The paradise of Corfu
Short travel guide βοΈπ±ππ§Ώππ§π»ββοΈπ¬π·
When the sea meets the shore, the music created by the sea is hard to describe in words. Well, I woke up with a good cup of coffee, in a little bay with turquoise water, facing a forest of olive and banana trees, a beautiful coastline, and a unique symphony. I was flying my drone back and forth, looking for landscapes, textures, and colors, thinking once again about how grateful one must be for the opportunity to see the world through different cultures and colors. Until a few years ago, I thought I would never be able to travel and explore anything, but look, working with passion, trust, and faith has brought me to the point where this is slowly becoming a way of life.
I thought of making a small travel guide to inspire and generally help when traveling, whether you go to create content and visual materials or just to relax. When it comes to travel, one of the most important things, besides planning, of course, is to move, to explore, not to stay stuck just around the place where you are staying, because you can discover the wild and unique sides of the island you are on. Don't be afraid to take some trails, to climb mountains, and to do some trekking, even if it might seem tiring, you will see a lot of things. On our holiday in Corfu, we walked at least 12 km every day, sometimes even more, but with a lot of hydration and breaks, we had the chance to see different and incredible sunsets, as well as places you don't see from the car or while staying at the accommodation. Get out of your comfort zone a bit, and you will see more than you can imagine.
Now, about Corfu, it is an island I didn't have high expectations of, having been to other unique places in Greece, but from the start, it exceeded all my expectations, with an extremely exotic, wild, peaceful, and different vibe, I felt from the beginning that it was just right. When you come to Corfu, you can choose the western part of the island, the northern part, or the eastern part, which opens to Albania. The eastern part has the advantage of being close to the city of Corfu, a superb multicultural city where it is said that Odysseus, the hero from Homer's famous "Odyssey," was shipwrecked and met the beautiful princess Nausicaa, daughter of King Alcinous. You will see this name everywhere on the island if you wonder where it comes from. It is a city with Venetian influences, having been conquered by them since the 15th century, with streets and buildings very similar to those you see in Venice. Many shops, stalls, markets with fresh fruits, an airport 15 minutes walk from the city, many buses that take you everywhere, nightlife, and so on, this is the main advantage when staying on the east side. If you're in Corfu Town, don't forget to visit Porcelani Cafe. They serve excellent coffee on a street dating back to 1600 with an incredible story. The coffee comes in cups made of local porcelain, each one very unique β it's magical.
However, regarding the wilder, more spectacular, and more special part of the island, with crystalline beaches and breathtaking landscapes, this time the west side wins. We stayed in Paleokastritsa, a very well-positioned place from where you can reach the most wonderful places on the island, on foot, trekking from an hour to a few hours, by car, ATV, scooter, or most exciting, by boat. If you come to Corfu, it is a must to rent a boat; you can go with it to some unique places, beaches you can only see from a boat. Boats can be rented from everywhere; you will see dozens of places where you can rent, and you can do this without a boat or driving license. They will give you a small briefing with everything you need to know, but don't worry, it is not complicated at all, and it is very safe. The boat has a GPS in case something happens, they track you, you have life jackets, etc. Although sometimes it may seem like the boat is moving from the waves, don't worry, you can't fall out of it, it is a normal phenomenon, especially if a bigger boat passes by you quickly, you will have a few waves that will move the boat, but nothing important. Even if it's your first time driving, believe me, it's a special experience.
We rented it from Liapades Beach, 15 minutes from Rovinia Beach, one of the most spectacular on the island, from Ninos Boats company, which had an office right on the beach. The whole process took 5 minutes, and the price depends on what boat you want to take. We didn't take the cheapest one, but not the most expensive either, and the price is 90 euros for 4 hours, plus fuel, which is calculated at the end depending on how you drive. But to give you an idea, we stayed over 3 hours, explored, and drove very fast with the boat just for fun, stopped on beaches, and it came out to 15 euros. You can rent for 120 euros/7 hours or even less, 3 hours. You agree with them depending on how many hours you want, but the price compared to the experience received is more than decent. I recommend it with all confidence, especially in these parts of Greece, where you can explore special colors and waters. Of course, you can also rent a boat with an organized tour for 25 euros, but you will not have the same experience. I suggest renting the boat from Liapades Beach because it's right on the west side of the island, 20 minutes by boat from Paradise Beach, one of the most incredible beaches in Greece, with water that has colors you can't describe, hundreds of shades of blue and turquoise, you can see colorful fish swimming around your boat, you can swim and many other things. It is a beach you can only reach by boat, there is no other road to it, just like Stelari Beach nearby, another incredible beach with turquoise waters. Of course, besides this, there are many others, depending on how much time you allocate and how far you want to go. Further north is Porto Timoni, an incredible double beach in the world, and Cape Drastis in the north of the island, with a dreamlike landscape. Before making your plan, I have to tell you that these places look amazing in reality, much more beautiful than they may seem to you in photos or videos when you see them; they are something dreamy.
Paleokastritsa is by far the most beautiful destination on the island, as it brings together a diverse array of places and beaches, and it's very easy to start your journey to all the locations on the west side of the island from here. The monastery, founded in 1228, offers a stunning view of the infinite sea, is just a 20-minute walk away. From the monastery, there's a short 10-minute trekking path that leads to an incredibly beautiful sunset spot. The food is also fantastic; I won't recommend a specific place because there are dozens, all offering local cuisine, seafood, Greek-themed evenings, and much more. Wherever you feel inspired to go, go with confidence because everywhere the food is excellent and local.
Being passionate about colors and their psychology, I couldn't help but be fascinated by the colors I've seen here. Of course, no device can perceive them as accurately and beautifully as the human eye, but it's still a landscape worth paying attention to. In the materials I've created here, and if you go there yourself, you'll be able to explore hundreds of shades of colors in the island's waters, from milky blue to pure turquoise, all due to how light touches the water, its intensity, salinity, and of course, the depth of the water, which is extremely varied. They subtly offer us depth, mystery, and convey tranquility and purification, and alongside the landscape, they are a dream.
However, two places come to my mind, more for fun and relaxation, though they also offer snacks. One of them is La Grotta, a spot built directly into the rock, with direct access to the water where you can jump in and enjoy its magic. It has an incredible view, good music, and an atmosphere worth enjoying. You can also rent boats from here.
Another slightly hidden gem is Acapulco, an incredible place where you can enjoy one of the most beautiful views on the island, directly overlooking Liapades and Rovinia beaches. You can hear the waves crashing against the shore; it's very quiet, a large place built right on the mountain, and the best part is that it's free to stay there; you only pay for your consumption, and the prices are very reasonable. They have a wonderful pool, dozens of sunbeds, chairs, sofas, sunbeds with umbrellas, many palm trees, olive trees, and small trees that provide shade. But honestly, what amazed me was the view and atmosphere, and the people who run the place are very friendly. Acapulco also has a direct path leading down to a small plateau with a ladder where you can jump straight into the infinite pool of the sea, with an indescribable color. The water in this area is very deep, but there are no waves, or very few; it's a very calm sea.
If you are passionate about photography, content creation, and videos, and you're thinking of doing some amazing work here, that's great! However, first and foremost, I advise you to enjoy the scenery. Then, if you can, bring a 4K drone with you; you won't regret it when you see the landscapes you'll capture from above. If you want to film and have a camera with you, make sure to have an ND filter. The light is very strong here, and with a filter, you can reproduce the colors you see more accurately.
For more visual materials from Corfu, take a look at my Instagram or TikTok. I post more and more there. This guide isn't comprehensive, just a little inspiration to give you an idea about this destination.
