Cycling in Corfu, the green island among the olive trees

Cycling in Corfu, a pleasure before it is a route

People come to Corfu for the light, the olive trees, and that Venetian gentleness the other Greek islands do not have. By bike, all of that is experienced differently: you move slowly enough to hear the cicadas, to smell the pine resin, to stop as soon as a cove catches your eye. Cycling here is nothing to do with a stopwatch. It is a way of linking the villages, the beaches and the terraces at the rhythm that suits you.

Let us be honest: the interior of Corfu is hilly, at times frankly mountainous around Pantokrator, its highest point. There is no need to throw yourself at those slopes if that is not your pleasure. The beauty of the island can be approached by far more welcoming roads, and the electrically assisted bike smooths out the few climbs you do choose to take on. That is in fact our main piece of advice: for Corfu, go for the electric bike. You will enjoy the panoramas with a thoroughly light heart.

The northern plain, the gentlest terrain

The north of the island, around the plain of Roda and Acharavi, offers the flattest roads in Corfu. That is where pedalling becomes a real stroll: long straight stretches lined with reeds, fields and olive groves, the sea appearing round a bend. You meet little traffic once you leave the main roads, and the villages of the hinterland keep a calm that is rare in summer.

Further east, the coast leading towards Kassiopi and then Kouloura unrolls one of the prettiest scenes on the island: a small horseshoe harbour ringed with cypresses, and on the other side of the strait, the Albanian mountains drawing a bluish line on the horizon. Set the bike down, sit at a table in a taverna almost in the water, and let the hot hour pass in front of a grilled octopus.

Olive groves, coastal roads and coves to dive into

The great pleasure of cycling in Corfu is the alternation. You leave a road shaded by olive trees, follow the coast for a while, and then a discreet sign sends you down towards a beach. On the western side, around Liapades and Paleokastritsa, the waters shift from turquoise to deep blue, so transparent that you can make out the pebbles on the bottom. Further south, the long golden beach of Agios Georgios invites you to swim. And on the north-west coast, below the village of Afionas, the wild bay of Porto Timoni rewards anyone willing to leave the bike and walk down to its twin coves.

Slip a swimming costume into your pannier: in Corfu, swimming is as much part of the journey as the road. You pedal for an hour, you swim, you lunch on a salad of tomatoes still warm from the sun, then you set off again when the heat drops. It is this tempo, made of chosen pauses, that makes the island so restful to travel.

The old town of Corfu, on foot for preference

The old town of Corfu, Kerkyra, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is one of the finest surprises on the island. Its narrow lanes, the kantounia, its small paved squares, its buildings in faded colours and its Italianate arcades tell of four centuries of Venetian presence. You wander between a church with a red bell tower and a carved stone well, you stop for an iced coffee on the Spianada esplanade, the largest square in Greece.

A piece of common-sense advice: the old town is best visited on foot. Leave the bike at the hotel or use the spaces provided, as the lanes are pedestrian and cobbled. You will appreciate the walk all the better, raising your eyes towards the flower-filled balconies and the façades that have kept their patina.

Perched villages and treasures of the interior

For anyone choosing the electric bike, the interior of Corfu holds fine discoveries. Villages such as Pelekas, famous for its viewpoint over the sea, or Chlomos, clinging to its hill above the south coast, offer panoramas you do not forget. The Byzantine fortress of Angelokastro, perched on a rocky spur facing the sea, has watched over the west coast since the 13th century.

Further south, the Korission lagoon, separated from the sea by a belt of dunes, is a haven for birds: flamingos, stilts and cormorants stop there as the seasons turn. And then there is the Achilleion, the former palace that the Empress Elisabeth of Austria, the famous Sissi, had built above the gulf. Its terraced gardens and its statues are well worth a halt. These sites are earned by roads that sometimes climb: the electric motor is then your best ally.

The gourmet pauses, the real luxury of the trip

On a bike you get hungry, and so much the better: Corfu is tasted as much as it is looked at. The island's cooking keeps the trace of its Venetian history, with dishes you find nowhere else in Greece. Sofrito, thin slices of veal simmered in white wine, garlic and parsley, or pastitsada, that long-cooked stew served with large pasta, are among the prides of the Corfiot table. In the seaside tavernas you will more likely be offered the fish of the day or a grilled octopus, with local olive oil and a glass of cool wine.

Corfu is also the land of the kumquat, that small citrus fruit imported in the 19th century which flavours liqueurs, jams and pastries: an easy gourmet gift to slip into a pannier. And to quench your thirst between two stages, try tsitsibira, the ginger lemonade inherited from the English, light and sparkling. These pauses on a terrace, in the shade of a vine, often make the best memories of a day on the bike.

When to go and how to organise it

The best period for cycling in Corfu runs from May to mid-June, then from September to October. The air is mild, the light generous, the olive groves fragrant, and the heat stays bearable even while pedalling. July and August, by contrast, combine strong heat with a high level of tourism: the island, much sought after in summer, becomes less agreeable to travel by bike.

As for organisation, there are two options. You can hire a bike on the spot, in Corfu town or in the seaside resorts, and put your rides together day by day. Or you can let yourself be carried by a turnkey trip, where everything has been thought out for you. Our self-guided formula Corfu the green, by bike takes you from hotel to hotel for a week, classic or electrically assisted bike as you prefer, with detailed route notes, a GPS app and your luggage carried from one stage to the next. You have only to pedal and savour.

To go further than Corfu, take a look at our other ideas for two-wheeled escapes in cycling in Greece, and at all our cycling trips. And if walking tempts you too, the island lends itself wonderfully to it: see the finest walks in Corfu. All our ideas for travelling through the archipelago are gathered on the Ionian islands page.

Frequently asked questions about cycling in Corfu

Can you really cycle in Corfu?

Yes, and it is even a pleasure if you choose your terrain well. The northern plain, around Roda and Acharavi, unrolls the flattest roads on the island, perfect for pedalling without hurrying. Corfu does not have a network of purpose-built cycle lanes: you ride on quiet minor roads, far from the main routes, between olive groves and villages. The interior stays hilly, but the electrically assisted bike deals with it easily.

Is the electric bike suited to Corfu?

It is the choice we recommend. The island alternates coastal plains in the north with hills inland, and electric assistance smooths out the climbs without taking anything away from the landscape. You keep fresh legs for swimming and for shaded terraces, and you reach the perched villages such as Pelekas or the Achilleion palace without the slightest apprehension. An electric bike is easily hired in Corfu town as in the seaside resorts, and our self-guided trip offers it as an alternative to the classic bike.

What distances should you expect and what level do you need?

Everything is set by pleasure, never by performance. On our self-guided trip, the daily stages range between 27 and 43 kilometres, that is 1 to 3 h in the saddle on an electric bike, swimming and lunch stops included. Nothing intimidating: you move at your own pace and stop as soon as a cove or a taverna beckons. The one longer day, towards Mount Pantokrator, remains optional and can be replaced by a more peaceful coastal route.

Can you link the Ionian islands by bike and boat?

Yes, and it is an ideal formula for anyone who likes to combine the sea and the saddle. Our boat and bike trip links six Ionian islands in 8 days, from Corfu to Paxos by way of Lefkada, Kefalonia, Ithaca and Meganisi. You pedal in the morning on roads lined with olive trees, from 17 to 40 kilometres depending on the port of call, then you find your cabin again on board a traditional wooden boat, without ever repacking your bags. The electric option turns the hills there too into a simple stroll.

Continue reading

• Cycling in Greece, island to island on the sea breeze
• Which Greek island is right for you? The complete guide
• The Best Hikes in Corfu
• Hiking in Greece: the best trails island by island