Drive to Palaiokastrítsa
This drive to Palaiokastritsa starts at Corfu airport and takes you across the Ropa Plan and through hill villages before returning to Corfu Town.
This Drive Takes You to Beautiful Palaiokastritsa
Palaiokastrítsa (or Paleokastritsa) is one of the most popular beauty spots on Corfu, so much so that Sir Frederick Adam, the British High Commissioner in the early 19th century, built a road across the island to speed his journey. This drive takes you there on a more scenic, meandering route through the villages and idyllic landscape of the Rópa Plain.
Note
These directions were accurate when we did the drive but signposts can always change so don’t assume it’s still 100% correct.
Drive to Palaiokastritsa
From the airport, make a left turn on to the road for the Achilleion and Lefkímmi. After 1 km (0.6 miles), turn right, following signs for Pélekas; then left again when this short road ends, and continue on the Pélekas road through the suburbs of Corfu Town (about 10 minutes).
Afra
Turn right at the sign for Afra. (Note that it appears to point straight on, but is actually a right turn.) Cross a small bridge, and the narrow road winds uphill for 2 km (about 1.25 miles) past attractive houses with beautiful gardens.
Beyond the village, just past an old olive grove, you come to a stop sign. Go straight on (signposted Gouvía), along a cypress-lined forest and over a single-lane bridge. At the next stop sign, turn left towards Gouvía and after a few metres turn left again, following signs for Templóni.
The road winds through pretty rural scenery, bright with wildflowers in spring. Between the clusters of sage and olive trees there are views across the countryside to the distant hills. As you leave the small village of Templóni, you’ll have the first view across the Plain of Rópa before descending to the valley floor.
Our Pick of Greek Islands Guides
The Ropa Plain
At the end of the road, turn right towards Palaiokastrítsa. After a few hundred metres take the first left, signposted Giannádes and Mármaro. You are now crossing the wide, grassy Plain of Rópa, dotted with pleasant rural houses surrounded by vineyards and beehives.
At the far end of the plain, ignore the turning to Mármaro and Kanakádes and continue uphill towards Giannádes, with stunning views back over the plain.
Into Giannades
At a fork in the road, take a sharp right turn uphill into the village. Follow the parking signs and park near the village square. Unlike many mountain villages, Giannádes has a big, open square with a fountain and benches that affords a fabulous view over the Rópa Plain. Alongside the square is a taverna where the local men gather for coffee, brandy and gossip. Giannádes is a good place to stretch your legs with a walk around the pretty village and up to the yellow church with its stone bell tower.
Retrace the route back to the bottom of the hill and take the sharp left turn signposted for Mármaro (1 km/0.6 miles) and Kanakádes (2 km/1.25 miles). Drive through an idyllic valley of olive groves, grazing sheep, small gardens and vineyards. The villages are little more than a string of houses which run into one another along a stretch of the road. Once past these, the road continues through the Rópa Plain up to the main road.
Turn left for Palaiokastrítsa, which is 6 km (3.7 miles) away. After 2 km (1.25 miles) turn left for Liapádes. The town is uphill to the left, but the streets are narrow and steep so if you want to explore, it’s best to park below and walk up into the town. You may see local women in traditional dress with white head scarves instead of the usual black. Alternatively, check out Liapádes’ beautiful beach, 1 km (0.6 miles) to the right.
Leave Liapádes and at the main road turn left for Palaiokastrítsa. The road winds along its beautiful bays and inlets until it ends at the far edge of town.
You can return to Corfu Town on the fast main road (25 km/15.5 miles) or take another scenic route to the coast. As you leave town, you will see a right turn for Glyfádes and Ermónes. Ignore this, but watch for the next left-hand turn. It is unmarked from this direction but leads to Doukádes. (If you reach a petrol station on your left, you’ve missed it, so turn around there. It will then be signposted from this direction.)
Through Doukades
This narrow, old road has hairpin curves winding up through the olive groves. At the stop sign, turn left and the road goes through the centre of Doukádes, a pretty village with two churches and a popular restaurant. Follow signs for the parking area if you want to stop.
Leave the village, following the signs for Róda, Sidári and Skriperó. The countryside is decked with wildflowers, poppies, tall grass and vines among the olive trees. At the road’s end, turn right onto the main road for Corfu Town. Continue through Skriperó. At the next stop sign, turn left and follow signs for Corfu Town, 14 km (8.7 miles) away.
Print This Drive
If you want a print-friendly PDF version of this drive then click here.
Other Corfu Pages
Corfu’s marine life includes dolphins, loggerhead turtles, and rare Mediterranean monk seals.
