While travelling in Corfu, I quickly realized there were some things I wasn’t quite prepared for. Learn from my own mistakes with this complete guide on ALL the things you need to know before travelling to Corfu.
Filled with adorable small villages, sprawling olive groves, sparkling blue waters, and some of the best views you’ll see in your life, Corfu is one of the best Greek islands for nature lovers and those seeking to get a bit off the beaten path. Corfu offers a plethora of exciting adventure activities to fill up your itinerary, from quad safaris and water sports to jumping off a boat into crystal clear water.
While the island can truly feel like paradise on Earth, there are some important things to know before travelling to Corfu. Without knowing these tips before visiting, I felt underprepared and unsure at times.
The good news for you is that, as usual, I am here to help you learn from my mistakes! I have compiled a full list of all the things I wish I had known before visiting Corfu. From transportation tips to get you to the best places on the island to the smaller practical tips that make a world of difference, here are 13 things to know before travelling to Corfu.
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When is the Best Time to Visit Corfu?
There is technically no bad time to visit Corfu. However, the winter months will be too chilly to enjoy swimming in the ocean. For that dreamy Mediterranean summer trip, the best time to visit is between May and November, with the busy high season occurring in the summer months.
Many recommend visiting during the shoulder seasons around April – May or September – November, however, when I visited Corfu in July I didn’t find the crowds to be bad at all.
13 Things to Know Before Travelling to Corfu
1. Renting a Car is the Easiest Way to Get Around Corfu
Corfu is a relatively big island. As the 7th largest island in Greece and the second-largest in the Ionian Sea, it can be a bit tricky to get around at times. There are ways to help reduce the amount of ground you need to cover (i.e. staying in the centre of the island), but it is important to note that you may encounter some long distances between points of interest.
The majority of destinations on the island are completely unreachable by public transportation alone. As a result, rental cars are the best way to get around Corfu. Renting a car will provide you with the flexibility to travel where you want and when you want without the hassle of figuring out how to get there.
Tips for Renting a Car in Corfu:
- Driving on Corfu roads is not for the faint of heart. The roads are notorious for large potholes, windy blind corners, and speedy drivers. If you are renting a car in Corfu, you should be a pretty confident driver.
- It is common for people to use a rental car for a simple day trip. If there are 1 or 2 destinations that are far to reach by other means, you are definitely able to rent a car for a single day to get there.
- One way to save on the costs of a rental car is to split the journey with friends you meet while you’re there.
- Rent the car in advance if you can. Cars can be booked up pretty fast.
Car Rental Options in Corfu:
I recommend using AutoEurope to find your car rental in Corfu. They provide a comparison of all the different rental car agencies so you find the best deal available online. Plus, they offer a flexible cancellation policy and receive great reviews.
2. But Getting Around Without a Car is Still Very Possible
While car rentals are definitely the easiest and best option to get around the island, they may not be plausible for everybody. Whether you are not comfortable with the driving conditions or it doesn’t fit into the budget, you can still have an amazing trip to Corfu without renting a car.
You can get around the island with a mixture of public transportation (ex. the island’s blue and green buses), booking tours, and other fun ways such as an ATV or a scooter.
Read more: How to Get Around Corfu Without a Car
3. Corfu’s Tourist Infrastructure is Not as Developed as Other Popular Destinations
As a popular Greek island destination, I was surprised to discover that Corfu’s tourist infrastructure is not all there yet. Whether that is partly due to the hard recent years COVID presented for local businesses or if it was like that before, either way, Corfu doesn’t present the same ease of travel as other popular destinations in Europe.
To give you a few examples:
- Public transportation is not easy to get around,
- There are not as many options for tourist companies on the island,
- and things seem to run a bit more casually or sometimes just don’t work great at all.
It is definitely hard to fully encompass what I mean by saying this, but what I can say is that you should account for things not always running as smoothly as you are accustomed to. But that can definitely add to the fun!
4. Book Tours and Rentals in Advance
One of the most important things to know before travelling to Corfu is that booking your tours and rentals in advance is essential to ensure you get a spot. The island of Corfu offers a number of fun tours and activities to fill up your itinerary with adventure. The tours in particular can be a great way to see the island without having to worry about transportation. However, tours, activities, and rentals can book up days in advance, so you’ll want to be prepared.
