Things to do · Corfu · Greece
17 best things to do in Corfu
17 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Marc Ryckaert ( MJJR ), CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Corfu are Corfu Old Town, Spianada and the Liston and Achilleion Palace. Of the 17 picks below, 11 are free, 3 work on a rainy day and 3 suit children. Allow about 7 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Corfu Old Town
- Free sights
- 11
- Good on a rainy day
- Church of Saint Spyridon
- Time to see the highlights
- 7 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corfu Old Town | Corfu Town | Half a day | Free |
| Spianada and the Liston | Corfu Town | 1 hour | Free |
| Achilleion Palace | Gastouri | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Kanoni, Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island | Kanoni | 1 hour | Free |
| Old Fortress | Corfu Town | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Church of Saint Spyridon | Corfu Town | 30 minutes | Free |
| Mon Repos | Corfu Town | 2 hours | Free |
| Archaeological Museum of Corfu | Corfu Town | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Museum of Asian Art | Corfu Town | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Paleokastritsa Monastery and coves | Paleokastritsa | Half a day | Free |
| Angelokastro | Paleokastritsa | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Mount Pantokrator and Old Perithia | North-east Corfu | Half a day | Free |
| Canal d'Amour | Sidari | 1 hour | Free |
| Kaiser's Throne, Pelekas | Pelekas | 1 hour | Free |
| Kalami and the Durrells' Corfu | Kalami and Agni | Half a day | Free |
| Aqualand | Agios Ioannis | Full day | Expensive |
| Lake Korission and Issos dunes | South-west Corfu | 2–3 hours | Free |
The 17 best things to do
Neighbourhood · Corfu Town
1.Corfu Old Town
The UNESCO-listed old town grew within Venetian fortifications from the 15th to the 18th century, and its narrow kantounia lanes, tall shuttered houses, small squares and Catholic and Orthodox churches still follow that plan. The Campiello quarter, the oldest part, is quietest in the early morning.
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
2.Spianada and the Liston
The Spianada is one of the largest squares in Greece, with a cricket pitch introduced during British rule and a Doric-style rotunda. Along its western side, the Liston is an arcaded promenade built under French rule and modelled on Paris's Rue de Rivoli, now lined with cafés.
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
3.Achilleion Palace
Built in the 1890s for Empress Elisabeth of Austria ('Sisi') and later owned by Kaiser Wilhelm II, this neoclassical palace in Gastouri is dedicated to the hero Achilles. Its terraced gardens hold statues including the dying Achilles and a giant Achilles Triumphant, with views over the east coast.
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
4.Kanoni, Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island
From the Kanoni viewpoint south of town, the white Vlacherna Monastery sits on an islet reached by a causeway, with tree-covered Pontikonisi (Mouse Island) behind it. Planes landing at the airport pass low over the lagoon right beside it.
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
5.Old Fortress
On a rocky promontory separated from the town by a moat, the Venetian Old Fortress resisted several Ottoman sieges in the 16th and 18th centuries. Inside are the neoclassical Church of St George, built by the British, and paths to the lighthouse at the top for views over town and the sea.
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
6.Church of Saint Spyridon
Corfu's best-loved church holds the relics of the island's patron saint, who is credited with saving the island from plague and siege. Its red-domed bell tower is the tallest on the island, and the dark interior is filled with silver lamps and a painted ceiling.
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
Park · Corfu Town
7.Mon Repos
This wooded estate south of the old town was built as a summer residence for the British High Commissioner and is where Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was born in 1921. The villa houses a museum of the island's history, and the park leads to the ruins of ancient Palaiopolis, including a Doric temple.
Combine it with a swim at the small Mon Repos beach, a short walk from the park gate.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Nature
Museum · Corfu Town
8.Archaeological Museum of Corfu
The museum's star piece is the Gorgon pediment from the Temple of Artemis, one of the oldest surviving stone pediments in Greece, dating to the early 6th century BC. It also displays finds from ancient Korkyra's cemeteries and sanctuaries.
It is a compact museum; allow an hour and pair it with a walk along the Garitsa bay seafront.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · Corfu Town
1.Museum of Asian Art
Housed in the Palace of St Michael and St George, built in the 1820s for the British High Commissioner, the museum holds a large collection of Chinese, Japanese and Indian art, including ceramics, bronzes and screens.
