9 days to spend on Corfu and other Ionian islands?

Posted by 2maybs on 05/28/24 03:47 AM

My wife and I (late 60s) will be flying into Corfu in late September. We have 9 days to spend in Corfu and other Ionian islands before flying to Athens for a few days. Last time in Greece was 45 years ago and other than Athens, only visited Paros. Want to show wife the beauty of the greek islands and after just finishing a trip to Spain we are looking to avoid tourist crowds when possible. Ionian Islands were recommended. Our mileage awards get us comfortably to Corfu (but not to Athens), so we planned to start there. Not required that we spend any certain amount of time on Corfu. We enjoy the water, harbor, culture, cuisine and people watching. Short hikes and drinks and meals. Boat trips and ferries ok. Willing to drive but prefer not to spend more than an hour or son in the car at any one time. Won't be swimming or snorkeling much. Would be interested in visiting vineyards/wineries.

Looking at Paxos, Lefkada, and Kefalonia. But might not have the time to do all 3 in addition to Corfu. Will need to fly into Athens at the end of the 9th or 10th day.

Suggestions on itinerary and island choices and number of island choices?

Or...... Should we change our island group to better find our best relaxed itinerary?

Posted by Barkinpark

Bay Area, California

05/28/24 05:36 PM

1632 posts

Sept is the beginning of rainy season in the Ionians. Pick wisely and have a plan B at your destinations in case of rain. I have been to Corfu not long ago and liked it. It was in June/July. I went to Paxos, but there really was not much there except the small harbor. Also, there was not a proper town or a community there to explore. I have not been to Lefkada or Kefalonia, but these are bigger islands and therefore should have a sizable local population and thus a "community feel."

In Corfu, don't forget to visit at least one, if not two, olive oil production facilities. One legendary olive oil (with the highest anti-oxidant levels), the Governor, is made in Corfu. A 750ml bottle retails for $85-100 here in the US. I got it at a much lower price in Corfu.

Happy travels!

Posted by mpserafin4

08/16/24 04:53 AM

1 posts

I recently visited Kefalonia and created a post on what we did with other tips and provided some pictures. The beaches and water were amazing. Driving around is not that easy as the roads are narrow and windy. It was also really hot when we were there. Even with 6 days there was still some more to see and do that we were not able to fit in.
https://diydadsocal.com/explore-paris-in-2-5-days-essential-itinerary-and-tips/

Posted by afro_ilio

Greece

09/25/24 01:57 PM

4 posts

Hello everyone!
It's a really good idea to pack some warm clothes and jackets since it can rain.
So...let's start with Corfu. Beautiful island with many things to see and do.

Visit Palaiokastritsa if you don't want crowds and definately. You can drive about 30 minutes to this beautiful area for stunning views and some short hiking trails - if you are in to walking of course. You can visit the Monastery of Theotokos and relax and drink a greek coffe there.
Visit a local winery, such as Theotoky Estate, for a tour and tasting.

A very nice idea is to visit the Old Fortress and enjoy the promenade for a walk in the evening.
If you are into the sea life i would reccomend the Corfu Aquarium to see and enjoy fish, reptiles and amphibians.

On the third day you can go to Paxos and enjoy the Gaios port. It's super amazing and you will definately are gonna love it.
The ferry will take about an hour with good weather. But this small island is super small, so you can stay one day there.

Then you can visit Argostoli - The capital from Kefalonia and be sure to check Melissani Cave: a stunning underground lake.

I hope this will help you even if it is a little bit. Take a lot of photos and be sure to have a great time.

Have a nice day!