Walking the Corfu Trail (North) — Self-Launched

Fly into Corfu (CFU) and take the local No. 11 or 15 bus or a 25-minute taxi to Liapades village (~£18-25 for a taxi, ~£2 by bus plus a walk). Check into a village guesthouse or studio in Paleokastritsa/Liapades. In the late afternoon, walk the 25 minutes down to Liapades and Rovinia beaches for a swim — Rovinia is a pebbly cove reached by a rough path, so bring shoes. Buy a picnic lunch and 2-3 litres of water for tomorrow, then eat at a village taverna (a €15-20 dinner with wine). Download the Corfu Trail GPX route (free from corfutrail.com) and study tomorrow's stage.

🚌Airport bus/taxi to Liapades: ~£2-3 by bus or ~£20-25 by taxi

🛏Family-run guesthouse or studio in Liapades/Paleokastritsa (~£30-40 double, ~£18 pp sharing)

• →Rovinia Beach walk and swim
• →Liapades Beach
• →Buy supplies for the trail
• →Download Corfu Trail GPX

The classic stage: climb from Liapades up to Lakones and Bella Vista for the big west-coast viewpoint, then on through Vistonas, Makrades and Krini before dropping via the old stone Donkey Path down to Agios Georgios bay. Roughly 14-16 km with 600 m of ascent, 5-6 hours. Waymarks are yellow-and-black Corfu Trail flashes plus occasional red/white; carry the GPX as backup. Lunch in Makrades or Krini (small tavernas, ~£8-10). At Agios Georgios, check into a beachside guesthouse or rooms above a taverna and swim before dinner. Note: there is no luggage transfer — plan to carry a small pack or use a local taxi to move a bag (~£20).

🚌On foot all day; optional local taxi to move a bag (~£20)

🛏Beach guesthouse or taverna rooms in Agios Georgios (~£20-25 pp)

• →Liapades–Lakones climb
• →Bella Vista viewpoint
• →Makrades and Krini villages
• →Donkey Path descent
• →Agios Georgios Bay swim

Walk south-east from Agios Georgios through Prinilas, Pagi, Aspiotades, Agros and up to the Agios Athanasios convent, crossing the Megapotamos river valley — around 12-14 km, 4-5 hours, gentler than yesterday. Pagi has the best coffee stop. Finish at Rekini, then take the KTEL Green bus (or a shared taxi, ~£4-6 pp) north along the coast to Roda. Roda is a low-key beach resort — plenty of cheap studios and rooms; book ahead in high season, walk-ups are fine in shoulder season.

🚌KTEL local bus Rekini–Roda ~£2-3, or shared taxi ~£5

🛏Simple studio or rooms in Roda (~£18-22 pp)

• →Prinilas, Pagi, Aspiotades and Agros villages
• →Agios Athanasios convent
• →Megapotamos river valley
• →Roda beach evening

Bus back up to Rekini (KTEL, ~£2) and walk the inland stage through Valanio and Sokraki to Spartillas — about 13 km, 4-5 hours, through olive groves and cypresses with views over the north coast. Lunch/coffee in Sokraki. From Spartillas take the local KTEL bus or a taxi (~£8-12 shared) down to Kalami on the east coast. Kalami has a handful of rooms and tavernas — book a family-run guesthouse near the bay. Evening: dinner at a Kalami taverna by the water; the White House (Lawrence Durrell's old house) is the local landmark.

🚌KTEL bus Roda–Rekini ~£2; local bus or shared taxi Spartillas–Kalami ~£8-12

🛏Family-run rooms or guesthouse in Kalami (~£20-25 pp)

• →Valanio and Sokraki walk
• →Spartillas village
• →Kalami Bay and White House
• →Taverna dinner by the sea

The big day. Take a bus or taxi back up to Spartillas (~£8-12 shared), then walk via the Taxiarchis chapel and the karst plateau to the Pantokrator summit monastery (906 m) and down through Palia Perithia, the abandoned Venetian village, to Agios Spyridon on the north coast. 14-16 km, 5-6 hours; add the optional 3 km spur to the very top if the weather is clear. Lunch at a taverna in Palia Perithia (~£10). Either take a local bus/taxi back round to Kalami (£10-15) or stay the night in Agios Spyridon/Acharavi if you'd rather split the day.

🚌Bus/taxi to Spartillas ~£8-12; return transfer Agios Spyridon–Kalami ~£10-15

🛏Return to Kalami guesthouse (~£20-25 pp) or night in Acharavi/Agios Spyridon (~£18-22 pp)

• →Taxiarchis chapel
• →Karst plateau
• →Pantokrator summit monastery
• →Palia Perithia abandoned village
• →Agios Spyridon

Choose your own adventure. Option A: the long out-and-back to the deserted village of Mengoulas (about 15.5 km round trip, mostly shaded forest — good in heat). Option B: walk the Erimitis peninsula's cliff paths to Kassiopi (12 km one way), swim at one of the small coves, then catch the KTEL bus back to Kalami (~£2). Option C: a lazy beach day at Kalami and a boat hire or kayak. Bring water; there are few shops on either route.

🚌Optional KTEL bus Kassiopi–Kalami ~£2

🛏Kalami guesthouse (~£20-25 pp)

• →Mengoulas deserted village walk
• →Erimitis peninsula cliff walk
• →Kassiopi village
• →Kalami beach and kayaking

Morning KTEL bus from Kalami/Kassiopi to Corfu Town (~£3-4, about 1 hour 15). Check into a budget hotel or hostel in the old town (Konstantinoupolis is the tour's choice; cheaper options include old-town guesthouses and hostels around Saroko). Self-guide the Venetian centre: Spianada Square, the Liston, the Campiello alleys, the Old and New Fortresses (entry ~£6 each) and St Spyridon Church. Late afternoon, take local bus No. 2 to Kanoni, walk the causeway to Vlacherna Church and take the tiny rowing boat to Mouse Island (Pontikonisi, ~£3 return). Back for dinner in the old town.

🚌KTEL bus Kalami/Kassiopi–Corfu Town ~£3-4; local bus No. 2 to Kanoni ~£1.50

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Corfu old town (~£25-35 pp)

• →Spianada and the Liston
• →Campiello old-town alleys
• →Old Fortress
• →Vlacherna Church causeway
• →Mouse Island boat trip

Last coffee in the Liston and a wander through the morning market, then bus No. 15 or a taxi to the airport (~£2 bus, ~£12-15 taxi). If your flight is later, the Archaeological Museum and the Serbian Museum are worth an hour each.

🚌Airport bus ~£2 or taxi ~£12-15

🛏—

• →Corfu old town market
• →Archaeological Museum (optional)