Old Town (Campiello)
AtmosphereThe oldest quarter, with Venetian houses and narrow alleys. Quiet once the day-trippers go.
Corfu Town city guide
Things To Do In Corfu Town
Venetian, French and British in turn, with arcaded streets, two fortresses and a cricket pitch in the main square. The greenest island in Greece starts at the edge of town.
7
Hostels in the city
8.5
Average, from 5,848 reviews
1864
When the British left
0
Years under Ottoman rule
1
Cricket pitch in the main square
The Greek town that was never Ottoman
Corfu Town is unlike anywhere else in Greece. The Venetians held the island for four centuries and the Ottomans never took it, so there are no minarets here — instead, tall Venetian houses, narrow alleys called kantounia, and a Catholic cathedral alongside the Orthodox churches. The French built the Liston, an arcade modelled on the Rue de Rivoli; the British, who ruled until 1864, left a governor's palace, ginger beer and cricket.
The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, squeezed between two fortresses, and it is at its best in the early morning and the evening, when the cruise passengers have gone.
The town is the base; the island is the reason. Corfu is greener than any other Greek island, with olive groves, cliffs and beaches all round it. Two days covers the town, and a week lets you see the coast.
Where to stay
The old town is the place to stay for atmosphere. The island's hostels are out on the west coast, with the beaches.
Liston and Spianada
First-timersThe arcades and the great square by the Old Fortress. Central to everything.
Garitsa
A calmer stayThe seafront south of the old town, on the way to Kanoni. Local and residential.
Agios Gordios
The hostel crowdA west-coast beach village, home to the Pink Palace. Party nights and sunsets.
Pelekas
Sunsets and quietA hill village above the west coast, with the Kaiser's Throne viewpoint.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 5 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Corfu Town
Start on the Spianada, the huge green square between the old town and the Old Fortress. Cricket is played on it in summer, as it has been since the British were here, and the Liston arcade along its western edge is where the town has its coffee.
Cross the moat to the Old Fortress, built by the Venetians on a double-peaked headland, and climb to the lighthouse at the top for the view over the town and across to Albania. The New Fortress, on the other side of the old town, has the better view of the rooftops.
The church of Agios Spyridon, with its red-domed bell tower, holds the relics of the island's patron saint, and it is busy with locals all day. The Museum of Asian Art, in the British governor's palace, is an unexpected and excellent collection.
Then walk south to Kanoni, the headland where the tiny Vlacherna monastery sits on a causeway and Pontikonisi, Mouse Island, sits beyond it. Planes land just overhead. Mon Repos, the estate where Prince Philip was born, is on the way.
Free things
Free things to do in Corfu Town
The old town itself is free, and the best of it is in the alleys away from the main shopping streets, where washing hangs between the houses.
The Spianada and the Liston cost nothing, and watching a cricket match on the square on a summer afternoon is one of the stranger sights in Greece.
Agios Spyridon church is free to enter. The walk south along the seafront through Garitsa to Kanoni and the view of Mouse Island is free too.
State museums and sites are free on the first Sunday of the month from November to March.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Corfu Town
Corfu cooking is Venetian as much as Greek. Pastitsada is beef or rooster slow-cooked with spices and served over pasta; sofrito is veal in a garlic and wine sauce; bourdeto is fish in a hot red pepper sauce. You will not find them anywhere else in Greece.
The island also has two British leftovers: tsitsibira, a local ginger beer, and a taste for cricket teas. Kumquats grow on the island and turn up as liqueur and sweets in every souvenir shop.
The tavernas in the old town lanes away from the Liston are the best value, with a meal and wine for €15 to €22. The Liston cafés charge for the view.
Nightlife
Going out in Corfu Town
Corfu Town has a relaxed evening scene rather than a party one. The Liston fills after dark, and the bars in the old town lanes and along the seafront at Garitsa stay open late in summer.
The island's party nights happen elsewhere. The Pink Palace at Agios Gordios on the west coast is one of the best-known party hostels in Europe. Kavos, at the southern tip, is the big package-holiday party resort.
A beer in town is €4 to €6, more on the Liston.
Getting around
Getting around Corfu Town
The old town is walkable and mostly pedestrian. The airport is just south of town, a few kilometres away, and a short taxi ride or city bus to the centre.
Corfu has two bus networks. The blue city buses, from San Rocco Square, cover the town and nearby villages, including Kanoni and the Achilleion. The green KTEL buses cover the rest of the island, including Paleokastritsa, Agios Gordios and Sidari, from their station near the new port.
Ferries run to Igoumenitsa on the mainland in about an hour and a half, and to Italy. Boats to Saranda in Albania take from half an hour, and make it an easy day trip.
The island is big and the buses thin out in the evenings, so a car or scooter makes sense if you want to explore.
