Best Tours in Corfu: Paleokastritsa, Olive Oil & Old Town

Corfu is Greece’s greenest island — 4 million olive trees cover most of its interior, the result of a Venetian policy in the 17th century that paid farmers to plant them. The island’s character comes from this layering of cultures: Venetian, French, British, and finally Greek. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its coast, particularly the northwest, holds some of the most dramatic coves in the Ionian Sea. Here are the best ways to experience it, with operators, prices, and practical guidance. All prices are approximate as of 2026.

Paleokastritsa Boat Trips

Paleokastritsa is Corfu’s most spectacular coastal location — a series of six coves tucked between dramatic limestone headlands on the northwest coast, 26km from Corfu Town. The water is clear and cool even in summer. A Byzantine monastery on the promontory above the main beach (open to visitors, modest dress required) has views over the surrounding sea and the village below.

The best way to see Paleokastritsa is by small boat into the sea caves — a network of grottos and arches along the headland that are inaccessible on foot. Local fishermen and boat operators run trips from the main Paleokastritsa beach.

Local Boat Operators at Paleokastritsa Beach — several operators run 45-minute trips into the caves from EUR 15 per person. Groups of 6–8 in open motorboats. No advance booking — just walk up and agree on a time. The caves include the largest natural sea arch on the island (Kavos Cave) and several chambers with bioluminescent plankton visible in the late afternoon.

Paleokastritsa Boat Hire — rent a small motorboat independently from EUR 35–50 per hour (for the boat, not per person). No licence required for the smaller boats. This gives you total freedom to explore the coves at your own pace.

Full-Day Corfu Boat Tour from Corfu Town (Garitsa Bay) — some operators combine Paleokastritsa with Mouse Island (Pontikonisi) and the Blue Lagoon near Erikoussa. From EUR 55 per person for a full day including lunch. A good option if you’re not hiring a car and want to see both the east and northwest coasts.

Duration: 45 minutes (cave trip) to 6 hours (full island boat tour)
Difficulty: Easy
What’s included: Boat and driver; guide varies. Life jackets provided.
Best time: Morning — the cave light is best in the first 2 hours after 9am.
Best season: May–October. The road to Paleokastritsa is accessible year-round but boat trips operate only in season.

Olive Oil Heritage Tours

Corfu’s 4 million olive trees are not a romantic detail — they’re the result of a deliberate Venetian colonial policy (from 1386 onwards) that paid Corfiots a fixed sum for each tree planted and imposed no other agricultural taxes. The result is one of the densest olive groves in the world and an oil culture that runs deeper on Corfu than almost anywhere else in Greece.

The Lianolia olive variety is endemic to Corfu — not grown at scale anywhere else in Greece. Its oil is fruitier, less bitter, and more aromatic than Kalamata or Koroneiki varieties. Tasting it next to a mainland oil makes the difference obvious.

Corfu Olive Oil Experience (based in Ropa Valley, 20km from Corfu Town) runs 3-hour guided farm tours from EUR 55 per person. The tour includes a walk through a 400-year-old Venetian grove, explanation of the traditional harvesting method (hand-picking and olive rakes, the same as in the 17th century), and a 5-oil tasting including an early-harvest green oil. Lunch at the farmhouse optional (EUR 18 additional).

Olive Wood & Oil Tour near Ag. Mattheos runs 2-hour visits from EUR 35 per person. Smaller operation, more personal — the family have owned the grove for 7 generations and the guide is usually one of the owners. The workshop also produces olive wood crafts, which you can watch being made.

Corfu Rural Tours aggregates several estates for a 5-hour “agri-tour” from EUR 80 per person, combining an olive press (working in November harvest season), a local cheese maker, and a herb distillery. Best option for those who want the broadest picture of Corfu’s agricultural identity.

Duration: 2–5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
What’s included: Tasting, tour of grove; transport varies
Best season: Year-round for tastings; November for harvest participation. October–November is when Corfu’s agricultural interior is at its most alive.

Corfu Old Town Walking Tour

Corfu Old Town (Kerkyra) was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 — one of the most complete Venetian-era towns surviving in the Mediterranean. The island was under Venetian rule for over 400 years (1386–1797), followed briefly by the French and then by Britain (1814–1864) — the only part of Greece to have been a British protectorate.

The architectural result is distinctive: the Venetian fortress (Old Fortress, rebuilt on Byzantine foundations), the New Fortress built in 1576 to defend against Ottoman attack, the Liston arcade (modelled on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris, built during French administration), the cricket pitch on the Spianada (a British introduction that the Corfiots have played ever since), and the ginger beer sold from carts — a relic of the British era that stuck.

Corfu Town Walks runs a 2-hour Old Town tour from EUR 25 per person. Groups of up to 12. Covers the Spianada, Old Fortress, Liston, and Campiello (the oldest neighbourhood, built during the First Venetian Period). Departs from the Spianada at 10am and 5pm.

Corfu Heritage Tours offers a 3-hour tour with a historian guide from EUR 45 per person, including the Old Fortress (entry EUR 6) and the Byzantine Museum. Smaller groups (max 8), more depth on the Venetian naval history.

Self-Guided Old Town Walk — the Old Town is small enough (1km diameter) to explore independently with a good map. The key sites are all free or under EUR 8 entry. Allow 3–4 hours. Start at the Old Fortress at 9am before the heat.

Duration: 2–4 hours
Difficulty: Easy
What’s included: Guide (on tours); entry fees additional
Best time: Morning or late afternoon. The Old Town at midday in July and August is very crowded.

Northern Corfu Village Tour

The northern tip of Corfu (Cape Drastis, Peroulades, Sidari, Kassiopi) is greener and less developed than the tourist strip along the east coast. A half-day driving tour covers the white sand cliffs of Peroulades, the Canal d’Amour (a sea channel carved through sandstone at Sidari), the hilltop ruins of the Byzantine castle at Kassiopi, and the fishing harbour at Agios Stefanos.

Corfu Island Tours runs a half-day northern Corfu coach tour from EUR 35 per person. Departs Corfu Town 9am, returns 2pm.

Self-Drive: Hiring a car for the day (from EUR 30–40 from Corfu Town) and following the northern coast road is one of the best ways to experience the island. The canal at Sidari and the cliffs at Peroulades are free and only need 30 minutes each.

Duration: 4–5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Best season: May–June and September–October. The north is less developed — fewer facilities in the shoulder season but also fewer crowds.

Booking Tips

Paleokastritsa cave boat trips need no advance booking — show up at the beach between 9am and 1pm and operators will take you. Olive oil farm tours work best with 48–72 hours’ notice. Old Town walking tours can be booked same-day except in peak July–August when morning slots fill by noon. For full-island boat tours, book 3–5 days ahead in summer.