There are simply not as many tour companies in Corfu to provide enough options for last-minute bookings. If you are visiting during the summer season, then it is especially important to book in advance.
This was something that came as a shock to me when visiting Corfu. Usually, when I travel I’ll book my tours and rentals a day or two before. But when I went to book an ATV rental on a Saturday, the next available day wasn’t until the following Thursday.
Here’s Where You Can Find All the Best Tours in Corfu
- Manawa – A small but mighty tour agency that offers over 20 different tours in Corfu alone and thousands worldwide. With a focus on adventure travel, you’ll find some epic activities to add to your itinerary, such as sunset jeep tours, scuba diving, parasailing, and more. Plus they have great customer service available if any issues or changes come up with your booking.
- Viator – Offering the largest variety of tours from food and cultural tours to island hopping excursions, Viator also offers flexible cancellation.
5. Do Not Drink the Tap Water
Before travelling to any destination, it is important to do a bit of research on where to find drinkable water. Places like Corfu are a good reason to check. While the island may seem very developed, the tap water is not drinkable.
You will need to purchase bottles of water when travelling in Corfu. Fortunately, I found the cost of bottled water to be quite reasonable. You can get a litre of water for just 1 euro. It is important to know this for health reasons, but also as an unexpected (small) addition to your vacation budget.
6. The Best Sandy Beaches Can Be Found on the West Coast
Corfu island is home to some of the best beaches in the world, with bucket list worthy spots like Porto Timoni, Agios Gordios beach, and Canal D’amour. You will not fall short of breathtaking beach destinations to visit in Corfu.
When planning your trip, it is important to note that the sandy beaches are mostly found on the west side of the island, while the east side is home to rocky pebble beaches. Some of the most popular sandy beaches on the west coast include Glyfada, Paleokastritsa, and Agios Gordios, while the east coast offers scenic pebble beaches such as Kassiopi, Ipsos, and Barbati. Despite the western beaches’ soft sand, the east side of the island is known for its warm waters. No matter which side of the island you choose to visit, Corfu offers stunning scenery, rich culture, and delicious cuisine that is sure to make your trip unforgettable.
7. Pack Your Water Shoes
Possibly one of the most underrated yet super helpful things to know before travelling to Corfu, is to pack a pair of water shoes. While there are some glorious sandy beaches to enjoy in Corfu, the majority of them will be filled with pebbles or rocks. Even the sandy beaches might have a rocky portion to walk through to get to the sand. And let me tell ya, those rocks can hurt like heck.
It is super useful to bring a pair of flip-flops or water shoes that you can wear into the water. Your feet will be happier for it and in my case, the shoes can make it more comfortable to swim out deeper so you don’t have to worry about stepping down onto sharp or slimy rocks below the surface.
8. DON’T Book the Hop-On Hop-Off Tour in Corfu Town
A visit to Corfu old town is considered one of the best things to do on the island. While there are a number of great sights to explore, such as the old fortress and the marina, the main town is easy to get around on foot.
With that being said, I do not recommend booking the Hop-on Hop-off tour in Corfu town. I paid for this experience and regretted it afterward. Here are some reasons you definitely do not need to book this tour:
- First, the town is really small. I mean, tiny. It is super easy to walk the entire city so really not worth the money to use a bus.
- There are not a lot of actual tourist attractions in Corfu town itself. You can walk to all of them and there just aren’t enough actual stops to make the hop-on, hop-off worth it.
- The hop-on hop-off for Corfu town is advertised super misleadingly. They advertise certain stops that aren’t actual tourist attractions and it is not a true hop-on, hop-off system.
- The quality of the tour is poor. We got there early but they ended up making us wait for an hour and a half to catch the next bus. Even though they were advertised as running every 30 minutes.
Overall, the tours are very poorly done, not worth your time and money, and you will enjoy seeing the city yourself by walking the small distances.
If you’d rather visit the city in a day tour format, here are some fantastic alternatives:
- Private Corfu Old Town Tour – Tour the city with the guide and his dog, learning about the history, culture, and the friendly furry friends that wander its cobbled streets.
- Guided Tour of Corfu Old Town: Historic Buildings & Great Personalities – The perfect way to discover the city, it’s most famous and historical spots, and the amazing stories that exist below the surface.
