One Week in Corfu, Greece – Our Corfu Itinerary

Our first impression of Corfu

Corfu was not what we expected. We had seen the photos of the turquoise water, the Venetian architecture, the beaches that somehow never looked crowded, and we assumed it would feel like most other Greek islands we had visited. It didn’t.

Corfu feels noticeably different from the rest of Greece. The Corfu Old Town, known as Kerkyra, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 2007, and it looks and feels more like a Venetian city than a Greek one.

The most famous view of the Old Town is undoubtedly that of the Old Fortress of Corfu.

Four centuries of Venetian rule shaped the architecture, the promenades, and the layout of the streets. It is an island with its own identity, and that was one of the things we liked most about it.

We based ourselves in the Gouvia area, rented a car on day one, and used it every single day.

Corfu is bigger than it looks on a map, and the roads are narrower and slower than you would expect; several of the best places in this guide simply cannot be reached without your own wheels.

The car was the right call.

This itinerary covers one full week and is built entirely around places we actually visited, in the order we visited them. Some days are more demanding, some are deliberately slow.

The mix of both is what made the week work for us.

Your itinerary at a glance

• Day 1: Arrival and Corfu Town
• Day 2: Porto Timoni and Afionas
• Day 3: Renting a Boat
• Day 4: Giali Beach
• Day 5: Canal d’Amour and Cape Drastis
• Day 6: Glyfada Beach
• Day 7: A Slow Last Morning

Our Top Hotel Picks in Corfu

• Luxury: Divani Corfu Palace, sea views, and about 3km from the Old Town
• Mid-range: Arcadion Hotel, overlooking Spianada Square at the top of the Liston
• Budget: Konstantinoupolis Hotel, characterful 2-star right in the Old Town

Planning Your Trip to Corfu

First, here’s a quick rundown of the most important details about your trip to Corfu.

Best Time to Visit Corfu

We visited in August, which is peak season, and we loved it. The heat is real, the best beaches are busy, and you need to plan your early starts carefully.

But the warmth and energy of high season suited us well. That said, it is worth being honest about what each window actually gives you.

May and June are the best months if you want the beautiful island largely to yourself.

The weather is warm and settled, the sea is coming up to temperature, and prices for accommodation and car hire are noticeably lower than in summer.

Popular spots like Porto Timoni are manageable rather than crowded. If you have flexibility in your dates, this is the window we would point you toward first.

July and August (summer months) are the full peak season.

The island fills up fast, prices climb, and the most popular and beautiful beaches require an early start to enjoy properly. We would still recommend it without hesitation.

Just go in with realistic expectations and build the early mornings into your plan from day one.

September and October offer a quieter version of summer.

The sea is still warm, the crowds have thinned, and the light is beautiful.

Some tavernas and boat operators begin to wind down toward the end of October, so it is worth checking ahead if you are travelling late in the shoulder season.

How Many Days Do You Need?

Seven days is the right amount for this itinerary. It gives you a good mix of active days and slower ones without feeling rushed.

If you only have five days, keep Days 1 through 5 and drop the Glyfada beach day and the slow last morning.

You still get the hike, the boat trip, the hidden beach, and the far north.

For four days, keep Days 1, 2, 4, and 5. The boat day requires the most planning and is the easiest one to save for a return trip.

There is a dedicated section on shorter trips later in this post.

Getting to Corfu

The two main options are flying and taking the ferry from Igoumenitsa in mainland Greece.

The ferry crossing takes around 90 minutes and arrives close to Corfu Town, which is convenient if you are basing yourself in that area.

We flew, which made more sense for us given where we were travelling from.

The ferry is a good option if you are already on the mainland or combining Corfu with a broader Greece trip.

Getting Around

A rental car is non-negotiable for this itinerary.

Several of the best days in this guide are not reachable on a bus schedule, and even the places that technically have bus connections involve journey times and transfer waits that eat into your day.

We rented from the airport on arrival and used the car every single day.

Budget roughly €30 to €50 per day ($33 to $55) depending on the season and how far in advance you book.

One honest note on the driving: Corfu’s roads are narrower than they look on a map, particularly in the northwest.

