Getting from Athens to Corfu

If you are heading to Corfu from Athens you are going to the most elegant of the Ionian islands and one of the most beautiful towns in Greece. Corfu Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a palimpsest of Venetian, French and British colonial architecture built around two Venetian fortresses, with a Liston arcade modelled on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris and a cricket ground left by the British. The island is green and lush, the olive groves ancient and the coastline varied enough that you can spend weeks finding new beaches. The north of the island around Paleokastritsa is dramatic and beautiful. The south has long sandy stretches. Corfu rewards slow exploration and repeated visits.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Athens to Corfu. The connection goes via Igoumenitsa on the Epirus coast, with ferries from Igoumenitsa to Corfu running up to 18 times daily year-round and the crossing taking around 1 hour 20 minutes. Getting to Igoumenitsa from Athens means flying to Ioannina and taking the bus, around 1.5 hours, or driving the full route from Athens which takes around 7 hours via Patras and the Rio-Antirrio bridge. International ferries from Italy also connect directly to Corfu and are worth considering if you are travelling from western Europe.

Getting there by air

Both Athens and Corfu have airports. Daily connections from Athens to Corfu take around 50 minutes and this is the fastest and most practical approach for most travellers.

Your best option

Fly from Athens. The 50-minute flight is hard to beat and you are in Corfu Town within minutes of landing. If you are travelling with a car, drive to Igoumenitsa and take the ferry across, which gives you a vehicle on the island for exploring the coastline and the interior villages at your own pace.