9. Bring/Buy Your Own Snorkelling Gear
One thing that became quickly apparent after arriving in Corfu was that the island is an excellent destination for snorkelling! The best part is you don’t need to book a boat trip to participate. You can do it pretty much anywhere and everywhere. There are tons of beaches with excellent snorkelling, some of which are even known for spotting sea turtles and brightly coloured fish.
I first looked at doing a snorkelling tour. However, with only one company that runs these tours, they were already booked up. So instead, I bought a snorkelling kit and had an amazing time at different beaches.
You can purchase them pretty much anywhere on the island at the tourist shops and they usually cost about 12 – 20 euros. They make for an awesome day of exploring and provide something to do in between activities or in the event you find yourself with a free afternoon. For the amount of fun you get out of them on several days of the trip, they are definitely worth the 20 euros.
10. You Will Need to Carry Some Cash
One thing I was surprised by when travelling to Corfu, was that cash was still an expected form of payment in a lot of places. The majority of the tours and rentals I paid for required me to pay with cash. For example, I had to pay cash for an ATV rental, a quad bike tour that I did with Pink Palace, and the bus.
There are still tons of places that accept cards, most of the restaurants do for example. But it is good to come prepared with some cash, especially if you are wanting to book any tours or rent a quad/scooter.
11. Stick to an Itinerary to Make the Most of Your Time in Corfu
Corfu can be the type of place where you spontaneously decide what to do day by day, but only if you are open to having a more relaxed itinerary. Or have a lot of time there. If you are wanting to fill each day with adventures then your best bet is to come up with your dream itinerary in advance and create a plan.
Having an itinerary and a plan will give you a good idea of what you need to book in advance and will ensure you don’t have to miss out on any adventures due to logistics. We had a list of things we wanted to do but no real plan. As a result, we ended up having to pay a lot of money and even miss out on one of the activities because of the logistics of figuring it out last minute.
Read More: The Perfect 7 Day Corfu Itinerary
12. Carry Small Change for the Public Washrooms
This is one small tip that would have come in handy if I had known about it in advance. In many of the touristy spots on the island, such as Corfu Town, there will be public washrooms available. However, you will need some spare change to access them. The cost is not much at all but not many people carry change on them. Carry some small coins to save time having to run around searching for a washroom.
13. Stay on the West Side for Breathtaking Sunsets
Corfu is known for having some of the most breathtaking sunsets in the world, specifically on the west side of the island. As the sun dips below the horizon, the sky lights up with vibrant hues of orange, pink, and red, creating a magical atmosphere that is truly unforgettable. Head to popular spots like Agios Gordios or Pelekas Beach to watch the sun disappear below the horizon. Even if you are not staying on the west side of the island, it is definitely worth visiting for a glimpse of these famous sunsets.
Plan Your Trip to Corfu – Logistical Tips:
📱 Stay Connected Without Expensive Roaming Fees
I never travel without an E-Sim now. Stay connected at a fraction of the price of roaming fees, and my favourite part, you can simply down the E-Sim to your phone and don’t have to switch SIM cards around. The service I always use is Airola. You can also get plans that cover multiple countries in Europe if you are traveling beyond Greece.
🚍 Book Your Transportation in France
AutoEurope is the best for finding the cheapest car rentals available. They offer a comparison of all the popular rentals in Europe to find the best deal. Plus they receive great reviews!
🏠 Book Your Accommodation
I always use Booking.com to find and book the best hotels at the cheapest rate. If you are interested in staying in a hostel to meet people and take advantage of their activities, you can book private rooms and dorms through Hostelworld.
🏄♀️ Book Your Tours and Excursions
The best search tool I use to book tours in France and the rest of Europe is Viator. It has the largest selection of tours with local operators and offers flexible cancellation. I’m also a big fan of Manawa, a small tour company that offers adventure travel tours and great personalized customer service. You can find a curated list of Corfu tours by Manawa here.
Final Thoughts On The Essential Things To Know Before Travelling to Corfu
Corfu is an absolutely breathtaking island and a fantastic summer destination that every adventure lover should visit. From blissful beach days to cliff jumping adventures, Corfu will not disappoint when it comes to making lifetime memories. With that being said, there are some super helpful things to know before travelling to Corfu, to ensure you have the best time you can!
With this list of tips, you will travel to Corfu feeling more prepared and therefore more able to relax and enjoy the experience.
Happy adventuring!
* Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I receive a commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through a link. I only recommend products and companies that I use. Thanks for the support!
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