Five days into their stay, most of our guests start asking the same question: what else should we see? They've done the beach mornings, the waterfront dinners, a day in Corfu Town. The answer we keep giving is: go inland. Drive into the hills. Spend an afternoon or a full day in the villages that tourists mostly miss.
Our beach house sits on the coast, but we drive up into the interior at least once a week ourselves — for groceries at village bakeries, for long lazy lunches, for the change in light that happens the moment you leave the Ionian behind. These are the five villages we recommend to every guest.
The Five
Old Perithia — The Ghost Village
An abandoned medieval village high on Mount Pantokrator, slowly being resurrected one taverna at a time. We send guests here for the hush — it's the quietest place on the island. Walk the flagstone alleys, peek into the eight Byzantine churches, eat slow-cooked goat at one of the restored tavernas. The drive up is winding; go in the afternoon and stay for sunset.
Lakones — The View
If a guest only has one afternoon for the interior, we send them here. Lakones hangs over Paleokastritsa like a balcony — the view from Bella Vista is the most photographed thing on Corfu after the fortress. The coffee is unremarkable; the vista is the point. Stay past 7 PM for the colours over the bay that locals call krokos — saffron.
Doukades — The Square
Our pick for an evening. Doukades is tiny, pastel-painted, and built around a genuine village square where everyone eats outside. Tables of grandmothers and their grandchildren, cats weaving between chairs, the church bell unhurried. Order whatever's in the oven that night — the cook usually comes out to check everyone's happy.
Sokraki — The Cool Air
500 metres up and genuinely cooler than the beach. We escape here in August when the coast feels oppressive. The village has barely changed in 50 years — stone houses, a kafeneio older than the state of Greece, old men playing tavli in the shade. Hiking trails lead off into the pine forests.
Strinylas — The Mountaintop
Not so much a destination as a launchpad. Strinylas is the last village on the road to Mount Pantokrator's summit, where a 14th-century monastery sits at 906 metres. The view from the top — the whole island laid out, Albania across the channel, Italy on a clear day — is what we tell guests to prioritise on a clear morning.
From your hosts
In low season (April-May and October-November), call tavernas before driving up. Several close midweek, and the trip is more fun if you've got a confirmed lunch at the end of it. The beach house has a small list of numbers at reception.
Our Suggested Route From the Beach House
We give guests this as a full-day itinerary: morning drive up to Lakones for coffee and the view, lunch at Doukades, afternoon in Sokraki for the air and a short walk, then onwards to Old Perithia for an early dinner as the light fades. Strinylas and Pantokrator add half a day if you want to hike the summit — best combined with Old Perithia since they're on the same side.
Eating Inland
Village taverna cuisine is different from the coast. Expect goat, lamb, slow-cooked stews, wild greens, occasional game. Wine is local — the Corfu interior has a quiet renaissance in small-producer wineries using revived varieties. For more on the wine scene, see our wine tasting guide.
And prices are genuinely lower. A taverna dinner in a village costs 30-40% less than the same meal on the coast. If you've been tracking your food budget on a Corfu trip, village dinners are where you bank savings.
Driving Notes
The interior roads are narrow, winding, and beautifully maintained in the main — but they have blind bends and local drivers who know them. Take it slowly. Fuel stations are scarce once you leave the coast; fill up before you head in.
Herbie Car Hire
Our guests use Herbie for these trips. Compact cars handle the mountain roads fine; ask for a small SUV if you're doing Pantokrator. They deliver free to the beach house on arrival.
Book a carWhen to Go
May, June, September and October are ideal — soft light, empty villages, tavernas open. July-August is hotter but fine if you go late afternoon. Winter is atmospheric but many tavernas close.
Where to Stay
Our beach house is on the coast but within 45 minutes of every village on this list. For guests who prefer a Corfu Town base, our sister apartment Oikia 4 gets you within the Old Town walls — great for combining village trips with evenings in town.
Also on the blog: traditional Corfu dishes, olive oil tasting, and the Corfu Trail hiking guide.