The Old Fortress of Corfu and its yachts on the blue sea, the mountains of Epirus beyond

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Home›Mediterranean destinations›Greece›Corfu

Luxury in Greece

Corfu

The greenest of the Greek islands: a Venetian old town, villas above clear coves on the north-east coast, the Achilleion palace, and Paxos a short sail away.

The Ionian Sea
A Venetian old town
Its own airport

The Old Fortress, CorfuPhotograph: Lynn Aitken

Kalós orísate

Venetian, British and Greek

Corfu was never held by the Ottomans. Venice ruled it for some four hundred years, until 1797, and its old town of tall pastel houses, arcades and two fortresses is World Heritage. The French and then the British followed, and the island joined Greece in 1864.

The Empress Elisabeth of Austria built the Achilleion palace in its hills, the cricket ground at the heart of the town is a memory of British rule, and the Durrell family made the north-east coast famous in the 1930s.

That north-east coast, facing Albania across a narrow strait, is where the finest villas stand, above coves of clear green water. The island is the greenest in Greece, with olive groves and cypresses, and Paxos and Antipaxos lie a short sail to the south.

A few words of Greek
English	Greek	Say it
Hello	Γεια σας	YAH-sas
Please	Παρακαλώ	pa-ra-ka-LO
Thank you	Ευχαριστώ	ef-ha-ri-STO
Good evening	Καλησπέρα	ka-li-SPE-ra
The bill, please	Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ	ton lo-ghar-yaz-MO, pa-ra-ka-LO

Cruises

Corfu by sea

How the ships arrive in Corfu, and the luxury lines that call.

Ships berth at the new port, about 2 km from the Venetian old town.

The luxury lines that call here

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise Lines Suites at Sea

Experience

Events and things to do in Corfu

The Corfu year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

April or May
- Easter on Corfu, Corfu Town
  Greek Orthodox Holy Week in the Venetian old town, when clay jugs are thrown from balconies onto the streets on Holy Saturday morning and the island's philharmonic bands march through the town.

Live

Luxury real estate in Corfu

A home in Corfu: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

Greece Sotheby's International RealtyAthens
The Sotheby's affiliate for Greece, with a head office in Athens and a branch in Corfu, covering the Athens Riviera, Mykonos, Paros, Santorini, Crete and the Ionian islands. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗
Ploumis SotiropoulosAthens
Long-established Greek agency with property records going back to 1930 and the exclusive Christie's International Real Estate affiliate in Greece, covering the Athens Riviera, the Cyclades and the Ionian and Dodecanese islands. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗

All the leading agencies in Greece ›

Looking for a home in Corfu? Write to [email protected] and we will introduce you, in confidence, to the right agency.

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Corfu and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

Plan your journey to Corfu

Where is Corfu?

In the Ionian Sea off the north-west coast of Greece, facing Albania. Corfu airport takes private jets and sits just outside Corfu town; the villas of the north-east coast are about 30 to 45 minutes by road or less by boat.

What is Corfu famous for?

Its Venetian old town and fortresses, the Achilleion palace, its green landscape of olives and cypresses, villas above clear coves, and Paxos and Antipaxos close by.

Do you tip in Corfu?

Service is generally included in the price, but leaving 5–10% for good service is customary. Round up taxi fares, or add 5–10% for longer journeys. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.

What should you wear in Corfu?

Dress modestly at churches and monasteries: women cover their shoulders and knees, and men wear long trousers and sleeved tops. At the monasteries, wraps are usually provided at the entrance and men in shorts are turned away. No hard-soled shoes on yacht decks. Fine dining is smart-casual, and Athens and Mykonos can be dressier.

Beyond Corfu

More in Greece

Mykonos, Santorini, the Athens Riviera, the Peloponnese and Crete, and the Mediterranean beyond.

GreeceLuxury Greece Holidays: Mykonos & SantoriniExplore Greece The MediterraneanTwenty-two countries and Gibraltar, first class onlyExplore the Mediterranean Plan your journeyFrom your home to Corfu, with the costsOpen the trip planner

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Corfu

How Greece does things.

Language: Greek is the official language. English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and anywhere that serves visitors.
Greetings: A firm handshake with eye contact on first meeting is usual. Friends typically greet with a hug or two cheek kisses. Address people as Kyrie (Mr) or Kyria (Mrs/Ms) with their surname until invited otherwise.
Dress: Dress modestly at churches and monasteries: women cover their shoulders and knees, and men wear long trousers and sleeved tops. At the monasteries, wraps are usually provided at the entrance and men in shorts are turned away. No hard-soled shoes on yacht decks. Fine dining is smart-casual, and Athens and Mykonos can be dressier.
Dining: Greeks eat late. Lunch is usually taken by about 3 pm, and dinner rarely starts before 9 pm, often 10 pm or later in summer. Reservations are essential at the top restaurants in Athens and on the islands in high season. Sharing plates is the custom.
Tipping: Service is generally included in the price, but leaving 5–10% for good service is customary. Round up taxi fares, or add 5–10% for longer journeys. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.
Good to know: Avoid the open-palm "stop" gesture towards someone, because in Greece it is an insult (the moutza). It is illegal to approach, photograph or film military installations, vehicles or buildings, and offenders can be arrested; take the same care in border areas.
Tourist tax: Hotels add a climate resilience fee per room per night, €15 at five-star hotels from April to October; cruise passengers landing on Santorini or Mykonos pay €20 a visit in summer.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.