Corfu in 5 days: old town, north, west and south by car

Five days is enough to see Corfu Town, the north, the west and the south without feeling you have skipped anything important, and the loop below keeps each day to one part of the island. The Corfu travel guide explains the setting. If Corfu is one stop on a longer trip, the Greece guide shows how to link it with Athens or the mainland.

The plan assumes a rental car from day two, because buses are slow and thin outside Corfu Town. It also assumes you are traveling between May and October, when boats, beach tavernas and mountain villages are open. In winter, rain changes the picture; see our best time to visit Corfu for what to expect.

Where you sleep changes the route. If you stay in town, the day trips start and end there. If you stay on a coast, rotate the days so the farthest area comes on your first full day, when you are fresh. Our where to stay in Corfu guide compares the bases. Drive times below are typical, not guarantees, and the roads are narrow, so add a buffer for stops and photographs.

Start early in the old town, before the cruise passengers arrive. The lanes, called kantounia, climb and twist between tall Venetian houses, with laundry lines, shrines and cafés, and the best photographs come in the soft light of the first hour. Walk toward the Spianada, the long green square beside the old town, and the Liston, an arcade of cafés modeled on a Parisian street. Our Corfu Town guide has more on the lanes and what to see.

By mid morning, go up to the Old Fortress, which stands on a promontory with views over the old town and the coast. Check the opening hours on the official page before you go, since they change by season. Allow one to two hours. In the afternoon, walk to the other side of town and visit a museum or sit by the harbor, or take a taxi to Mon Repos, a park and villa that was the birthplace of Prince Philip. If you prefer the water, take a short taxi to Kanoni, where planes land over a small causeway and the monastery of Vlacherna.

For dinner, look for Corfiot dishes such as pastitsada, a spiced meat and pasta stew, and sofrito, thin veal in a garlic and vinegar sauce. Ginger beer, known locally as tsitsibira, and kumquat liqueur are island specialties. After dinner, walk the old town when the crowds thin and the lanes are quiet.

Collect the car early and drive north along the coast. The northeast is the island's calmest stretch, with pebble coves and clear water, and Kassiopi is the best stop, a harbor village with a ruined castle and tavernas. Allow about 45 to 60 minutes from Corfu Town. Swim early at one of the coves, then have a coffee at the harbor.

From Kassiopi, drive inland to Old Perithia, a stone village at the foot of Mount Pantokrator that was largely abandoned and is now partly restored, with a few tavernas for lunch. The road up is steep, so take your time. If the weather is clear and you have energy, drive higher for views over the island and across the channel to Albania. Mountain villages are cooler in summer, which is helpful at midday.

In the afternoon, continue along the north coast to Sidari and the Canal d'Amour, a rock channel and cove with a swim and a view. It is busy in high summer, so go late or skip it if you do not like crowds. Return by the main road to Corfu Town, or to your coast base, before dark, since the roads are less comfortable at night.

The west coast is the most dramatic part of Corfu, with steep green cliffs, small bays and the best sunsets. Leave early for Paleokastritsa, about 45 minutes from Corfu Town, and arrive before the coaches. The village has a string of small bays, and boats for hire at the water's edge. A boat trip along the coast, with stops at sea caves, is one of the best hours of the trip; check prices and rules with local operators and avoid the middle of the day if it is windy.

Above the bays, a monastery stands on a headland, with a small museum and a garden. Check opening hours and dress rules before you go. A short drive away, Angelokastro is a Byzantine castle on a cliff, reached by a path with big views, and the village of Lakones has a viewpoint for sunset. Keep a layer for the evening breeze.

If you want a quieter beach, drive south to Agios Gordios or Pelekas, both on long sandy bays. Afternoon winds can make the sea lively on this coast, so check conditions. For dinner, choose a village taverna away from the main bays, where the menu is shorter and the prices lower.

The south is flatter and quieter. Start with the Achilleion, a palace in Gastouri built for Empress Elisabeth of Austria, which has gardens and sea views. Check opening hours and ticket rules on the official site before you go, since they change by season. Allow one to two hours, and arrive early for fewer visitors.

From there, drive south through olive groves and small villages toward the Korission lagoon, a long, shallow lagoon behind a sandy dune strip that is good for walking and birdwatching. The fishing village of Boukari is a short drive away and has seafood tavernas by the water, which makes a good lunch stop. Further south, the coast changes: some stretches are quiet, others are developed for resort tourism, so choose your stop carefully.

Return by the east coast road, with a final stop at Kanoni if you missed it on day one. Fill the tank before the evening, and park near your hotel rather than in the old town if you are staying there.

Use the last day for something different. The easiest option is a boat trip: tours leave from Corfu Town and several coast villages, and operators offer day cruises to the nearby islands of Paxos and Antipaxos, which have clear water and small harbors. Boats run on a seasonal timetable, so check times and booking rules for your date.

The other option is a day trip to Albania, by boat or an organized tour from Corfu Town to Saranda, usually with a visit to the ancient ruins of Butrint. It is a long day, and you pass a border check on both sides. Carry your passport, allow extra time and check the entry rules for your nationality; our EES explained page covers what to expect when you return to the Schengen area.

If you would rather stay on land, a free day on a beach or in Corfu Town is also a good ending. Keep it flexible, since weather and tired legs may change your mind.

A small car is the best way to follow this route. Roads are narrow, villages are tight, and parking is limited at the best beaches in July and August. Book the car with your flight or ferry, since summer supply is limited, and check whether the rental cover excludes unpaved roads. Buses run from Corfu Town to the main villages, but they are slow and infrequent, so use them only if you stay on one coast.

If you arrive by ferry from the mainland, allow slack for sailings; our Getting around Greece page covers how to compare cars, buses and boats. Get an eSIM before you go, because signal can fade on the west coast and in the mountains, and compare travel insurance for rental-car excess and cancelled boats.

For rooms that fit this route, see where to stay in Corfu.