Let me start with the most important tip I’ve got for you! The most essential part of rocking the island of Corfu is being able to move around and explore the most out of it! So… come with a car or rent one!
To rock Corfu you’ll need to choose the best place for you to stay at and know how to move around. Let me guide you through all that!
But back to a more proper start now. Before you explore Corfu, you’ll need to get there.
Hungry cat in the center of Corfu Town
How to get to Corfu
By air
There is one airport on the island, which serves several domestic and many international lines, especially in the summer. Corfu International Airport Ioannis Kapodistrias is only 2 km / 1.2 mi from the city center of Corfu Town.
You can easily come here by air from most European countries. As for the domestic connections, the capital Athens is the hot destination that has the most flights to Corfu.
By ferry
Get yourself to the new port in Igoumenitsa. Two ferry lines connect Igoumenitsa with Corfu and they all transport both passengers and vehicles. The first one goes to Corfu Town and the trip lasts one and a half up to two hours.
A ferry at the new port in Igoumenitsa
The second line will bring you to Lefkimmi, which is in the southern part of the island. The trip takes around one hour. Lefkimmi is an hour drive away from Corfu Town.
There are numerous ferries serving the two lines daily. The earliest start from 7:00 AM, while the latest start their journey to Corfu at 10/10:30 PM.
Our ferry to Lefkimmi
We wanted to take a ferry to Corfu Town at around 5:00 PM, but spent three and a half hours waiting at the Bulgarian-Greek border (!), so we took a 9:00 PM ferry to Lefkimmi instead, which was the better choice when we arrived. Corfu seems a close distance when going from Sofia, but always keep in mind the congestions at the border!
Happy that we are finally close to our destination after a long drive to Igoumenitsa!
Where to stay on the island
When visiting Corfu, you have two big choices to select from when you decide where to stay. You can either stay in Corfu Town or stay near one of the top beaches. The big question is what you prefer in general – staying at the heart of the city and travel to the beaches, or stay next to a cool beach and travel to the city center and old town.
What we did and what I recommend, is staying in the center of Corfu Town and traveling by car to different beaches every day. This worked great for us because we wanted to explore as many beaches as possible and we wanted to dine and drink in the old town in the evenings. This brings us to the next topic.
A typical street in the city center of Corfu Town
Move around the island
Driving around the island is the best way to explore it. You’ll have the opportunity to visit different attractions and beaches and believe me, there are plenty of those!
If you are not here with a car, rent one to be able to move around on your terms. Buses and taxis can connect you to some locations, but to fully explore the whole island you need a proper ride!
Furthermore, some of the must-sees on the island require transportation, too. The famous Achilleion Palace is 11 km/6.8 mi away from Corfu Town. Another landmark, Vlacherna Monastery, is 6 km/3.7 mi from the center of Corfu Town. You could combine public transport and taxis to reach those, but if you are traveling with family and kids, as we did, this may not be fast or comfy enough.
Me in a not so usual pose at Vlacherna Monastery
How long to stay on Corfu
You will be able to see the main attractions on Corfu in two days. However, you could easily spend two or more weeks and try out different small towns and beaches every day! You could even stay for a month and explore the island in-depth.
Staying for a week will provide enough time for seeing the best of the beaches, as well as the popular tourist sites.
We stayed for 4 nights and were able to explore the main attractions and several beautiful beaches. I consider this quite an achievement since we visited Corfu with a child and had to spend the afternoons at our apartment for Anna to sleep.
Anyways, we would love to return and see all of the beaches because those we visited were stunning!
Don’t stop and visit as many beaches as possible ; )
Looking for more info on Corfu? It’s on its way! I am preparing a couple of more posts because I have so much to say!