Mountain passes, single-track stretches, and the occasional GPS blackout in more remote areas are all part of it.

Take it steady, especially on the approach roads to places like Afionas and Cape Drastis.

Where to Stay

We based ourselves in Gouvia (Iliada Beach Hotel), a short drive north of Corfu Town, which gave us easy access to the Old Town in the evenings while keeping the door open for early morning departures toward the northwest.

For most people, anywhere in the Corfu Town or Gouvia area works well as a base for this itinerary.

Our top hotel picks, which we also cover in more detail in our full Corfu travel guide:

For luxury, the Divani Corfu Palace offers sea views and a private beach area around 3 km from the Old Town.

For a mid-range option right in the heart of things, the Arcadion Hotel overlooks Spianada Square at the top of the Liston.

For budget, the Konstantinoupolis Hotel is a characterful two-star right inside the Old Town walls.

Budget

For a couple, budget roughly €80 to €130 per day ($88 to $143) covering accommodation, the Greek food, petrol, and entry fees.

The boat day on Day 3 will push you above that range: the rental starts from around €140 ($155) plus fuel paid on return.

The Cape Drastis boat transfer on Day 5 adds around €20 to €30 ($22 to $32) per person.

Eating well in Corfu is not expensive. A proper sit-down meal with wine at an amazing taverna rarely costs us more than €30 to €40 ($33 to $44) for two.

Day 1: Arrival, First Swim, and a First Evening in Corfu Town

Day 1 is not the day for an adventure. Pick up your rental car at the airport, get to your accommodation, and permit yourself to do very little. That is exactly what we did.

Afternoon: Take It Slow at Dassia Beach

We spent our first afternoon at Dassia Beach, just a few minutes north of Gouvia.

It is a long, organised beach with sunbeds, umbrellas, and tavernas running the full length of it.

The water is calm and clear, the atmosphere is relaxed, and it is close enough to your base that you are not burning half the day in the car before you have even settled in.

We found a spot in the shade of some palm trees, ordered a Greek salad, and took our first swim of the trip. It was the right way to start.

If you are not staying near Gouvia, the same logic applies: find the nearest decent beach to your accommodation and keep it simple. Day 1 is for arriving, not for ticking things off.

Evening: Corfu Town

Once the heat of the afternoon has passed, drive down to Corfu Town and walk the Old Town on foot.

The kandounia, the narrow Venetian alleyways that run through the heart of the Old Town, are worth getting lost in for an hour.

They lead you past laundry lines, small churches, and the kind of doorways that do not look like they belong in Greece at all.

Eventually, you will find your way to the Liston, the elegant arcaded promenade modelled on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris, where locals and visitors sit side by side at café tables that spill out onto the street.

We had our first drink of the trip there, watching Spianada Square fill up as the evening cooled down.

For dinner, we went to Pane e Souvlaki in Corfu Town, and we will be honest: it became one of the most-asked-about moments from our whole Corfu trip.

If you have seen the plate on our Pinterest and wondered where it was from, now you know.

We also had a visit from a tiny cat who decided our table was worth investigating. Very cute, not remotely shy.

Go hungry, and do not be surprised if you end up sharing the atmosphere with a small furry local.

Day 2: Porto Timoni and Afionas

On the second day, the focus is on Porto Timoni and Afionas.

Morning: Drive to Porto Timoni and stay

The drive from Gouvia to Afionas takes just under an hour, winding through one small village after another as you head northwest.

It is a pleasant drive, but the timing matters more than the scenery.

Porto Timoni is one of the most popular beaches in Corfu; both bays are small, and the experience changes dramatically depending on what time you arrive.

We aimed to be at the viewpoint by 8 am, and that early start made all the difference.

The central car park in Afionas does not open until 9 am and costs around €10 ($11) for the day.

If you arrive before it opens, park on the street near The 3 Brothers restaurant for free.

There is also a second car park at the entrance to the village, which costs around €5 ($6) and tends to have more space if the central one is already full.

The Hike and the Viewpoint

We made one mistake before we even started: we were wearing flip-flops.

