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One Day in Corfu
A trip by Sandy PapasGreece Travel SecretsOne Day in Corfu
Nestled in the Ionian Sea, Corfu is a layered blend of Venetian fortresses, neoclassical mansions, cobblestone streets and turquoise coves. One day is enough for the UNESCO Old Town walk and a swim.
Sun n Chill Corfu
Modern studios right on a long sandy beach in Corfu's quieter south.
9.6 Alternative places to stay
CorfuDay 1
Corfu old town & the Venetian fortress
Corfu Old Town
The Corfu old town is surrounded by the sea, enclosed between the two ancient fortresses. It has an iconic architecture, with venetian and vyzantine style, traditional arches, small paved streets and other elements. It has high buildings, as consequence of the increasing number of the population and the restricted space. The houses, one next to the other, have been built of local stones, with wooden attics and handmade tiles. Most of them have been preserved until today, surviving wars and earthquakes. During your stay, you can go for a stroll at the harbour, explore the narrow town streets and the fortresses and buy traditional products in ancient cellars, surrounded by stone staircase, old Venetian walls and hidden gardens. The paved streets and the ancient buildings will bring you to the large beautiful Esplanade, a large green area between the town and the old fortress. It is a beautiful public park full of trees and garden seats, while a small part still hosts the old English cricket field. Make sure to visit Liston street. It is very iconic and the heart of the social life in Corfu, with its nice gallery, the coffee shops and restaurants. On the north side, there’s also the Royal Palace of Corfu, called also St. Michele and St. Giorgio palace. It was used in the past firstly by English and then by the Greek Royal Family. Today it hosts the Museum of Asiatic Arts, the Historical Archive and the Classic Relics Authority of Corfu. Also, if you take the road following the ancient walls of Kerkyra, you will pass near historical buildings such as the church of Panaghia “Antivouniotissa”, the Byzanthine museum, the old port and the ancient arch of St. Nicholas.
Old Venetian Fortress
The Old Venetian Fortress is one of the most impressive fortresses in Europe. Located on the eastern side of the town, on a rocky peninsula that gets into the sea, It was constructed in the 15th century by the Venetians on the site of a former Byzantine castle. It is connected with the mainland via a stable pathway, which is 60 m long and stands 15 m above the fosse, locally known as contafossa. To reach the castle, you have to walk through "Spianada", the famous square of Corfu, which is, in fact, the second largest square in Europe. You can stroll around the castle and enjoy the view. In order to reach the highest point of the fortress, yoy need about 20 minutes. You will reach a tall clock tower. This peak, named Citadella, was inhabited and had some houses, churches, water cisterns and storehouses for gunpowder. Yoy can enjoy a majestic view from there, as this point oversees the whole town and the ocean. On the eastern side of the fortress, there is a flatland, that hosts cultural events in the summer. Also, the church of Saint George is situated here, the only church in Greece that has been constructed according to the Doric style, built by the Venetians as an ancient temple. There is also a cafeteria above the square.
Starenio Bakery
A back-street bakery on Guilford street, a short walk from the Liston, with a queue of locals from early morning. Bougatsa is the specialty – crisp filo wrapped around either sweet cream custard dusted with cinnamon, or salted local cheese – torn open hot and eaten standing up at the counter. Pair with a Greek coffee. No tables, no fuss; just the smell of butter and a hand-me-down recipe that's been working for generations.
Museum of Asian Art
In the Palace of St. Michael and St. George at the north end of the Spianada – a Regency-era building once home to the British High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands – the Museum of Asian Art holds one of the largest collections of East Asian art outside the British Museum. Chinese ceramics, Japanese woodblocks, Buddhist sculpture, Indian miniatures – all donated by 19th- and 20th-century Corfiot collectors who travelled east. Interactive exhibits make it work for kids too.
Archaeological Museum of Corfu
Newly refurbished, the museum's centrepiece is the Gorgon pediment from the ancient Temple of Artemis – a vast Archaic-era relief of Medusa flanked by panthers, one of the great surviving works of pre-Classical Greek sculpture. The rest of the collection traces Corfu's deep history from the Bronze Age through the Roman period: bronzes, ceramics, funerary stelai. A quick, well-curated stop – easy to combine with the Museum of Asian Art down the road.
The Liston
A French-style arcaded promenade along the western edge of the Spianada – modelled on the rue de Rivoli, built by the French during their brief occupation of Corfu, now lined with cafés and shops under shaded vaults. The Liston is where Corfu Town stops for coffee; the cricket pitch sits opposite (yes, cricket – a British inheritance), and the Old Fortress rises just beyond. Long, slow lunches under the arcades are the local default.
Aqualand Corfu
A family-leaning water park a 20-minute drive west of Corfu Town, in the green hills around Agios Ioannis. Pool complex, lazy river, slides at every adrenaline level – the catapult slide, the kamikaze, gentler ones for younger kids. Reliably busy through summer; arrive before 11 a.m. on July/August weekends. A good "let-the-kids-loose" afternoon when the heat in town is brutal.
Corfu Donkey Rescue
An NGO sanctuary outside Doukades, near Paleokastritsa, that for two decades has rescued working donkeys from neglect and retirement – including many old enough to remember when the islands ran on donkey transport. Visitors are welcome; you can groom, feed, and walk the donkeys. A donation supports veterinary care and feed. A surprisingly moving stop, especially with kids – and a useful reminder of how rural Corfu lived not so long ago.
To Tsipouradiko
A traditional taverna in the Old Port area, the kind of place where the menu is on a chalkboard, the wine comes in a tin jug, and a couple of musicians often turn up after sunset. Plates are mostly Corfiot meze – small portions of bourdeto, sofrito, bianco – meant for sharing with tsipouro or a pint of beer. Live music three or four nights a week; phone ahead in shoulder season.