Corfu, or as I call it – the land of butterflies is the perfect place for a long weekend. When researching Corfu, most of the itinerary guidance was on how to find the best beaches and party spots, but this trip was for my mum’s birthday and we wanted to take a more relaxed approach. If you’re looking to get a little more out of Corfu than a suntan or a beach trip, I’ve got you covered.
This guide is best suited to those staying outside the Old Town to the South. And to those of you looking to take it slow. Once you’ve booked your flights, you can read my Corfu for Two: Things to Know Before You Go blog for some practical advice to consider before your departure.
Day 1 – Acclimate
Aim to arrive for midday. That way you’ll be awake and ready to go. Be ready for high temperatures and even high humidity levels. The airport is super close to Mon Repos Palace Hotel (which is where we stayed) and whilst you could walk to the hotel, the heat can make difficult to lug around baggage.
If the sun doesn’t set till the late evening, change into your swimming costume after checking-in and have a dip in the Ionian Sea to cool off before taking a stroll around the neighbourhood. You’ll be able to spot where swimming is allowed by the stairs dotted around the coast. They are referred to as ‘bathing beaches’.
If you’re after a sunbed in a private cove then check out Royal Baths Mon Repos for your swim. Be warned that on this side of the island, jellyfish sightings are on the rise. I found myself just a foot away from one whilst I was paddling with some small fish and quickly evacuated. 50-60 jellyfish had been sighted the weekend before, I was later told by a local woman. After your dip (or maybe not if the jellies are out), it’s time for dinner.
For dinner, choose Anemomylos Restaurant, cafe, and cocktail bar for a reasonably priced and varied menu. Sit outside for a tranquil view of the sea and relaxing music.
Finish your first day with a further stroll around the area. Take a short walk to The Windmill for a wonderful view of Corfu Fortress and the boats that are moored here.
If you like churches, this little hidden church below is perfect for a quick visit. It’s called The Holy Church of the Holy Apostles, and you are welcome to enter if the church is still open.
When you can no longer stand, it’s time to head back to your air-conditioned room (after quickly soaking your feet in the sea to cool off, of course).
Day 2 – Exploration
You’ve taken in the quiet local area, so now it’s time to see what else Corfu has to offer. To do this, jump on the 2A bus. It stops just behind Mon Repos Palace Hotel every 20 minutes or so. Take the bus to Spianada Square for under €3.
If you don’t fancy the public bus, opt instead for the Hop-on-hop-off buses that run frequently around the area for €12-€20 per person.
Now it’s time to visit the Old Fortress. If you’re struggling to find it, were you asleep on the bus? But seriously. Not to worry, the locals are super helpful and friendly. Just ask! The statue above is a good point of reference to look for as the entrance is right behind it.
As the sun blares down on you, you’ll be dashing from shade spot to shade spot. Head through the first arch and go right to see the cannons. Keep walking as far as you are able to and you will be greeted with the fantastic sight of the Holy Church of Saint George. If it’s open, go ahead and take a look around. If it’s not, take this moment to sit on the steps to count how many mega yachts you can see on the water.
Continue your exploration of the Old Fortress by heading up the nearest steps. There is a cafe here offering drinks if you want more chill time. If you don’t, keep heading around until you reach the ‘Fresh Air Tunnel’, just past the Venetian Prison.
Once you’ve seen all that you want to see of the Old Fortress, head back out the way you came in. It’s time for a walk around the Old Town shops and some well deserved lunch. We saved a lot of money by booking our flights with KAYAK so we had plenty of cash to spend of food and souvenirs.
Rather than recommend a spot for lunch, I recommend that you get yourself lost instead. It’s the best way to find food. Let your nose lead the way. We went for a pizzeria.
If you love walking around shops then you could probably do that for another few hours. If you reach the Old Port, turn around and meander around the Old Town some more. Save the Old Port for tomorrow. Trust me, you haven’t seen all of Old Town, even if you think you have.
Not hungry yet? Head to one of the museums in the centre of town. You can find the one most appealing to you here.
For dinner, you can stay in Corfu Town as there are plenty of options. Alternatively, return to eat in your hotel, or do what I did and return to the same place as yesterday because you fell in love with the menu.
Spend the late hours sitting by the Ionian Sea with your feet dipped in, or on your balcony enjoying the gentle breeze.
Day 3 – Nature and History Day
Today we are heading back into Old Town, but with an aim to see all things ancient and natural. Jump on the bus to Spianada Square again and head for the Old Fortress entrance.
This time, instead of going inside the fortress, look for a small gate to the left, just before the entrance. Found it? Great, you’ve reached Corfu Public Gardens.
