Corfu walking vacations
After a long day on the trail, imagine being able to kick off your shoes and head downstairs for a freshly prepared meal. Accommodations on our Corfu walking vacations are frequently arranged in small village tavernas where you can feast like a returning Argonaut on home-cooked Greek food and, if your luck is in, be entertained at the same time by local musicians propping up the bar. No plate smashing though, no matter how much fun you’re having, okay?
Corfu inspires a great deal of affection in travelers, not least for the hospitality of its tavernas. In My Family and Other Animals, the first of his ‘Corfu trilogy’, the conservationist Gerald Durrell described how the magic of this Ionian island, shaped like a horse’s leg in motion, settled gently over his family like pollen. In the 80 years since the Durrells left Corfu an astronomical growth in tourism, especially the curse of package vacations, has transformed much of its coastline, and rarely for the better. But escape from the resorts and the beaches where you’ll seldom find space to fling a towel down in high summer, and you can still find the languid charms that captivated one of England’s foremost conservationists during his childhood.
Our Greece walking Vacations
Greece hiking vacation, Kythnos
Hiking vacation on Kythnos, a beautiful Greek island in the Cyclades group
From
€395
6 days
ex flights
Cyclades walking vacations in Greece
A gently active vacation in the Cyclades
From
US $1879 to US $2049
8 days
ex flights
Cyclades hiking vacation, Greece
Walk ancient paths and enjoy stunning Cycladic sceneries
From
£592 to £640
7 days
ex flights
Kefalonia, Lefkada & Ithaki hiking vacation
Walk with us and explore the lush, green Ionian islands
From
£697 to £1112
10 days
ex flights
Walking vacation in Crete
Hike the Samaria Gorge and enjoy the beaches and simple life
From
US $1160
8 days
ex flights
Cyclades sailing & walking vacation in Greece
Combine a sailing & hiking adventure around the Cyclades
From
£685 to £759
7 days
ex flights
Naxos and the small Cyclades walking vacation, Greece
Walk and discover Naxos and the unspoilt Small Cyclades
From
£592 to £914
10 days
ex flights
Walking vacation in Corfu, Greece
Hillside villages, whitewashed monasteries and quiet beaches
From
US $2030 to US $2100
15 days
ex flights
Self drive vacation in Northern Greece, hike & tour
Macedonia & Epirus - sightseeing & walking in ancient Greece
From
£425 to £550
8 days
ex flights
Northern Greece hiking vacation
North Greece Unique Experience. Hiking Vikos,Meteora,Olympus
From
€1098
7 days
ex flights
Greek island hiking vacation in Serifos
Hike to hill-top villages, a monastery, a winery
From
€340
5 days
ex flights
Hiking vacation in the West Cyclades, Greece
Walk & explore the authentic Serifos, Sifnos & Milos islands
From
£592 to £914
10 days
ex flights
Southern Greece walking vacations
A cultural and walking adventure vacation off the beaten path
From
€698
6 days
ex flights
Karpathos hiking vacation in Greece
Discover Karpathos Island, on a 8 day walking tour!
From
€890 to €950
7 days
ex flights
Cyclades walking & island hopping vacation, Greece
Walk and explore nature of Naxos, Small Cyclades & Santorini
From
£846 to £1280
14 days
ex flights
Walking the Corfu trail North vacation
Take in the highlights of northern Corfu
From
US $1160 to US $1190
8 days
ex flights
Greece walking vacation, Zagorohoria and Lefkada island
Traverse Vikos gorge & explore picturesque Zagori villages
From
€861 to €957
8 days
ex flights
Santorini walking vacation, Greece
Walk and discover all Santorini has to offer in 4 days
From
€410 to €520
4 days
ex flights
Walking vacation in rural Crete
Explore a wonderful, unspoilt area of western Crete
From
€750 to €770
8 days
ex flights
Athens short break
Cultural & walking vacation in ancient and modern Athens
From
€745
5 days
ex flights
Santorini and Naxos walking vacation in Greece
Explore two of the most beautiful Cyclades islands
From
US $790
8 days
ex flights
Peloponnese walking tour in Greece
Peloponnese unique trekking experience in Greece
From
€285
6 days
ex flights
Naxos & the Small Cyclades vacation in Greece
Walk & island hop Naxos, Iraklia & Amorgos, Small Cyclades
From
£606 to £762
10 days
ex flights
Self guided hiking vacation in Santorini and Naxos, Greece
Discover the world famous Santorini & Naxos at your own pace
From
£542 to £662
7 days
ex flights
Rhodes walking vacation, guided
Guided hiking in the stunning Rhodes, an island of contrasts
From
€880 to €1050
8 days
ex flights
Sailing and walking vacation in Greek Islands
Explore mainland hikes and secret Greek Ionian beaches
From
£1170
7 days
ex flights
Crete short break vacation in Greece
Walk & discover the best of Chania, West Crete in 4 days!
From
£389 to £587
4 days
ex flights
Karpathos and Rhodos walking & cultural vacation, Greece
Beautiful hikes, cultural walks and swimming every day!
From
€1453
12 days
ex flights
Andros trail walking vacation in Greece
Experience on foot the Cycladic island of Andros.
