Hiking and walking routes in Vatos

The Corfu Trail passes through Vatos. The terrain becomes flatter there, and the trail crosses the Ropa Valley. A hiking route described in the wider region leads from Pelekas via the Kaiser’s Throne viewpoint to Myrtiotissa Beach and the monastery of the same name, then continues to Vatos and Theotoky Winery; it ends in Giannades. This gives you a choice between a specific section of trail through Vatos and a route with several named stops in the surrounding region.

If you are also weighing up routes to other places when choosing a location, note that Ermones, Glyfada and Myrtiotissa are considered too far from Vatos to reach comfortably on foot. Vatos is also the settlement closest to Corfu Golf Club.

Corfu as a wider travel destination

On Corfu, the Corfu Trail is 180 kilometres long, passes through several settlements and includes Benitses as one of its 13 daily stages. Corfu Old Town offers an urban cultural contrast: its historic urban fabric is almost entirely preserved, and its buildings date from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The Old Town and its two fortresses are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A digital guide to the Old Town, described in 2023, is aimed at residents and visitors and uses high-quality audiovisual material to provide information about more than 80 sights within the city. Check whether the guide is available before you travel. For a different collection focus, the Museum of Asian Art is located in the Old Town. Its more than 11,000 objects come from China, Japan, India, the Himalayas and Central Asia. From Corfu Port, the museum can be reached on bus line 2 on the Mantouki–Kanoni route; check the timetable before travelling.

The Archaeological Museum of Corfu was built primarily to display the pediment of the great Temple of Artemis, featuring its Gorgoneion Medusa depiction. The pediment dates to 585 BC and was excavated in 1911 near the Monastery of Aghioi Theodoroi. In the historic Old Town, Casa Parlante recreates the daily life of the island’s aristocracy in the 19th century with moving figures and reproduced furnishings and interiors. Another historic site is the Achilleion summer palace, built in 1892 in the Pompeian style in Gastouri.

The permanent exhibition at the Kapodistrias Museum explores the history of Corfu, Europe and Greece through the life of Greece’s first governor, using significant artefacts and documents. The lush garden on the hill by the museum offers views of Corfu’s landscape and across the island.

Walking trails and events are also part of Corfu as a wider travel destination. In the municipal unit of Achilleion, ancient paths wind through the forested mountains of Agii Deka, Stavros and Garouna and are suitable for hiking. The villages host numerous festivals, folk celebrations and cultural events organised by the municipality; specific dates vary. If you plan to attend a festival, check the dates in advance.

Other landscapes and places round out this selection: Mon Repos is set in a 258-acre park with numerous exotic plants that have grown there over a long period. Next to the marina, Benitses Beach has a narrow, organised sandy stretch with facilities for people with disabilities.

Discover more destinations: Kato Korakiana, Agios Mattheos, Karoussades, Perivoli, Magazia, Lakones, Afra, Rantatika

Back to the main travel overview: Corfu.