Donna Dailey of Greece Travel Secrets visits Albania by boat from Corfu Town, staying overnight and seeing archaeological sites with Sipa Tours.
Northern Corfu is the most diverse part of the island, with Corfu's highest point, Mt Pantokrator, and beach resorts like Sidari and Palaiokastritsa.
Greece Travel Secrets picks where to stay in northern Corfu with budget and luxury hotels in Sidari, Daphnila Bay, Kontokali, Ipsos, Barbati and more.
The history of Corfu and cricket goes back to 1823 when the island was under British rule, which left them with a legacy of loving both cricket and ginger beer.
Greece Travel Secrets has its list of favourite places where you can eat in north-west Corfu, including in Paleokastritsa, Pelekas, and Ayios Stefanos.
Corfu or Kerkyra is the main island in the Greek Ionian islands with Corfu Town being one of the most attractive of Greek island capitals.
Corfu Town’s Old Fortress is the town’s most striking landmark, standing east of the Old Town on top of a rocky promontory.
Information for travelers on Corfu Food and Drink including restaurants and tavernas, Corfiot specialties, desserts, wine and other Greek drinks like ouzo.
Benitses is a popular resort town south of Corfu Town with its own marina, remains of a Roman Baths, an old town, and plenty of walks inland.
Greece Travel Secrets picks the best time to visit Corfu, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.
The Corfu Trail runs from the southernmost point of Corfu at Cape Asprokavos and winds for 220km (137 miles) to the northernmost point near Andinioti Lagoon.
These Corfu shopping tips include advice on buying souvenirs like ceramics, jewelry, gold, silver, wood carvings, and food and drink, with tips on haggling.
Greece Travel Secrets’ pick of where to stay in southern Corfu including hotels in Moraïtika, Paramonas, Messonghi, Agios Georgios, and near Benitses.
The best things to do on Corfu include visiting Palaiokastritsa, a day trip to Albania, seeing the Achilleion Palace, and the museums in Corfu Town.
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to stay in north-west and central Corfu including luxury mansions, inexpensive rooms, and resort hotels.
The Achilleion Palace is one of the most visited sights on Corfu and contains a museum and impressive gardens with wonderful views over the coast.
Information for travellers to Greece on Corfu festivals and events including Easter, the Feast of St Spiridhon, Carnival and Name Days.
This Mount Pantokrator drive takes you to the top of Corfu’s highest mountain with wonderful views to Albania, mainland Greece, and around Corfu.
Corfu writers and artists inspired by the island include both residents and visitors, like Gerald and Lawrence Durrell, Edward Lear, and Henry Miller.
There are three islands off the northwest coast of Corfu, Erikouusa, Othoni and Mathraki, popular with day-trippers from resorts like Sidari.
Corfu olives are an important part of this Greek island's economy, with an estimated 3-4 million trees producing olive oil of exceptional quality.
Mount Pantokrator is the highest mountain on Corfu and it’s easy to drive to the top for spectacular views of Albania, Corfu, and even sometimes to Italy.
These fun facts about Corfu include how the island got its name, who wrote the Greek National Anthem, and the eccentric Englishman, the Earl of Guilford.
Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...
Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?
- Click on the HTML link code below.
- Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment,
your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.
-
A 24-hour nationwide strike is set to disrupt transportation in Athens and travel across Greece on Wednesday, November 20, as public transport and ferry employees join a general strike organized by Gr…
Read More
-
A New Cultural Jewel in Plaka
Read More
-
Visitors to Navagio Beach (Shipwreck Beach) on the island of Zakynthos will be required to purchase tickets for entrance once it reopens to the public, according to a new draft law proposed by the Gre…
Read More
-
A band of motorcycle-riding musicians is sending a powerful, melodic message from Greece's remote mountain villages that are at risk of being left deserted.
Read More
-
With the 65th Thessaloniki International Film Festival in full swing, we take a look at the city’s newest cafes, bars, and restaurants, along with some exciting culinary developments in the city.
Read More
-
Beginning November 1, Lines 2 and 3 of the Athens Metro will extend their Friday and Saturday night service until 2 o’clock in the morning.
Read More
-
Greece Travel Secrets outlines the history of Thessaloniki, Greece’s second city, from its origins through Roman times and the Ottoman period through to today.
Read More
-
Spend two days in Ioannina, the historic capital of the Epirus region, which is more beautiful in the autumn than any other city in Greece
Read More
-
A new cultural landmark in Athens celebrates the life, work, and legacy of Nobel laureate Odysseas Elytis.
Read More
-
The highly anticipated list of award-winning producers was presented in the capital of the Cyclades, Syros, by Gastronomos, Greece’s top culinary magazine, published by the newspaper Kathimerini.
Read More