From
US $790
9 days
ex flights
The Corfu Trail
As with so many of the Greek Islands, the most satisfying way to explore Corfu is on foot. Walking vacations here typically follow a section of the Corfu Trail, a long distance (220km) route that begins in the far south and snakes up the west coast before curving inland to reach the northern tip of the island. Since most of the big resorts are situated in the north and east, it presents an appealing way to discover a slower and more traditional way of life on an island that was one of the earliest to experience the detrimental effects of mass tourism.The Corfu Trail is well-marked but even so you won’t have to pay too much attention to directions, since you’ll be joining a guided small group tour. Trekking alongside a local doesn’t simply provide valuable employment, but it also helps you gain a greater understanding of the island’s history, its culture and traditions. Vicky Garnett from our specialist tour operator Explore agrees, “Our Corfu Trail leaders, Costis and Spiros, are brilliant, so knowledgeable about the trail, flora and fauna and passionate about the island, greeted with affection by people everywhere they go. Our tour leaders are drawn from a Corfu walking club, run by volunteers, that maintains footpaths and aims to improve access.” You’ll be walking point to point for much of the trail’s southern and western sections, staying somewhere new every evening, so your luggage will be transferred between accommodations while you need carry only a daypack.
What do Corfu walking vacations involve?
In most cases you’ll arrive in Corfu Town, which, despite the cruise crowds, remains one of Greece’s most magnificent island capitals. The cobbled Old Town sits above the port and between two hills, each crowned with a Venetian fort. The capital is a lovely place to spend a little time, especially in the evenings when the bars are still busy but the streets are quieter, before you lace up your boots and hit the trail. Over the next week you’ll discover a much quieter side to Corfu though, one of abandoned monasteries set in walled gardens, lakes where freshwater turtles swim, sand dunes fragranced with cedar trees, olive groves and old mule paths through pastures and fields.Naturally there are beaches – some vast stretches of golden sand, others pebbled. Who needs a hotel pool? Myrtiotissa was a favourite of Durrell, and was Corfu’s best-known nudist beach in the 1980s. Today the beach itself has been reduced to little more than a sliver by erosion. The walks take in sublime views over both east and west coasts – including from the observation point at Pelekas nicknamed ‘Kaiser’s Throne’, a vantage point prized by Kaiser Wilhelm II for admiring the sunsets, presumably with ‘an imperious gaze’.
Sticking with the Corfu Trail for much of its length, you’ll pass a succession of sleepy little villages surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, including Liapades, notable for its beautiful old mansion houses. Lunches might be prepared by your last night’s lodgings, or you might stop for home-cooked fare served in small tavernas along the way. On some days there will be little difference given that accommodation is frequently arranged in rooms attached to these traditional, family-run restaurants. Staying in them is a delightful, and often musical, way to experience local life, and you certainly won’t be sweltering in the heat as you wait for a table to free up, as you will at over-stuffed restaurants on the glitzier beaches.
There’s nothing especially challenging about the terrain here, and the route, comprised of dedicated coastal and mountain paths, minor roads, old mule tracks and beaches, is generally well-looked after. Your trip price will include a trail fee that contributes to maintenance and improvements to infrastructure. There are some steep ascents and descents involved though, such as reaching the summit of Agii Deka, the island’s second-highest peak.
The longest day will be around eight to nine hours, covering some 23km, but if you’re picturing a hard slog throughout, have no fear. Your guide will frequently call a halt for snacks in the shade, refreshing dips in the Ionian Sea, to pop into an interesting little folk museum or proudly point out a fabulous view. Taxis can also be arranged for anyone that doesn’t feel in the mood for a particular day’s walk.
Our top Greece walking Vacation
Cyclades walking vacations in Greece
A gently active vacation in the Cyclades
From
US $1879 to US $2049
8 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2020: 8 Nov
2021: 21 Mar, 4 Apr, 18 Apr, 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 6 Jun, 20 Jun, 5 Sep, 19 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct
2020: 8 Nov
2021: 21 Mar, 4 Apr, 18 Apr, 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 6 Jun, 20 Jun, 5 Sep, 19 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Greece walking or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
Best time for walking in Corfu
Vacations operate in April and May, and September and October, so you’re avoiding the hottest (and busiest) months of the year, and at the same time spreading tourism income outside the main season. And really, summer is not the time to be walking in Corfu. A decent level of fitness will be perfectly adequate in the cooler autumn, but who wants to be trekking for hours in July when daytime temperatures can easily reach 32°C?
More about Greece walking
Enjoy our Greece walking vacations guide and learn what walking here involves.
Use this page to learn the best time to go on a walking vacation in Greece.
Andros and Tinos walking vacations take you to the northernmost Cyclades Islands.
Learn the joys of Kythnos walking vacations, from practicalities to must-dos.
Embark on your own Greek odyssey with our guide to Lefkada walking vacations.
Naxos walking vacations are as culturally interesting as they are picturesque.
Find out what Serifos walking vacations entail, and a few added bonuses.
Walking and botany vacations in Greece focus on the Dodecanese island of Karpathos.
Crete walking vacations are an ideal way to explore the largest and busiest Greek island.
Explore one of the most unique and spectacular landscapes in Greece.
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Photo credits: [Page banner: Samuel S] [Top box (taverna): dronepicr]
[What does it involve?: Michael Button]
[Best time for walking: Karolis Puidokas]
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