Walking in the Footsteps of Empress Sissi: A Hidden Corfu Trail

Most visitors come to Gastouri for the Achilleion Palace, but a much quieter piece of Empress Elisabeth’s Corfu survives in the hills above the village. An old path climbs through olive groves towards the tiny chapel of Agia Kyriaki, following a landscape closely associated with Sissi and her long walks around Corfu.

Today, you can follow a similar route yourself — passing through old Gastouri, climbing a stone path and discovering one of the viewpoints that the Austrian Empress is recorded as having particularly loved.

Beyond the Achilleion: The Corfu Sissi Loved to Walk

Empress Elisabeth of Austria — better known as Sissi — is inseparably connected with Corfu.

Most visitors know her through the Achilleion Palace, the extraordinary residence she built near Gastouri at the end of the 19th century. But Sissi’s relationship with Corfu extended far beyond the walls and gardens of her palace.

She was an enthusiastic walker and spent considerable time exploring the island on foot.

Accounts by Constantin Christomanos, her Greek tutor and companion, describe excursions through Corfu’s countryside and provide a fascinating glimpse of an Empress who often preferred long walks, nature and solitude to formal court life.

One of the places particularly associated with these walks is the hill of Agia Kyriaki above Gastouri.

Start in the Old Village of Gastouri

Gastouri is worth exploring before beginning the walk.

The village is best known as the home of the Achilleion, but away from the palace entrance you can still find narrow streets, traditional houses and small details that reveal the older character of the settlement.

Instead of treating Gastouri simply as the place where you park to visit the Achilleion, spend a little time walking through the village itself.

This was the landscape immediately surrounding Sissi’s Corfu residence, and these hills formed part of the countryside she explored during her stays on the island.

The CC07 Walking Route

The Corfu Paths CC07 is a short circular walk around historic Gastouri. It passes places associated with Sissi before climbing towards the small chapel of Agia Kyriaki.

We recorded the route from Gastouri to the Chapel of Agia Kyriaki, following the quiet roads and countryside of central Corfu.

An Old Stone Path Through the Olive Groves

One of the most attractive parts of the route is the old stone-built path climbing through the countryside above Gastouri.

Long before today’s road network, paths like these connected Corfu’s villages, fields, churches and rural communities.

An account published in The Corfiot in 2008 describes a stone-cobbled path climbing from the area of Sissi’s Spring towards Agia Kyriaki, eventually emerging among olive groves before the final climb to the chapel.

The path itself is part of the experience. Rather than simply arriving at another Corfu viewpoint by car, you approach Agia Kyriaki slowly through the same type of landscape that Sissi explored more than a century ago.

Sissi’s Spring

Another fascinating stop associated with the Empress is the old spring near Gastouri, commonly known as Sissi’s Spring.

The spring lies outside the main centre of the village and has long been connected locally with Elisabeth’s walks through the surrounding countryside.

Older descriptions of the site mention the spring, an old well-head and a large plane tree nearby.

The circular route returns towards Gastouri through this historic landscape, allowing the spring and Agia Kyriaki to be explored as part of the same walk.

The Climb to Agia Kyriaki

The route eventually climbs towards the small chapel of Agia Kyriaki, set on the hill above Gastouri.

It is a remarkably simple place compared with the grandeur of the nearby Achilleion — and perhaps that contrast is exactly what makes the story so appealing.

From the surrounding hillside, the landscape opens towards central Corfu, while the vegetation and olive-covered slopes create a completely different atmosphere from the busy coastal resorts below.

The Place Where Sissi Found Peace

The connection between Elisabeth and Agia Kyriaki is remembered at the chapel itself.

A commemorative inscription refers to Sissi finding peace here, reinforcing the historical association between the Empress and this quiet hill above Gastouri.

The location helps explain another side of her relationship with Corfu. The Achilleion was her extraordinary residence, but the countryside surrounding it offered something very different: space to walk, escape and spend time away from court life.

How Difficult Is the Walk?

The CC07 GPS track records a circular route of approximately 2.6 km, with around 162 metres of ascent and descent.

The highest recorded point on this particular GPS track is approximately 263 metres.

Although it is a relatively short walk, expect uphill sections, old stone surfaces and uneven ground. Proper walking shoes are preferable to beach sandals, particularly after rain.

Best Time to Walk

Spring is probably one of the most attractive periods, when Corfu’s countryside is intensely green and temperatures are comfortable for walking.

Early summer can also be excellent, especially in the morning.

During July and August, avoid the hottest hours of the day. Early morning is much more comfortable and usually better for photography.

Autumn is another good period, particularly after the first rains bring the countryside back to life.

In winter or after heavy rain, remember that old stone paths can become slippery.

Combine the Walk With Gastouri and the Achilleion

This trail is easy to combine with a longer exploration of Gastouri and the Achilleion area.

A good half-day itinerary is:

Gastouri → CC07 walking trail → Agia Kyriaki → return to Gastouri → Achilleion.

This gives you two very different perspectives on Elisabeth’s life in Corfu.

The Achilleion represents the imperial Sissi — monumental architecture, sculpture, gardens and mythology.

The trail towards Agia Kyriaki represents something quieter: the woman who left the palace behind and walked into the Corfiot countryside.

Practical Information

Starting area: Gastouri, Central Corfu
Route: Corfu Paths CC07
Main destination: Agia Kyriaki
Distance: Approximately 2.6 km
Route type: Circular
Recorded ascent: Approximately 162 metres
Recorded descent: Approximately 162 metres
Highest recorded point: Approximately 263 metres
Recommended: Walking shoes, water, hat and charged phone
Best seasons: Spring and autumn; early morning in summer

Walking in the Footsteps of Empress Sissi

Thousands of people visit the Achilleion, but relatively few continue into the countryside that surrounded Elisabeth during her years in Corfu.

The walk towards Agia Kyriaki offers something different. There are no palace rooms, grand staircases or famous statues here — just an old village, olive-covered hills, stone paths, a small chapel and the landscape beyond.

More than a century later, you can still leave Gastouri on foot and experience a little of the countryside that drew Sissi away from her palace. For me, that makes this one of the most interesting short historical walks in central Corfu. I walked this trail a few years ago with my friend Alex and a small group of visitors, and I would definitely do it again. Maybe next time you can join me.