Top 10 Best Things to See and Do While Visiting Corfu

Even though all seafood dishes here are more than perfect, your Corfu gastronomic experience will not be complete without trying its traditional meat dish: moussaka.

Having its roots in the Ottoman Empire, this dish has become one of Corfu's specialties. Nikolaos Tselementes, one of Greece's most famous chefs of the 20th century, popularized the local version of the dish.

Greek moussaka is a potato-based dish with layers of minced meat and stewed eggplant, all softened with bechamel sauce. The layers are cooked separately before being combined and baked. Tselementes preferred lamb over other meats and added tomato sauce, garlic, and other spices to the mince.

Moussaka pairs perfectly with homemade Greek wine, which is cheap, light-tasting, and rather strong.

Today, it is very popular to associate inner peace and calmness with Buddhism, Hinduism, or some other Far Eastern religious doctrine. However, any kind of faith can bring you tranquility, but only if you go to its roots, leaving behind all the layers accumulated over time.

Greek Orthodox Christian churches, especially the ones on islands, may surprise those who have visited the pompous and excessively decorated churches with gold in Russian-speaking countries. At almost a thousand years old, Corfu churches are small, cozy, and softly adorned. Unlike their Russian counterparts, they have places to sit like Catholic churches. Women are not obligated to cover their heads or arms to enter. Candles and small prayer icons are freely available for use, with an opportunity to donate as much as you wish.

The most famous Corfu churches are the Church of Agios Spyridon (the island's patron), the Monastery of Virgin Mary, the Vlacherna Monastery, and many others.

It takes only 20 minutes by boat to get from the Old Town port to this small island, but it feels like you are moving to a different world. Guido (Vidos, Vido, or the island of Ptychia) may seem to have nothing to offer at first glance, but there are plenty of things to discover if you look deeper.

Owned by Venetian Count Guido Maliepierie, Vidos has served as a fortress, a military base, a prison, and a cemetery during different epochs.

Despite its dark history and rather neglected infrastructure, today Guido is a perfect place for those seeking privacy and reflection. Moreover, it is a designated nature reserve with wonderful flora and fauna. Injured animals, especially birds, can find help and care here, while tourists can enjoy seeing rare birds freely walking around the island.

This story is at the same time tragic, patriotic, and romantic. Kostas Georgakis, a person from Corfu who was studying in Genoa, Italy, strongly opposed Italy's rule in Greece and advocated for his own country's independence.

He gave an "anonymous" interview that revealed his political views, but it turned out to be not so anonymous. Fearing that the Italianate government of Corfu would persecute his family and strongly insisting on his patriotic ideas, Georgakis committed an act of self-immolation, burning like a match for his views. His monument today is one of the most famous places in Corfu Old Town.

If you are obsessed with planes taking off, Kanoni is a must-see spot for you. Here, you can enjoy a perfect shrimp meal in a local restaurant while having a view of a salt lake with a stunning monastery island. You can also watch beautiful small planes gathering speed above it.

The place was once the capital of the whole island, and its name Kanoni (Canon) has religious roots, which gives the local monastery, the Church of Pantocrator, great importance. The only way to get to the church is by taking a small boat. The charismatic boatman might have a small mermaid amulet, making your trip to the monotheistic church even more charming.

After lunch and the pilgrimage, you can enjoy the beautiful lake shore or have a pint of beer in a tavern, chatting with friendly locals.

The crystal-blue water of Nausicaa Caves is amazingly beautiful and holds both legends and real tragic and romantic stories. Nausicaa, a character in Homer's works, was a girl who wanted to be Odysseus's wife but never became one. If you drop some water on the cave walls, you can see her image on it.

They say Nausicaa can lead sailors like a mermaid or the Lorelei. True or not, tourists are often told stories of the fishermen who lost their lives here.

The 19th-century atmosphere of Corfu Old Town has not been ruined by modern constructions as it usually is in big European cities. The island's narrow streets, awesome hotels, and beautifully flowered windows make you feel like you have moved 150 years back in time.

Old Town Corfu, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a perfect mix of British, Italian, and, of course, Greek architecture.

Unfortunately, the history of Old Town has not always been bright. In 1943, it was damaged by bombing. In the recent half-century, the place has been recovered and popularized as an important tourist spot.

In the endless number of shops, you can buy anything from Greek cosmetics, spices, alcohol, and souvenirs to fashionable brand clothes.

The natural formation of Canal D'amour is not only a perfectly romantic beach spot but also a great inspirational place for architects who follow the ideas of Antonio Gaudi and believe that only perfect forms and lines can be copied from natural objects.

Located in the village of Sidari, Canal D'amour lies 36 kilometers to the northwest of the main town. The nearest beach provides peaceful rest with restaurants, water sports, and activities for kids.

Legend says those who are not scared to swim through the channel will meet their love in the near future. The descent to the water is very slippery, so love seekers who want to try must be brave.

This tourist attraction is mentioned in some guidebooks and blogs but is barely known by locals. However, the ruins of Hera's temple in Corfu are one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. It is located in the Mon Repo area, not far from Mon Repo beach.

Ordinary tourists are not allowed to enter Zeus's wife's sacred place and can only watch it from the side.

The temple dates to 610 BCE. It is not only a historically important place but also a great example of ancient architectural achievements.