---
node: dest_corfu
type: destination
slug: corfu
title: "Corfu"
lead: "Corfu is the green, mountainous Ionian island off Greece's north-west coast, wrapped in olive groves and cypress. Its old town, shaped by centuries of Venetian rule, is one of the most elegant in Greece."
published: 2026-08-10
updated: 2026-08-10
image_file: corfu.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Old_Fortress_and_the_Old_Town_of_Corfu_-_September_2017.jpg"
image_author: "Martin Falbisoner"
image_license: "CC BY-SA 4.0"
---

## Overview

Lusher and greener than the Aegean islands, Corfu catches more rain and wears it in dense olive groves and hillside villages. It was held by Venice for four hundred years and never fell to the Ottomans, and later passed through French and British hands, a mix that shows in its arcaded streets, fortresses and cricket ground. The World Heritage old town sits between two fortresses, and the coast beyond offers beaches, coves and resorts.

## Highlights

The old town of Corfu winds between the Old and New Fortresses, its Venetian lanes opening onto the arcaded Liston esplanade. The hilltop palace of Achilleion and the twin islets at Kanoni are classic excursions, and the beaches and coves of the coast, from Paleokastritsa to the quieter north, fill the days. The island's olive-oil villages and Ionian cooking round out the visit.