3 to 4 Days in Corfu: Venetian Old Town, Kanoni, Paleokastritsa, Porto Timoni and Paxos

This itinerary is designed so that Day 1 requires zero car rental, Day 2 explores the dramatic north-western cliffs, and Day 3 gives you a choice between the memorable boat cruise to Paxos & Antipaxos or a scenic drive through Empress Sisi's Achilleion Palace and the North-East coast. Read our Blue vs Green bus guide before Day 1.

Day 1: UNESCO Corfu Old Town, Old Venetian Fortress, Mon Repos & Kanoni Sunset

• Morning: start with coffee and a bottle of local tsitsibira ginger beer under the 1807 French arcades of the Liston overlooking the Spianada, then cross the sea moat bridge into the 1546 Old Venetian Fortress to see the Doric Church of St George and climb to the summit lighthouse before midday heat.
• Midday: wander into the pastel Venetian kantounia alleys of the Campiello, visit the 1589 Church of St Spyridon and the Museum of Asian Art, and take a refreshing dip off the Old Town rocks at Faliraki.
• Afternoon: hop on Blue Bus #2a south to stroll the shaded royal gardens of Mon Repos Palace, then continue to Kanoni to walk out onto whitewashed Vlacherna Monastery and take the 5-minute wooden boat to Mouse Island as jets land over the lagoon at sunset.
• Evening: return to the Old Town for a dinner of pastitsada, sofrito and kumquat liqueur on Kremasti Square.

Day 2: Paleokastritsa Bays, Angelokastro, Porto Timoni Twin Beach & Loggas Sunset

• Morning: head 35 minutes north-west to Paleokastritsa; take a 40-minute wooden boat tour into the Blue Eye and Nausicaa sea caves, swim in emerald Agios Spyridon or Ampelaki bay, visit the 1228 Monastery, and drive up through Lakones to the 305-metre cliff castle of Angelokastro.
• Afternoon: continue 20 minutes north to hilltop Afionas Village and hike the 25-minute trail down to swim at the twin back-to-back coves of Porto Timoni.
• Evening: finish at the white chalk stacks of Cape Drastis and watch sunset from the 50-metre cliff of Loggas Beach.

Day 3: Boat Cruise to Paxos & Antipaxos

• Option A: board the early in the morning full-day cruise from Corfu Port south to Paxos's western Blue Caves, swim in the neon-blue water of Antipaxos, and lunch in pastel Gaios Harbour.
• Option B: spend the morning at Empress Sisi's Achilleion Palace (or sandy Glyfada Beach), then drive up the north-eastern coast through Kalami, Kerasia and Kassiopi to dine in 14th-century Old Perithia below Mount Pantokrator.