Visit the Municipal Art Gallery in the palace's east wing on the same trip.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Religious site · Paleokastritsa
2.Paleokastritsa Monastery and coves
The Monastery of the Virgin Mary stands on a headland above Paleokastritsa's bays, with a courtyard of bougainvillea, a small museum of icons and views down the west coast. Below, boats leave from the main beach to explore the sea caves and turquoise coves along the cliffs.
Dress modestly for the monastery (wraps are often provided) and take a boat trip into the caves in the morning, when the water is calmest.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
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Castle · Paleokastritsa
3.Angelokastro
A Byzantine castle on a 300-metre rock above the west coast, which helped defend the island against several sieges in medieval times. A path climbs from the village of Krini to the ruins, with views over Paleokastritsa and the sea.
Go in the late afternoon for softer light and cooler temperatures on the climb.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Active
- Off the beaten path
Viewpoint · North-east Corfu
4.Mount Pantokrator and Old Perithia
Corfu's highest mountain, at 906 metres, has a monastery on its summit and views across the island and to Albania. On its slopes, Old Perithia is a once-abandoned Venetian-era village of stone houses, now partly restored with tavernas.
Drive up early on a clear day for the views, then have lunch at a taverna in Old Perithia on the way down.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Nature
- History
- Outdoors
Nature · Sidari
5.Canal d'Amour
At Sidari, wind and waves have carved the soft sandstone cliffs into channels, arches and small sandy coves. Local legend says couples who swim through the main channel will stay together.
Visit early in the morning or around sunset, when the cliffs glow and crowds are thinner; nearby Cape Drastis has more dramatic formations.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Couples
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Pelekas
6.Kaiser's Throne, Pelekas
A rocky lookout above the village of Pelekas, said to be where Kaiser Wilhelm II came to watch the sun set, offers a 360-degree view over the west coast, central Corfu and Corfu Town.
Arrive half an hour before sunset to get a good spot, then have dinner in Pelekas village.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
Waterfront · Kalami and Agni
7.Kalami and the Durrells' Corfu
The White House on the bay at Kalami was Lawrence Durrell's home in the 1930s, while his brother Gerald's books, including My Family and Other Animals, describe their childhood elsewhere on the island. The coast between Kalami and Agni has clear water and tavernas reached by boat or footpath.
Walk the coastal path from Kalami to Agni or take a small boat; the tavernas at Agni are best for long lunches.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Couples
- Food
- Outdoors
Theme park · Agios Ioannis
8.Aqualand
One of Europe's larger water parks, in the centre of the island near Agios Ioannis, with slides, wave pools and lazy rivers for all ages. It opens in the summer season only.
Arrive early to secure shaded sunbeds and avoid the longest queues for the big slides.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Active
Nature · South-west Corfu
9.Lake Korission and Issos dunes
A coastal lagoon separated from the sea by sand dunes and cedar groves on the south-west coast. It is a protected wetland for migrating birds, and the long Issos and Halikounas beaches either side are among the island's least developed.
Bring water and sun protection; there is little shade on the dunes, and the wind is good for kitesurfing at Halikounas.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Archaeological Museum of Corfu and Museum of Asian Art |
| History | Corfu Old Town, Spianada and the Liston, Old Fortress and Church of Saint Spyridon |
| Views | Old Fortress, Achilleion Palace, Kanoni, Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island and Paleokastritsa Monastery and coves |
| Outdoors and nature | Mon Repos, Mount Pantokrator and Old Perithia, Canal d'Amour and Kalami and the Durrells' Corfu |
| Food and markets | Spianada and the Liston and Kalami and the Durrells' Corfu |
| After dark | Spianada and the Liston |
| With children | Old Fortress, Kanoni, Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island and Aqualand |
| On a rainy day | Church of Saint Spyridon, Archaeological Museum of Corfu and Museum of Asian Art |
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Corfu?
Corfu Old Town. The UNESCO-listed old town grew within Venetian fortifications from the 15th to the 18th century, and its narrow kantounia lanes, tall shuttered houses, small squares and Catholic and Orthodox churches still follow that plan.
+What can you do for free in Corfu?
Corfu Old Town, Spianada and the Liston, Kanoni, Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island, Church of Saint Spyridon and Mon Repos. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Corfu when it rains?
Head indoors to Church of Saint Spyridon, Archaeological Museum of Corfu and Museum of Asian Art.
+What is there to do in Corfu at night?
Spianada and the Liston are best after dark.