Costs
What Corfu Town costs
Corfu is mid-priced for Greece. Hostel dorms, mostly on the west coast, typically run €18 to €35 depending on the season, a taverna meal is €15 to €22, and a gyros under €5.
A careful day is €45 to €60. The costs that add up are the Liston cafés, car or scooter hire, and taxis, which are expensive for longer trips across the island.
The free old town, the free walk to Kanoni and the cheap blue buses are the structural savings.
Safety
Staying safe in Corfu Town
Corfu Town is very safe, with ordinary caution for pickpockets when cruise ships are in and the old town is crowded.
On the rest of the island, the roads are narrow, winding and busy in summer, and scooters are the main cause of traveller injury. Wear a helmet and check your licence and insurance before you hire one.
In Kavos and at the party hostels, drinks are cheap and strong. Look after each other.
Wildfires are a summer risk in Greece. Heed the 112 SMS alerts. Emergency number is 112.
Day trips from Corfu Town
The island is sixty kilometres long and green all the way. Two of these are in different countries.
Saranda and Butrint, Albania
A different country for the day: the Roman and Greek city of Butrint is one of the best ancient sites in the region. Bring your passport.
Paxos
A small island of olive groves, harbours and cliffs, with sea caves on the west side.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Easter in Corfu is famous across Greece. Nothing else comes close.
Staff pick
10 October
Greek Hero Xtreme Triathlon
The Greek Hero Xtreme Triathlon in Corfu, Greece, is an epic endurance race inspired by the legendary journey of Odysseus. Athletes face a demanding…
26 Sep – 4 Nov
Sacré Vocal Music
Sacred vocal music fills two of Corfu's most atmospheric spaces this autumn, as internationally acclaimed ensembles perform works from both Western and Eastern traditions.…
31 October
Halloween
Celebrate Halloween with Mediterranean flair at Corfu Imperial. Enjoy themed cocktails, whimsical entertainment, and playful costumes under the autumn stars. The event embraces mystery,…
6 November
World Cup Nights at Domes
Football fans will find a lively atmosphere at World Cup Nights at Domes, where FIFA 2026 matches are shown on giant screens. The event…
26 October
Hunter Full Moon
The Hunter Full Moon marks a magical midsummer night filled with adventure and mystery. Teens can join a pirate treasure hunt along moonlit paths,…
Hostels
Where to stay in Corfu Town
Corfu's hostels are mostly on the west coast rather than in town, including the Pink Palace at Agios Gordios. These are the top-rated on the island right now, live from Hostelworld.
Angelica's Backpacker's Hostel
Dorms from €23 a night
See dates and book
The Pink Palace Hotel & Hostel
Dorms from €22 a night
See dates and book
Sunrock
Dorms from €30 a night
See dates and book
Corfu Backpackers Beach Hostel
Dorms from €18 a night
See dates and book
Local Hostel and Suites Corfu
Dorms from €23 a night
See dates and book
When to go
Corfu is greener than the rest of Greece because it gets more rain. May, June and September are ideal.
Jan
Wet and quiet. Much of the island shut
Feb
Carnival season
Mar
Green and wet. Spring arrives
Apr
Easter, the island's biggest week
May
Excellent. Everything green
Jun
Hot and busy. Cricket season
Jul
Peak season. Book ahead
Aug
Peak heat. Saint Spyridon on the 11th
Sep
Superb. Warm sea, thinning crowds
Oct
Good, with rain arriving
Nov
Wet and quiet
Dec
Quiet, with the town lit for Christmas
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. Corfu is the wettest part of Greece in winter, and much of the island closes from November to March.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Transport assumes blue and green buses. Scooter hire adds €20 to €25 a day.
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Corfu Town travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
How many days do you need in Corfu Town?
Two days for the town, the fortresses and Kanoni. A week lets you see the coast, Paxos and Albania.
Are there hostels in Corfu Town?
Very few. Most of the island's hostels are on the west coast, including the Pink Palace at Agios Gordios, about forty minutes away by bus.
What is the Corfu Easter pot throwing?
On the morning of Holy Saturday, people throw clay pots from their balconies onto the streets of the old town, to smash noisily. It is the island's best-known Easter tradition.
Can I visit Albania from Corfu?
Yes. Boats to Saranda take from about thirty minutes, and Butrint, a Greek and Roman city, is a short trip beyond. Bring your passport.
Do I need a car in Corfu?
Not in town, which is walkable. For the island, a car or scooter is far more flexible than the buses, which thin out in the evening.
Why is there cricket in Corfu?
The British ruled the island from 1815 to 1864 and brought the game with them. It has been played on the Spianada ever since.
When is the best time to visit Corfu?
May, June and September. July and August are hot and busy, and much of the island closes in winter, which is also the rainy season.
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