The trail down to the beaches is rocky and uneven in places, and we felt every step of it. Proper shoes make a real difference, whether that is trainers, hiking sandals, or anything with a grip.

There are also no toilets in Afionas and none at the beach, so plan accordingly before you set off.

The main trail starts near the central car park and covers just over a kilometre down to the beaches, taking around 20 to 25 minutes at a relaxed pace.

Along the way, you pass the viewpoint, which is just a few steps off the main path and impossible to miss.

There is also a second, longer trail that branches off earlier in the village and reaches a higher viewpoint with an even more elevated view of both bays.

We did not take it ourselves, but if you are feeling energetic, it is there as an option.

Standing at the viewpoint and looking down at the two bays for the first time was one of those moments where you are simply glad you made the effort.

The beaches were a little smaller than we had imagined from the photos, if we are being honest, but completely beautiful in a way that pictures do not quite capture.

Because we had arrived early enough, we had the place almost to ourselves.

The Two Bays

Porto Timoni is a double bay, two separate beaches divided by a narrow strip of land that you can cross in a few steps. They are different enough that it is worth knowing which is which before you arrive.

The right bay, officially called Porto Timoni beach, is the more sheltered of the two.

The water is calm, which makes it a better option for swimming and snorkelling, and it gets morning shade from the cliffs. This is the one we kept coming back to.

The left bay, known as Limni beach, faces the open sea. It catches more wind and is in full sun from early in the morning, but the snorkelling along the rocky edges is excellent, and it tends to be a little quieter.

If the right bay is getting crowded, crossing over to Limni takes about thirty seconds.

Neither beach has any facilities at all.

No sunbeds, no umbrellas, no bar, no shop. Bring everything you need with you, because going back up for something you forgot is not a decision you will enjoy making.

The hike back up in midday heat is also worth preparing for: it is short but steep, and it catches a lot of people off guard. Take your time and carry plenty of water.

For a full breakdown of the hike, the parking, and everything else worth knowing before you go, read our dedicated Porto Timoni travel guide.

Afternoon: Snack at The 3 Brothers

After the hike back up, we had lunch at The 3 Brothers in Afionas. It is a charming, family-run restaurant with a large terrace facing the sea and the three small northern islands.

After spending the morning at the beach, we enjoyed a Greek salad and cold drinks on the balcony, with one of the town’s most breathtaking views spread out before us

The restaurant is also well known for its fresh fish and makes a great option for an evening meal if you want to stay for the sunset, which from Afionas is one of the best on the island.

Evening: Stay or leave

After a day like this one, the evening can go one of two ways.

If you have the energy, staying in Afionas for the sunset is worth seriously considering.

The light on the twin bays from above in the evening is beautiful, and The 3 Brothers terrace is one of the better places on the island to watch the sun go down over the Ionian Sea with a glass of something cold in hand.

If the hike has done its job and all you want is a quiet evening close to your hotel, that is equally the right call.

Drive back to Gouvia, find a taverna near your accommodation, and take it easy. Day 3 is the boat day, and you will want to be rested for it.

Day 3: Renting a Boat and Exploring Corfu From the Water (Day Trip)

Cast off—we’re heading out on the water today.

Morning and Afternoon: Boat Trip

Booking Through Click&Boat

This was our first time renting a boat. We want to be upfront about that, because if you are in the same position and slightly nervous about the idea, this day is proof that you do not need experience to make it work.

We booked through Click&Boat, which is one of the largest boat rental platforms in the world with listings across Greece and beyond.

Our boat was a Marinco 2017 motorboat based in Mesongi on the east coast, available without a licence and starting from around €140 ($155) per day.

The booking process is straightforward: you browse listings by location, filter for boats that do not require a licence, and pay through the platform.

We would recommend booking well in advance in peak season, as the better listed boats fill up fast.

A Full Day on the Water

We set off from Mesongi and headed north, following the entire east coast of Corfu for the day.

The coastline that you drive past without a second thought from the road becomes something else entirely when you are out on the sea looking back at it: small coves with no road access, rocky inlets, stretches of green hillside dropping straight into clear water.

We anchored wherever we felt like it, swam in places that had no name on any map, and took our time working our way up the coast.

