Overview
On this ten-day easy to moderate walking holiday in Corfu you will discover both the wild and gorgeous north-west coast of Corfu island as well as the north-east coast with its secluded bays and hidden coves, so beautifully described by Gerald Durrell in My Family and Other Animals.
You will spend the first three nights in Liapades, an old village with impressive mansions close to a small beach and the famous resort of Paleokastritsa with its rock-top monastery and azure blue bays. From Liapades, an old path leads up to the ancient village of Lakones and offers impressive sea views. Reach the beach at Agios Georgios, where you will spend the following three nights.
Walk to the picturesque hilltop village of Afionas with its narrow alleys and the double bay of Porto Timoni. You will spend the last three days in Kalami, known for the White House, the residence of the famous British writer and brother of Gerald Durrell, Lawrence Durrell.
Daily walking varies between 7 and 16 km, and you may choose to extend some of the walks to your liking. On most trails, it is strongly advised to bring a bathing suit!
- Liapades Village
- Paleokastritsa Monastery
- Lakones Village
- “Roman Way” from Krini
- Angelokastro Byzantine castle (optional)
- Agios Georgios Bay
- Afionas village
- Porto Timoni
- Kalami
- Kassiopi
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival. Transfer to Liapades
Arrive at Corfu Airport and enjoy our complimentary transfer to your hotel at Liapades (22km / 30min). Meet our representative, who will brief you on the walks and give you the maps and the documentation needed for your trip.
- Accommodation: Liapades Beach Hotel and Studios or similar
- Walking for the day: none/walk around Liapades
Day 2: The Olive Way and the West Coast Circular Walk | 11-15km
From Liapades villages, old paths will take you into the centuries-old olive groves around Kanakades and Liapades. In the town of Kanakades, have a look at the beautifully frescoed church, and if you’re lucky, it might be open for a visit. From Kanakades, you continue along the Olive Way. Reaching the surroundings of Liapades, you have the choice to go back to the village or have a swim at the secluded beach of Iliodorou, only accessible on foot or by boat. This will make the walk about 4 km longer.
- Accommodation: Liapades Beach Hotel and Studios or similar
- Walking for the day: 11 km, 3-4 hours, ↑450 m (easy version) / 15km, 5-6h, ↑700m(moderate version)
Day 3: The Bays and Monastery of Paleokastritsa | 4-8km
Today’s walk to Paleokastritsa offers beautiful views of the bays and rocky coast in the surroundings. The total mileage and ascent are based on the same way forth and back. However, it is also recommended to come back to Liapades by a taxi boat/ boat tour, leaving from the small port at the bottom of the Monastery hill. This way, you will have the possibility to appreciate the rocky coastline with many caves from the sea as well as from the land.
The terrain is mostly paved, apart from the first stretch leaving Liapades beach, where you climb up on a steep footpath through the forest. The Monastery of the Virgin Mary is located on a hill at the end of Paleokastritsa. Originally built in Byzantine times in 1225, the present buildings date from the 19th century. Monks still inhabit the Monastery.
- Accommodation: Liapades Beach Hotel and Studios or similar
- Walking for the day: 4km, 1-2h, ↑150m (easy version) / 8km, 3-4h, ↑300m (moderate version)
Day 4: The Roman Way | 12-15km
You start the day with a steep climb up to the village of Lakones, situated on the hills above Paleokastritsa. This village’s location was chosen this way, so pirates could not see it from the sea. Enjoying views over Paleokastritsa’s bays, you enter the olive groves before the village of Krini. If you do not mind the extra 1.5 km and steep climb up, it is worth visiting the Byzantine castle of Angelokastro, perched on a hilltop overlooking the sea and the island towards Corfu Town. Shortly after Krini, you will be surprised with views of the northern parts of Corfu, as an ancient cobbled footpath, also called the Roman way, leads down to the west coast and the resort of Agios Georgios.
