We were on the Corfu Trail on our own in June 2017 and have compiled our experiences here.
A short conclusion in advance: If you are equipped with an outdoor navigation app and the corresponding GPS files, you can easily plan and carry out a hiking holiday on the Corfu Trail without having to rely on a group trip or booking through a travel provider.
Based on our own experience, we recommend the following stage planning and the following accommodation options:
Note: the kilometer information in the following table refers to the kilometer markings on the following map: Corfu Trail Map.
| Stopover vorschlag | Start km | End of Km- | Route | Special feature for practical planning | Accommodation in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 0 | 9 | 9 km | Half-day hike on the day of arrival, Hike possible without luggage | Kavos >> Direct to booking |
| Stage 2 | 9 | 34 | 25 km | Long stage, because overnight stays in Gardenos are only possible to a limited extent | Agios Georgios >>Direct to booking |
| Stage 3 | 34 | 50 | 16 km | Paramonas >>Direct to booking | |
| Stage 4 | 50 | 64 | 14 km | Daphnia >> Direct to booking | |
| Stage 5 | 64 | 78 | 14 km | Agios Gordios >> Direct to booking | |
| Stage 6 | 78 | 96 | 18 km | If necessary, shorten the boring ascent along the street directly at the start by bus (get off at km 81) | Ermones >> Direct to booking |
| Stage 7 | 96 | 111 | 15 km | Paleokastritsa >> Direct to booking | |
| Stage 8 | 111 | 122 | 11 km | Take the bus schedule for the return trip to Corfu town into account when planning | Agios Georgios Pagon or bus ride back to Corfu Town >> Direct to booking |
If you are looking for a nice place for a few days of relaxation after the hike, we can recommend the extremely quiet and picturesque Hotel Bella Mare (pictures and information: Hotel Bella Mare).
The motivation in our planning
The Corfu Trail is relatively well known - at least in relation to other Greek hiking trails: Several German-speaking hiking guides deal with this long-distance hiking trail, numerous travel providers have the Corfu Trail in their program. Nevertheless, it was not so easy for us as individual backpackers without camping ambitions to use the existing travel literature and corresponding online research to create a practical stage plan: despite the tourist boom in Corfu, there is in the south of the island as well as in general inland some places where it is difficult to find accommodation.
Unfortunately, our print hiking guide was not helpful at this point either, as it did not recommend accommodation for some stages without comment. Since we neither felt like camping on the way nor wanted to book through a tour operator, we did a little more research in the run-up to the hiking holiday and put together a suitable tour.
Why did we choose this stage planning?
- We definitely wanted to start in the very south of the island because we wanted to see the so-called "White Cape". We would also have found it uninspiring to get on somewhere in the middle of a long-distance hiking trail.
- Since the entire Corfu Trail with its 15 stages was too long for our almost two-week vacation, our planning was limited from the start to the first 2/3 of the way.
- We deliberately avoided climbing the Pantokrator, the highest peak in Corfu at 906m. This mountain is at the very end of the Corfu trail and could not be meaningfully integrated into the hiking route on our tour.
- Overnight stays only in permanent accommodation, depending on the situation, sometimes simple, sometimes luxurious.
- We planned a few days to relax at the end or to visit Corfu town (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
22 April 2019
Hello Frank,
we plan to run the Corfu Trail from Paramonas for about 8 days. Next week it starts :-)
I wanted to ask you why you stayed on stage 5 and not in the stage destinations specified in the Corfutrail guide from Conrad Stein Verlag, but in places by the sea….
Did you just change the route there, or did you hike from the trail to the sea the next day back to the trail? (So with Agios Gordis and Ermones?)
Greetings Christiane
22 April 2019
Me again. Of course I meant stages 5 and 6.
LG Christiane
22 April 2019
Hello Christiane,
we also bought the yellow Corfu Trail guide before the hike and were then somewhat disappointed, among other things because stage 4 ends there in Strongili without the guide showing any available accommodation (at least that was in our 2012 edition so). In fact there seems to be very little there or the existing holiday apartments cannot be booked for one night.
That is why we understandably cut our stages in such a way that we could also spend the night at the destination and no longer strictly followed the Conrad Steiner Verlag.
In order to get down from the Corfu Trail to Agios Gordios, there are actually a few vertical meters to be overcome. We waived the climb the next day and took the bus a bit (see note at stage 6 in the table above).
In Ermones, on the other hand, it's a minimal detour to the beach.
Do you have ours? Card already looked more closely? You can see the “official” route in yellow and the one we hiked in blue.
Greetings and have fun on the Corfu Trail!
Frank
13 January 2020
Hello Frank,
we are totally enthusiastic about your website, you have described everything very well and also give helpful tips.
We ran the Gr92 last year according to your stage planning and were completely enthusiastic, at the end of the trip we were still in Barcelona for 3 days, it was a great end.
This year we want to run the Corfu Trail and have already booked almost all of the accommodations, at the end of the trip we want to see Corfu town, but we are not sure whether we should book an accommodation directly in Corfu town?
Kind regards Barbara
13 January 2020
Hello Barbara,
Thank you for the compliment :-) From my point of view, it is worthwhile to spend at least one night in Corfu town in the end. Especially in cities that can also be used as a day trip destination during a beach holiday (I simply put Corfu City in this category now), it is often pleasantly empty in the evenings and in the early morning.
What speaks for an overnight stay in Corfu town? You can walk to the airport from the city center in about 30 minutes - so I would definitely stay there for the last night at least, which makes it easier to leave.
I wish you a nice hike!
Frank
August 5, 2020
Great site, very informative.
Does anyone know if there are any companies who would transfer luggae to save carrying it.
Best wishes
Crolann
August 5, 2020
Hello Carolann,
I am unfortunately not aware of any way how you can have your luggage transported from accommodation to accommodation as an individual traveler in Corfu. I suspect that one would have to resort to an organized tour or travel agency that arranges accommodation and luggage transport from a single source. Or you can hire a taxi every day on site. Feel free to write me again if you find out anything!
Regards
Frank
29 November 2024
Hello Frank is there a day hike in Corfu on 1.9.2025 1 person 3 to 4 hours hill forest holiday from 24.8. to 6.9 in Dassia Beach Hotel please give feedback redl Michaela
1 December 2024
Hello Michaela,
I'm not quite sure what you're getting at - we're not a travel agency or anything like that :-)
Nature on Corfu is open every day! On this page you will find a few ideas for good hiking on Corfu - it is certainly also possible as a half-day trip by bus or car.
Regards
Frank