The personal highlight of the day was the southeast, where we found an incredible sandbank that stopped us both mid-conversation. The sandbar must have been somewhere in Lefkimi Bay.

We were completely alone there and could walk straight from the boat into waist-deep water and just let ourselves float.

Just be careful because of the water depth and the boat’s propeller.

The Race Back

We stayed out longer than we should have. By the time we realised how far we still had to go, we had one option: open the throttle and go. So that is what we did.

Alexandra held on to our inflatable flamingo for most of the return trip.

The sea was fine, the boat handled it well, and we made it back in time. What we had not fully accounted for was the fuel.

When we pulled into the dock, and the woman at the rental station saw the gauge, the look on her face said everything. She was not angry. She was just surprised.

To be clear: this is completely fine. Fuel on Click&Boat rentals is paid on return based on consumption, so you are never penalised for using it.

You simply pay for what you used. It just turned out we had used quite a lot of it.

It remains one of the best days we have had anywhere.

What to Know Before You Book

A few practical notes for anyone planning their own day trip on the boat:

Book early. In July and August, the good boats go fast. Do not leave this until you arrive on the island.

Plan a rough route, but stay flexible. We had a general idea of heading north along the east coast, but the best moments of the day were the unplanned ones.

Bring more food and water than you think you need. Once you are out on the water, there is no stopping at a shop. Pack a proper lunch, plenty of water, and more suncream than seems necessary.

No licence required for smaller motorboats in Greece up to a certain engine size. Check the listing carefully before booking, but most day rental boats in the Click&Boat listings for Corfu are accessible without one.

Evening: Take it slow

After a full day on the water, the evening almost takes care of itself. We were back at the hotel, showered, and completely content before the sun had fully set.

A quiet dinner close to your accommodation is the right call after a day like this one. You will not need much convincing to sit down, eat well, and go to bed early.

Day 4: Giali Beach

Today we’re going on an expedition. Feel like an explorer!

Morning and Afternoon: Find and enjoy Giali Beach

Finding It

Giali Beach is around 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) from Corfu Town, on the west coast near the village of Giannades. It does not appear on most Corfu itineraries, which is exactly why it is worth going.

Roger stumbled upon it by chance on Google Maps while he was just looking for secluded coves and beaches along the west coast.

To get there, navigate to the Chapel of Prophet Elias. The route is straightforward as far as Giannades.

After the village, the last section is on an unpaved road: narrow, uneven, and requiring some patience if you meet oncoming traffic. Drive carefully and take it slow.

Once you reach the chapel, you will find a small parking lot. From there, the journey continues on foot.

The Hike Down

The walk from the parking lot to the beach takes around 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your pace, and it is more of an adventure than a stroll.

The path starts reasonably enough but gets progressively steeper and rockier as you descend. In places, thick ropes are strung up to hold on to.

In others, small wooden ladders help you over larger stones. It is completely doable, but it requires a steady footing and a reasonable level of comfort with uneven terrain.

Sturdy shoes are essential. We have seen people attempting the descent in flip-flops with a parasol under one arm, which we would strongly advise against.

If you are not comfortable with heights or uneven ground, the boat alternative is worth considering: guided boat tours include Giali as a stop and get you there without the hike.

The moment you reach the bottom and the beach opens up in front of you, the effort makes complete sense.

The Beach

Giali is 150 metres long and 15 metres wide, with a mix of sand and small pebbles and some of the clearest water we have seen anywhere on the island.

The cliffs rise up dramatically on either side, the coastline is completely natural with no buildings or construction in sight, and the seabed drops steeply, which makes it excellent for swimming and snorkelling.

The underwater world here is as beautiful as the one above it.

There is nothing to buy at Giali Beach. No kiosk, no bar, no sunbeds, no umbrellas. Not even a bin.

This is not an oversight: it is simply what the beach is. It is also a big part of why it still feels the way it does.

What to bring: enough water and food for the full day, plenty of suncream, sturdy shoes for the descent, and an extra towel that you do not mind draping over the stones around you for some shade.

Take all your rubbish back with you when you leave. For everything else worth knowing before you visit, read our full Giali Beach travel guide.