Reserve half hour to an hour to look around the public gardens. Aside from the pretty trees and plants, you’ll find odes to the Durrells, statues of people of importance to Corfu, and more.
When you reach the children’s playground, you’ll need to turn back and head out the gate half way down to exit. Stick to the path until you find a small pink church. Just beside it, you’ll be able to re-enter the next section of the garden. To me, it was the prettiest section.
You’ll be surprised by what awaits you this way. An old lookout point and stunningly set spiral staircase will have you wishing it was still a possibility to climb down it.
Even though you can’t climb the stairs because of health and safety, stop and admire it before leaving the garden to stand beneath the Arch Of St Nicholas, situated beside The Palace of Saint Michael and Saint George which houses the Museum of Asian Art.
If you’re feeling artsy, head inside the museum before finding a spot for lunch by the Old Port. To reach the Old Port, take the scenic route by walking under the Arch of St Nicholas and walking uphill (not too steep, and flattens out quickly). Follow the path that winds around the coastline high above the turquoise sea. Don’t look down if heights are not your thing. Within 5-10 minutes you’ll see the giant cruise ships that dock here and the far more interesting New Venetian Fortress set high up on the hill.
If you don’t want to miss the inside of this fortress then go ahead and explore. This is a sure way to fill another few hours of your day. If you’d rather not get your steps in, explore the narrow streets of the south side of town. At this end, you’ll find small tucked away churches and pretty gardens. This end, I found, has a little more charm than the centre.
As my photo caption suggests, the idea of walking up to the fortress didn’t entirely fit in with our “relaxing, lazy trip to Corfu”, so instead we found a restaurant set back in the town to have lunch. (We found the water on this side to be a bit smelly, but heading inside the town even by just a couple of streets will eradicate that.) Find a locally run, quiet restaurant or cafe, admire the fortress from below, and fill your tummy with excellent Greek food.
Once full, stroll around the Old Port a while before entering the Old Town from the south. Force yourself to find new alleyways you haven’t yet explored and chat to the friendly locals as you go. You’ll also meet a lot of cruise ship goers at this end of the town.
If you are done shopping and fancy a swim in a new spot, head down to Falaraki Bathing Beach. You’ll have seen people swimming and sunbathing there as you looked down over the spiral staircase.
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The final stop of today will be Spianada Square. This time, instead of glancing at it as you jump out of the bus, you will take a walk around with an icecream in hand. This park is a nice place to chill before you catch the 2A bus back to the Mon Repos area.
Finish your evening in a bar sampling the strong local drink, Ouzo.
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Day 4 – Peaceful Farewells
Today you are heading home. If you are lucky, you’re flight isn’t until the evening and you have time to explore somewhere a little less touristy today and get out onto the water. So quickly, eat your breakfast, finish packing your bag, and leave it at the front desk to collect later.
Now that’s out of the way, it’s time to assess the weather. If it’s cooler now than it will be later, catch a bus to the Old Port and head for the Pirate ship. Yes, you heard me. The pirate ship. Their tours start around every 2 hours, sailing down the coast to Mouse Island and back again.
Wave goodbye to the ship before finding somewhere nearby to have a quick, lightlunch. Now you’re going to get back on the bus. This time, you’re going to jump off at the Mon Repos Estate bus stop to visit the birthplace of Prince Phillip. You may not have realised, but you already visited the place that Prince Phillip was baptised when you went to the church in the Old Fortress.
As you will have already discovered during your time here, signposting to attractions is not Corfu’s strongest point. Luckily Mon Repos Estate is east to find just outside the bus stop.
Make sure you bring some change as you may have to pay a small entry fee of around €3.50. On the day we visited, there was no one on the desk to buy a ticket from, so entry was free.
Mon Repos Estate is sadly quite neglected. As the birthplace of Prince Philip we expected that the royals may have kept it maintained, despite it no longer being a stomping ground of theirs.
Although the grounds a quite run down, and the buildings too, this places makes for a welcome shaded and breezy walk.
Make sure you take a photo of the map, or view my video below for reference points as there are no signposts around the grounds with directions.
If you haven’t tired yourself out already, take a quick 30 steps across the road as you exit Mon Repos Estate to view two local archaelogical sites.
By the time you’ve made it out of there and back to your hotel it will be time to head to the airport. Taxis from Mon Repo Palace Hotel should cost between €15-€20. Far cheaper than Uber was quoting.
As you wait for your taxi, enjoy one last look at the view. After all, the Ionian Sea is nothing if not beautiful.
And that’s how to spend 3-4 relaxing days in Corfu. Check out my Corfu For Two blog containing practical advice to follow before picking Corfu as your next destination.
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