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Corfu packs a UNESCO-listed old town, more than 20 beaches, a hilltop Venetian fortress, and a 220 km long-distance walking route onto one island. Most sights cluster around Corfu Town and the west coast, so you can see the highlights in three to four days if you rent a car. Here are the places worth your time, with locations, hours, and prices. For more, see our Corfu weather by month guide.
Things to Do in Corfu: Old Town and Fortresses
Corfu Old Town (UNESCO)
Corfu Town’s old quarter became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007, recognized for its Venetian, French, and British layers of architecture. Walk the narrow lanes known as kantounia between the Old Fortress and the New Fortress, then stop at the Liston, a French-built arcade with cafes modeled on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris. The old town is free to wander; allow two to three hours. See our Corfu neighborhoods guide for where each area sits. For more, see our best time to visit Corfu guide.
Old Fortress (Palaio Frourio)
The Old Fortress stands on a rocky promontory at the east edge of the old town, reached across a footbridge over a dry moat. Built by the Venetians in the 1500s and later modified by the British, it holds a church, barracks, and a lighthouse with wide views over the town and sea. It opens daily, roughly 8:00-20:00 in summer and 8:00-15:00 in winter; admission is about €6 for adults. For more, see our Corfu events and festivals guide.
New Fortress (Neo Frourio)
The New Fortress rises on the hill above the old port and gives the best free panoramic view in town. Climb the stone ramps and tunnels to the top bastion for a view over the red-tiled rooftops and across to Albania. Entry is free; the gates are open from early morning to dusk. For more, see our where to stay in Corfu guide.
Achilleion Palace
The Achilleion sits in the village of Gastouri, about 10 km south of Corfu Town. Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sisi, built it in 1890 as a summer retreat dedicated to the Greek hero Achilles, and Kaiser Wilhelm II later bought it. The gardens hold statues of Achilles, and the terraces overlook the east coast. It opens daily from about 8:00 to 20:00 in summer; adult tickets cost around €10. The Number 10 bus from Corfu Town stops nearby. For more, see our Corfu travel tips and FAQ guide.
Things to Do in Corfu: Best Beaches
Paleokastritsa
Paleokastritsa, on the northwest coast about 25 km from town, is actually six small pebble-and-sand bays separated by rocky headlands. The water is clear and cold from the underwater springs, and boat trips from the main beach run to the sea caves of Paradise Beach and Stelari. Sunbeds and umbrellas rent for about €10-15 a set in season; arrive before 10 am in July and August to park. See our Corfu guide for the full picture.
Glyfada Beach
Glyfada is Corfu’s best stretch of fine sand, a 3 km arc on the west coast about 15 km from Corfu Town. It has beach bars, water sports, and shallow water that suits families. Parking fills by midday in summer; a bus runs from Corfu Town in high season.
Canal d’Amour
Canal d’Amour, near Sidari on the north coast, is a channel of smooth sandstone carved by the sea into a tunnel you can swim through. Local tradition says swimming through the channel helps you find love. It gets very crowded in July and August; go early or late in the day.
Things to Do in Corfu: Monasteries and Villages
Monastery of Paleokastritsa
The Monastery of the Virgin Mary sits on the headland above Paleokastritsa’s main beach, dating from the 1200s. Inside there is a small museum with icons and relics, and the terrace looks down over the bays. Entry is free, and modest dress is required; the view alone is worth the short climb.
Angelokastro
Angelokastro is a 13th-century Byzantine castle on a 305 m cliff above Krini, with the most commanding view on the island, from Corfu Town in the east to the Diapontia islands in the north. It never fell to the Ottomans. Admission is around €3, and the site closes around 15:30 in winter.
Corfu Trail
The Corfu Trail is a 220 km walking route from the southern tip at Kavos to the north coast at Agios Spyridon, split into ten stages. It passes through olive groves, mountain villages, and beach backroads. Most walkers do single stages rather than the whole route; the Paleokastritsa to Liapades stage is a popular one-day section.
Things to Do in Corfu: Museums
Museum of Asian Art
Inside the Palace of St Michael and St George on the Spianada, the Museum of Asian Art holds a collection of Chinese, Japanese, and Indian art donated in the 1920s. It opens daily except Monday, roughly 8:00-20:00 in summer, with tickets around €6.
Archaeological Museum of Corfu
The Archaeological Museum displays finds from the island including the Gorgon pediment from the Temple of Artemis, a 17 m limestone sculpture from about 590 BC. It is on Vraila Armeni street in town and reopened in a renovated building; check hours before you go as they shift seasonally.