Evening: The Drive Back and the Evening

By the time you get back, a quiet evening is the natural ending to a day like this.

Find a taverna close to your accommodation, eat something good, and call it an early night. We wrapped up the evening at the Kaktus Beach Bar in Gouvia.

Day 5 is the longest drive of the week.

Day 5: Canal d’Amour and Cape Drastis

Today you’ll explore the island’s impressive northern region.

Morning: Drive and Canal d’Amour

The Drive Up

Cape Drastis is around 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Corfu Town, near the village of Peroulades at the northernmost tip of the island.

From Gouvia, plan for roughly 50 to 55 minutes in the car. It is the longest drive of the week, but the road through the north of the Ionian island is pleasant, and the day more than justifies it.

We combined Cape Drastis with a stop at Canal d’Amour in Sidari on the same day.

The two are only about 15 minutes apart, which makes them a natural pairing.

We did Canal d’Amour first on the way up, then continued to Cape Drastis for the rest of the day.

Canal d’Amour

Canal d’Amour is a stretch of sculpted sandstone rock formations along the coastline at Sidari, with narrow channels running into the sea that you can swim through.

The rock formations are interesting, and the water between them is clear and inviting.

According to local legend, couples who swim through the canal together will stay together forever, which is a nice story whether you believe it or not.

We will be honest, though: we did not stay long.

The area around Canal d’Amour is heavily developed, with hotels lining the waterfront on both sides and enough people packed onto the rocks that at times we could barely see the water.

It is absolutely worth a look and a short swim, but it is the most tourist-heavy moment of the week by some distance.

Manage your expectations, spend half an hour there, and then move on to the reason you drove all the way up here.

Afternoon: Cape Drastis

From the road, follow the signs toward Cape Drastis and park where the tarmac ends. Do not attempt to take a rental car down the dirt track beyond that point.

From the car park, you already have your first view of the cape, and it is already extraordinary. White sandstone cliffs drop into turquoise water, with the jagged rock formations jutting out into the Ionian Sea below.

Follow the path heading north toward the Gravas Cove Viewpoint. The walk takes around 15 minutes.

Be aware of strong winds near the cliff edges, particularly if you are going close to the edge for photos.

The Boat to the Lower Beach

From the Gravas Cove Viewpoint, a water taxi takes you down to the lower beach and coves at the base of the cliffs.

This is the part of Cape Drastis that most visitors miss entirely, because the lower beach and the rugged coves are only accessible from the water.

The transfer costs around €20 to €30 ($22 to $32) per person, the boat picks you up after an agreed time, and the whole thing takes only a few minutes each way.

We took the ride around the cape and spent a few hours at the beach at the bottom of the cliffs.

Seen from sea level, the scale of the rock formations above you is something else entirely.

The water in the coves is crystal clear, the beach is quiet, and the combination of the cliffs overhead and the Ionian Sea in front of you makes for one of the more memorable afternoons of the trip.

We would not skip this part.

We’ve also put together an entire blog post about the Cape Drastis for you.

Evening: Dinner at Taverna Sunset in Peroulades

After a day like this one, Taverna Sunset in Peroulades is the right place to end it.

The restaurant is famous for its incredible views over the Ionian Sea at golden hour, and it lives up to the name.

We had souvlaki and fresh seafood with the sun going down in front of us. It is only a few minutes from Cape Drastis, which makes it a natural last stop before the drive south.

The drive back to Gouvia takes around 50 minutes. Long but worth every bit of it.

Day 6: Glyfada Beach

Today, you’re taking some time to relax and reflect on all the experiences you’ve had over the past few days.

Morning and Afternoon: Beach Day

After five days of early starts, hikes, and long drives, Day 6 is the day you give yourself a break.

Glyfada Beach is around 30 minutes southwest of Corfu Town, and it is one of the best organised beaches on the island.

The long, wide stretch of golden sand with calm, clear water and a relaxed atmosphere makes it easy to spend an entire day there without feeling like you should be somewhere else.

We arrived in the morning, found a spot on the sand, and stayed until late afternoon. We did not bother with the sunbeds; we just laid out our towels and let the day pass at its own pace.

