🗺️ Geography, Map and Regions of Corfu


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Corfu rises from the Ionian Sea close to the northwestern coast of mainland Greece. Covering approximately 593 km², it offers mountains, valleys, villages, busy resorts, and very different coastlines—yet it is small enough to combine a village and a beach in the same day.

The island stretches for about 60 km from north to south and reaches approximately 30 km at its widest point. Its curved shape is often compared to a sickle. From northern and northeastern Corfu, the mountains of Albania can appear surprisingly close across the Corfu Channel.

Estimated reading time: Approximately 5–6 minutes.

📍 The Five Regions of Corfu

For holiday planning, Corfu can be divided into five practical travel regions. These are not official administrative boundaries, but they make it easier to understand and explore the island.

1. North West Corfu

The northwest offers some of Corfu’s most dramatic scenery, with sandstone cliffs, green hills, sandy bays, and wonderful sunsets.

Popular places include Sidari, Peroulades, Arillas, Agios Stefanos, Agios Georgios Pagon, Afionas, Porto Timoni, Paleokastritsa, Lakones, and Liapades.

The Diapontia Islands—Othonoi, Ereikoussa, and Mathraki—lie beyond this coast. They are excellent choices for visitors who enjoy small islands, peaceful beaches, and a slower atmosphere.

2. North and North East Corfu

Northern Corfu is dominated by Mount Pantokrator, the island’s highest mountain at 906 metres. The landscape combines mountain villages, olive-covered slopes, pebble coves, and views towards Albania.

Important places include Roda, Acharavi, Kassiopi, Old Perithia, Barbati, Nissaki, Kalami, and Agni.

Kassiopi offers a lively harbour, small beaches, boat trips, restaurants, and the ruins of its historic castle. The smaller northeastern bays are ideal for swimming and exploring by boat.

Mobile-phone warning: When staying around Kassiopi and the northeastern coast, your phone may connect automatically to an Albanian network. Turn off automatic network selection and manually select a Greek provider to avoid unexpected roaming charges.

3. Central Corfu

Central Corfu stretches across both sides of the island. It includes Corfu Town, Kontokali, Gouvia, Dassia, Pelekas, Glyfada, Agios Gordios, and Benitses.

Corfu Town is the island’s cultural and commercial centre. Its historic streets, Venetian fortresses, French-influenced arcades, museums, cafés, and waterfront make it very different from the beach resorts. The Old Town became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

The central west coast is known for sandy beaches, green hills, and sunsets. The central east coast generally offers calmer water and easier access to Corfu Town.

4. South East Corfu

The southeast has a gentler coastline, fertile countryside, fishing villages, and several family-friendly resorts. Important places include Moraitika, Messonghi, Boukari, Petriti, Kavos and Lefkimmi.

Messonghi and Moraitika are neighbouring resorts separated by the Messonghi River. They offer organised beaches, shallow sections of sea, accommodation, tavernas, and beach bars.

Lefkimmi is one of the largest settlements in southern Corfu. Its river, traditional neighbourhoods, and agricultural surroundings offer a different atmosphere from the nearby tourist resorts.

5. South West Corfu

The southwest feels more open and natural. It is known for long sandy beaches, dunes, olive groves, and the protected landscape surrounding Lake Korission.

Places worth exploring include Agios Matthaios, Prasoudi, Halikounas, Issos, Agios Georgios Argyradon, Marathias, and Gardenos.

This region is particularly suitable for peaceful beach days, walking, photography, nature, and sunset views.

🏘️ Villages and Resorts Worth Visiting

  • Agios Matthaios: A large traditional village in southwest Corfu, surrounded by olive groves. Combine it with Gardiki Castle, Prasoudi Beach, or Lake Korission.
  • Afionas: A beautiful hilltop village overlooking Agios Georgios Pagon. It is also the starting point for the steep walk to Porto Timoni.
  • Kassiopi: A lively harbour village in northeastern Corfu, with small beaches, restaurants, boat trips, and the remains of a historic castle.
  • Lefkimmi: One of southern Corfu’s most important settlements, known for its river, traditional neighbourhoods, cafĂŠs, and slower local rhythm.
  • Chlomos: A beautiful traditional hilltop village in southern Corfu, known for its old stone houses, narrow lanes, peaceful atmosphere, and panoramic views over the southeastern coast and the Ionian Sea.
  • Peroulades: A peaceful northwestern village near Cape Drastis and the famous sunset viewpoint above Loggas Beach.
  • Lakones: A hillside village offering outstanding views over the bays and green landscape of Paleokastritsa.
  • Benitses: A former fishing village with a marina, waterfront restaurants, beaches, and easy access from Corfu Town.
  • Pelekas: A traditional central-west village near Glyfada and Kontogialos, famous for the panoramic views from Kaiser’s Throne.
  • Old Perithia: A historic stone village beneath Mount Pantokrator, known for its old houses, walking routes, churches, and traditional tavernas.

⛰️ Landscape and Coastline

Corfu’s landscape changes noticeably from north to south. The north is mountainous and rugged, while central Corfu has rolling hills, olive groves, and more developed areas. The south is generally lower and flatter, with farmland, wetlands, dunes, and long sandy beaches.

The west coast faces the open Ionian Sea and often has stronger waves, dramatic cliffs, sandy bays, and excellent sunsets. The east coast faces mainland Greece and Albania and usually offers calmer water, pebble coves, and good conditions for small boat trips.

Do not judge travel times only by distance. Many roads are narrow, winding, or pass directly through villages. A journey that looks short on the map can take considerably longer during July and August.

🏛️ Official Administrative Regions

The five travel regions above should not be confused with Corfu’s official administration. Since 2019, the main island and the Diapontia Islands have been divided between three municipalities:

  • Municipality of North Corfu
  • Municipality of Central Corfu and the Diapontia Islands
  • Municipality of South Corfu

Paxos and Antipaxos belong to the wider Corfu Regional Unit but form a separate municipality. They are not regions of Corfu’s main island.

💙 My Local Advice

Do not try to explore northern and southern Corfu properly on the same day. You may spend most of your time driving and miss the places that give each region its character.

Choose one part of the island each day and combine a traditional village, a beach, a viewpoint, and a local taverna. Leave time for unexpected stops—some of the best Corfu experiences begin with a small road, a village square, or a sea view that was not included in your original plan.

Corfu’s regions may feel very different, but they share the same island character: olive trees, family-run businesses, historic churches, village traditions, and a close connection to the sea.