- Accommodation: Belle Helene Hotel & Studios or similar
- Walking for the day: 12km, 4-5h, ↑350m (easy version) / 15km, 5-6h, ↑500m (moderate version)
Day 5: The Double Bay of Porto Timoni | 9km
From Agios Georgios, it’s a steep climb up to the beautiful village of Afionas, with its olive oil shops, narrow alleys and beautiful views. On a footpath, you descend steeply towards the sea below, where the peninsula is so thin that you can choose on which side to swim! The path continues a bit further up the peninsula to the chapel-like cave of Agios Stylianos.
- Accommodation: Belle Helene Hotel & Studios or similar
- Walking for the day: 9km, 3-4h, ↑350m
Day 6: Around Agios Georgios | 9km
From Agios Georgios, you will follow a stretch of the main Corfu Trail up to the villages of Prinilas & Paghi. Descending a fertile valley, the walk continues towards the road in Aspiotades. From here, the route turns back to the coast at Agios Georgios.
- Accommodation: Belle Helene Hotel & Studios or similar
- Walking for the day: 9km, 3-4h, ↑400m
Day 7: In the Footsteps of Lawrence Durrell | 7-15km
Morning transfer to Kalami (40km, 1h). Breakfast at Thomas’ Place. From Kalami starts a splendid walk passing by the White House (Lawrence Durrell’s residence) along the East Coast. The route will take you south through some secluded coves to Kaminaki. Another option is to walk the Mountain Flanks, going up from Agni to the flanks of Pantokrator Mountain and the ancient village of Mengoulas. Going down, you will return to Kalami on the coastal path from Kaminaki.
- Accommodation: Studios in Kalami
- Walking for the day: 7km, 2-3h, ↑200m (easy version) / 15km, 6-7h, ↑650m (moderate version)
Day 8: Rest Day / Walk around Kalami
Breakfast at Thomas’ Place. Walk around Kalami, take a boat tour, or relax on the beach.
- Accommodation: Studios in Kalami
Day 9: Eremitis Peninsula to Kassiopi | 12km
Walk the Eremitis Peninsula to Kassiopi. A beautiful coastal walk follows with a visit to the village of Kassiopi, where you can also go to the Byzantine castle above the town. From the village of Kassiopi, take a bus back to the main road above Kalami. Bus to Kalami not included, about GBP 2.50 pp.
- Accommodation: Studios in Kalami
- Walking for the day: 12km, 3-4h, ↑300m
Day 10: Departure or onward travel
Return home or individual stay extension.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in hand-picked studio apartments or small family-operated hotels in private en-suite rooms. This holiday is mostly centre-based, you spend three nights in each of the three hotels. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will give you the exact accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is always included. Half board option is possible to order. In towns, there are multiple restaurants and taverns where you can sample the incredible local cuisine.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is suitable for regular hikers who are generally fit. Total walking distance is 64 km (83 km including optional walks), and average daily walking distance is 9 km per day (12 km including optional hikes), while total elevation gain is up to 2,500 m (optional: up to 3,250 m) (read more about difficulty grades). The terrain varies from rocky footpaths to cobbled paths and asphalted roads. Not all routes are well signposted and using the GPS tracks is essential. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the way through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available between 1 May and 21 June and between 1 September and 17 October. July and August are too hot for walking, while most hotels along the trail are closed in early spring and late autumn. If you want to visit Corfu in March, April or November, we have developed a special itinerary where you will walk certain sections of the Corfu Trail, being based in Corfu Town.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
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By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Corfu (CFU). Complimentary airport transfers from/to Corfu airport are included.
Inclusions
Included
- Accommodation for 9 nights as listed in the itinerary
- 9 Breakfasts
- Holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions; maps with daily routes and optional hikes marked (using GPX is important to navigate your route)
- Luggage transport to next hotel
- Airport transfers Corfu Airport-Liapades and Kalami-Corfu Airport and private transfer Agios Georgios to Kalami
- All private transfers according to the itinerary, apart from the bus transfer on Day 9 and optional return by boat on Day 3
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers from/to airports other than Corfu Airport
- Bus transfer on Day 9 and optional return by boat on Day 3
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights in Corfu town or along the trail are bookable upon request
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