After the more demanding days earlier in the week, Glyfada felt exactly right.

The beach has sunbeds and umbrellas available to rent if you want them, as well as tavernas and beach bars within easy reach.

The taverns there mainly benefit from their location. For us, it was enough for a few cold drinks. Luckily, we’d brought our own food and had already eaten it on our beach towel.

The water is calm enough for a long swim without much effort, and the sand is the kind you actually want to sit on rather than tolerate. It is, in short, a proper beach day in the best sense of the phrase.

Evening: Corfu Town

In the early evening, as the sun was slowly setting, we drove back to Corfu Town and spent the evening strolling through the old town once again.

By this point in the week, it felt familiar in a way that the first evening did not.

Corfu Town has no shortage of good dinner options. The Old Town is full of restaurants ranging from traditional Greek tavernas to slightly more modern spots, and the best approach is simply to walk until something looks right (and has good online reviews).

The Liston area and the streets immediately behind it are a good starting point, with enough variety that you will not struggle to find somewhere worth sitting down at.

Day 7: A Slow Last Morning

Today it’s time to say goodbye and leave with a suitcase full of wonderful memories.

The Bonus Day

We actually had one more day on the island, so we decided to go back to Giali Beach.

That probably tells you everything you need to know about how the week went.

Out of everything we did, every beach we visited, and every drive we made, Giali was the one we wanted one more day at.

The hike down felt easier the second time, the water was exactly as we remembered, and having the place largely to ourselves again made it feel just as special as the first visit.

The Real Last Morning

The actual last morning was as unhurried as a last morning should be. The actual last morning was simple.

We had a relaxed breakfast, packed our bags, and waited until it was time to return the rental car and head to the airport.

No last-minute plans, no rushing anywhere. The week had been full enough, and we were happy to just take it easy for those final few hours.

By the last morning, Corfu had given us everything we came for and a few things we had not expected.

Visiting Corfu in 4 or 5 Days? Here’s What to Cut

A full week is the ideal amount of time for this itinerary, but we know that is not always possible. Here is our honest advice on how to trim it without losing the best parts.

5 days: Keep Days 1 through 5. You still get the arrival day, the Porto Timoni hike, the boat day, Giali Beach, and the full north coast run to Cape Drastis.

Drop Glyfada and the last morning. It is a complete trip, and you will not feel like you missed anything essential.

4 days: Keep Days 1, 2, 4, and 5. The boat day is the easiest one to cut if you are short on time, simply because it requires the most planning and works just as well as a reason to come back.

Giali and Cape Drastis are harder to skip. Nothing else on the island covers the same ground.

The temptation with a shorter trip is to compensate by doing more each day. We would strongly advise against it.

The roads are narrow, the hikes take real time and energy, and trying to combine two of these days into one produces a rushed, exhausting version of a trip that is much better taken slowly.

Four well-planned days are a great trip. Four days where you tried to do seven days’ worth of things is not.

However, with guided tours, you can make the most of your day without feeling rushed.

For example, if you combine Porto Timoni, Giali Beach, and other destinations into a single tour, you’ll see much more in a single day. While you might miss out on a few great views here and there, you’ll gain some fantastic views from the sea in return

Would We Go Back to Corfu?

Corfu rewarded us for slowing down. The best days of the week were not the ones where we covered the most ground; they were the ones where we found something unexpected and stayed longer than planned. The sandbank on the boat day. The second visit to Giali. The afternoon at the bottom of the Cape Drastis cliffs with the sea to ourselves.

If we are being honest, we are also left with one thing still on the list. The mountain village of Old Perithia, Corfu’s oldest surviving village tucked up in the hills of the north, was on our radar all week. We never made it.

It was simply too hot to add a mountain detour to any of the days we had already packed, and by the time we had a spare afternoon, it had fallen off the plan entirely. It is the first thing we would do on a return trip.

That, more than anything, is probably the best thing we can say about a week in Corfu. We came back with more reasons to return than we left with.

If you have any questions about any of the days in this itinerary, or if you have been to Corfu yourself and want to share what we missed, leave a comment below. We read every comment.