kaiser's Throne, Glyfada beach, Myrtiotissa, Kontogialos
Great on your own
Neighbourhood · Corfu Town
Corfu Old Town
Get lost in the Campiello lanes early in the day before cruise-ship groups arrive, then have coffee on the Liston.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Photo spot
Landmark · Corfu Town
Spianada and the Liston
Look out for a cricket match on the Spianada on summer weekends, a quirky survival of the British period.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- After dark
- Food
Palace · Gastouri
Achilleion Palace
Arrive at opening or late in the afternoon to avoid the tour coaches that visit in the middle of the day.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Views
Viewpoint · Kanoni
Kanoni, Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island
Walk down the steps from the Kanoni café to the causeway, and take the small boat across to Mouse Island in summer.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Photo spot
- Kids
Castle · Corfu Town
Old Fortress
Climb to the lighthouse in the late afternoon for the best light over the old town's rooftops.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Photo spot
- Kids
Religious site · Corfu Town
Church of Saint Spyridon
Dress modestly and visit outside service times; the saint's relics are carried around town in processions several times a year.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Meeting people
- Sunday pastitsada in a village — Head inland to a village taverna on a Sunday, when pastitsada is often cooked for local families.
- Fish lunch on the north-east coast — Arrive by boat or on foot at a taverna in Agni or Kalami for grilled fish and bourdeto by the water.
- Corfu Town — Café-bars on the Liston, wine bars in the old town lanes and clubs along the coast road north of the New Port.
- Kavos — The island's main party strip, with clubs and bars popular with young groups in summer.
Sensible precautions
Corfu is relaxed for visitors. The main risks are summer heat, sunburn, steep and winding roads (especially on scooters and quad bikes) and pickpocketing in crowded old-town lanes at peak times. Some west-coast beaches have strong waves on windy days.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
- Staying connected
- Mobile coverage is good across most of the island; near the north-east coast, phones may connect to Albanian networks, so check roaming settings.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Corfu good for solo travellers?
Corfu works well for solo travellers who like hiking, beaches and history. Corfu Town is lively and walkable, and group boat trips and the Corfu Trail make it easy to explore without a car.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Corfu?
Pelekas and Glyfada: Hilltop village for sunsets above one of the island's best sandy beaches.