# Corfu: Old Town, Achilleion, west coast, Pantokrator and Paxos

> 4-day road trip of about 154 km (96 mi) with 7 stops, from Corfu Old Town to Paxos and Antipaxos. About 2 h 08 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/gr-corfu/

**At a glance:** 4-day road trip of about 154 km (96 mi) with 7 stops, from Corfu Old Town to Paxos and Antipaxos. About 2 h 08 min of driving in total. Four days on Corfu, from the Venetian Old Town and the Achilleion to Paleokastritsa, Angelokastro, Sidari’s Canal d’Amour and Mount Pantokrator, with a boat trip to Paxos and Antipaxos.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 154 km (96 mi) |
| Driving | 2 h 08 min |
| Suggested days | 4 |
| Stops | 7 |
| Route | Corfu Old Town → Paxos and Antipaxos |
| Countries | Greece |
| Updated | May 14, 2026 |

## Route description

Corfu is an island, so you need a ferry or a flight to reach it; check the current timetable, services are thinner outside summer. Begin in Corfu Old Town, a fortified Venetian-era port and UNESCO site with the Old and New Fortresses, the Spianada square and the arcaded Liston. Explore on foot, early or in the evening, as summer days can reach 33°C.

Drive about 10 km south of town to the Achilleion in Gastouri, built for Empress Elisabeth of Austria and later bought by Kaiser Wilhelm II, with terraced gardens, statues of Achilles and views over the Ionian Sea. Allow time for the grounds before returning towards the coast.

Spend the next day on the west coast at Paleokastritsa, a bay of beaches and cliffs with a monastery dating from 1225 and a museum on the headland. Locals call a rock in the bay Odysseus’s petrified ship. Just to the north, Angelokastro near Krini is a ruined Byzantine-era castle on a cliff about 300 metres above the sea, under restoration since 1999.

Then go north to Sidari, where sandstone channels form the Canal d’Amour and legend says couples who swim through stay in love; the three sandy beaches make an easy beach stop. Mount Pantokrator, 906 metres, rewards you with a monastery, café and views to Albania; drive up or walk from abandoned Old Perithia. Village roads are narrow for campers.

Paxos lies south of Corfu and needs a separate boat; check the current timetable and whether your vehicle can come along. This small olive-covered island has white chalky cliffs, sea caves on the west coast and the harbour town of Gaios. Antipaxos, with its vineyards and the beaches of Vrika and Voutoumi, is a 15-minute sea-taxi ride away. Wild camping rules vary, so check local rules.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Corfu Old Town** (Corfu, Greece): A fortified Venetian-era port town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007, with the Old and New Fortresses, the Spianada square and the arcaded Liston promenade. Explore the lanes on foot; summer days can reach 33°C, so go early or in the evening.
2. **Achilleion Palace** (Gastouri, Greece): A palace in Gastouri built for Empress Elisabeth of Austria and later bought by Kaiser Wilhelm II, with terraced gardens and statues of Achilles. It stands about 10 km south of Corfu town; allow time for the gardens and their views over the Ionian Sea.
3. **Paleokastritsa** (Paleokastritsa, Greece): A west-coast village on Corfu set around a bay of beaches and cliffs, with a monastery dating from 1225 and a museum on the headland. Locals call a rock in the bay Odysseus's petrified ship; Angelokastro lies just to the north, making a natural pairing.
4. **Angelokastro** (Krini, Greece): A ruined Byzantine-era castle on a steep cliff about 300 metres above the sea near Krini, with views to Corfu town and the mainland mountains. It has been under restoration since 1999 and sits just north of Paleokastritsa, so the two pair well.
5. **Canal d'Amour, Sidari** (Sidari, Greece): Sandstone channels carved by water and wind on the coast at Sidari in north-west Corfu, tied to a legend that couples who swim through stay in love forever. The village has three sandy beaches, so the canal combines easily with a beach stop.
6. **Mount Pantokrator and Old Perithia** (Corfu, Greece): A 906-metre summit with a monastery, café and mast, where the whole of Corfu and the Albanian coast are in view. Drive the winding roads up, or walk from the abandoned 14th-century village of Old Perithia, a round trip of about two hours.
7. **Paxos and Antipaxos** (Gaios, Greece): A small Ionian island about 10 km long, covered in olive groves, with white chalky cliffs and sea caves on the west coast and the harbour town of Gaios. Antipaxos, with its vineyards and beaches of Vrika and Voutoumi, is a 15-minute sea-taxi ride away.

## Suggested stages and overnight stops

1. **Day 1: Corfu Old Town → Angelokastro** (38 km, 0 h 32 min) On the way: Achilleion Palace, Paleokastritsa. Overnight nearby, for example: Dionysus Camping Village (14 km); Camping Paleokastritsa (3 km).
2. **Day 2: Angelokastro → Canal d'Amour, Sidari** (15 km, 0 h 12 min) Overnight nearby, for example: Dionysus Camping Village (18 km); Camping Paleokastritsa (12 km).
3. **Day 3: Canal d'Amour, Sidari → Mount Pantokrator and Old Perithia** (18 km, 0 h 15 min) Overnight nearby, for example: Dionysus Camping Village (9 km); Camping Paleokastritsa (14 km).
4. **Day 4: Mount Pantokrator and Old Perithia → Paxos and Antipaxos** (83 km, 1 h 09 min) Overnight nearby, for example: Camping Mongonisi (3 km).

## Best time to go

The most pleasant months are usually April–May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in June and November. Hot in July. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## Practical notes for the road

- **Greece: Motorway tolls.** Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h.
- **Mount Pantokrator and Old Perithia → Paxos and Antipaxos.** Ferry crossing needed

## FAQs

**How long is Corfu: Old Town, Achilleion, west coast, Pantokrator and Paxos?**
4-day road trip of about 154 km (96 mi) with 7 stops, from Corfu Old Town to Paxos and Antipaxos. About 2 h 08 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Corfu: Old Town, Achilleion, west coast, Pantokrator and Paxos?**
We suggest 4 days: about 2 h 08 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Corfu: Old Town, Achilleion, west coast, Pantokrator and Paxos start and end?**
It starts in Corfu Old Town and ends in Paxos and Antipaxos.

**Which countries does Corfu: Old Town, Achilleion, west coast, Pantokrator and Paxos pass through?**
Greece.

**Where can you camp along Corfu: Old Town, Achilleion, west coast, Pantokrator and Paxos?**
OpenStreetMap lists 9 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 20 km of the stops on this route. For example: Dionysus Camping Village, Camping Paleokastritsa and Dolphin Camping.

**When is the best time for Corfu: Old Town, Achilleion, west coast, Pantokrator and Paxos?**
The most pleasant months are usually April–May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in June and November. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)