Some places to visit in South Corfu

Gardiki Castle
This 13th-century Byzantine castle is the only surviving medieval fortress in the southern part of the island. It was one of three castles which defended the island during the pre-Venetian era and which formed a defensive triangle, with Gardiki guarding the island's south, Kassiopi Castle the northeast and Angelokastro the northwest. The castle is located on a low hill near the village of Agios Matthaios and provided protection to the fields and the southern lowlands of Corfu. The walls of Gardiki Castle form an octagon and the structure features eight strong towers. At the top of the southern tower there are traces of a chapel with remnants of religious frescoes of portraits of saints.
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Achillion Palace
This magnificent palace stands on the edge of the pretty village of Gastouri. It was constructed between 1890 and 1892 by the Empress Elizabeth of Austria, or Sissy as she is often known. Built in neoclassical style, it stretches over three floors and is set in extensive grounds with terraces adorned with numerous statues. The most famous of the statues are those of two bronze runners, and of Achilles Triumphant and Achilles Dying. The gardens with their fantastic views run all the way down to the coast, but only the area around the Palace buildings is open to the public. Following the 1898 assassination of Sissy in Geneva, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany purchased the Palace, using it as a summer retreat. It was subsequently requisitioned by the Greek state, and was used for some decades as a casino. The rooms contain personal items and furniture belonging to its former royal residents, as well as an exhibition of contemporary photographs.
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Korission Lagoon
Bordered by forested dunes and edged by marsh plants and grasses, this is the island's most significant wetland biotope. The road ends near the sea at Halikounas, but you may continue northwards or to the south by way of unmade tracks. Southwards, the track runs along the narrow spit of land which separates the sea from the lagoon. Juniper trees, low-growing and battered by the west wind, blanket the dunes. The track runs on and ends at the lake's outlet, where a wooden footbridge crosses to the lushly forested Issos peninsula. Here you continue on a footpath to the lake edge, then bear right into the forest of holm oak trees, their distorted trunks and writhing branches conjuring up an illustration by Arthur Rackham. You expect to meet fairies, but there are only some wandering tortoises and a herd of goats. Here, centuries of leaf-fall, mouldering in the dank shade of the close-woven branches, have generated a deep layer of soil where, in sunny pockets, wild flowers grow luxuriantly. Then the holm oaks give way again to junipers and you emerge onto sandy dunes again; only the sight of distant, olive-green hills around Hlomos remind you that this is not a real desert. 126 species have been recorded here, among them widgeons, flamingoes, cormorants and the endangered Great White Egret. (Look out on the roadside for the Livadiotis Winery; their wine, made from the local Kakotrygis grape variety, has a unique taste which has earned it Appellation Controlée classification.)
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The Corfu Trail
Since the Corfu Trail was established in 2001, thousands of walkers have followed it the length of the island. 220 kilometres long, Corfu's long-distance walking route leads into a landscape untouched by the mass tourism that has scarred parts of the coastline, delving through the central countryside which visitors rarely discover and explore. Such is the variety of Corfu's scenery that walkers spend no more than an hour in any one landscape; indeed, around every corner a new scene stuns the eye. From the vast beaches and juniper dunes in the island's south, through the rolling olive groves of the central section, to the karst plateau and rugged gorges in the north, the Corfu Trail reveals an island paradise ideal for walkers.

The Corfu Trail is waymarked in strategic locations with yellow signs, bearing the letters CT and a directional arrow. Between signs, yellow paint markers confirm the route. Since the most dramatic scenery and the biggest concentration of highlights are in the north of the island, the Corfu Trail takes walkers in a south to north direction.

Starting from just south of Kavos, The Corfu Trail leads quickly into olive groves and forest, then past the ruined Monastery of Arkoudillas and down to the seashore. Ascending cliffs, it leads through neat fields to Spartera, then along shady olive grove tracks and through open country to Lefkimmi. Winding through the back streets, the route heads cross-country to reach the lush valley of Gardeno. The way now climbs onto a ridge, gradually heading for the dramatic west coast cliffs, and down to lovely Golden Beach. The Trail follows the beach and crosses sand dunes covered with a forest of juniper trees to Lake Korission. North of the lake, the Trail follows tracks and a section of road to reach Paramonas.

With a sharp climb over the coastal ridge, the route turns inland to pass through the villages of Ano and Kato Pavliana and Vouniatades, then crosses the Messongi River Valley through olive groves and across heathland. Through Strongili, the Trail heads uphill again, to Komianata and Stavros. It then continues through central Corfu before heading towards the north of the island.
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Lefkimmi
Anyone interested in how a Greek town works away from the bustle of tourism should not miss Lefkimmi, where donkeys are still occasionally used as transport and some women retain traditional costume. It is the administrative centre for the south of the island and Corfu's second biggest port. The facades of the main street and surrounding alleys are very attractive and it's a welcome change to see real shops selling functional everyday items instead of tourist paraphernalia. There's some fine architecture, including several particularly imposing (but usually locked) churches: Agioi Anargiri with a striking double belfry, and Agios Arsenios, whose vast orange dome can be seen for miles around, pose proudly on raised platforms at the upper end of town, whereas Agios Theodoros and its beautiful campanile sit on a mound above a small village square, halfway down the hill towards the canal which has some pleasant spots for a drink or meal by the pretty bridge.
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Pontiglio Winery - Lefkimmi
Pontiglio Winery is a family business established in 2014. Pontiglio is a Venetian word means ‘’determination’’ and the determination back in the 1980s - when the Corfiot vineyards started to disappear - was to continue the tradition of wine making. The winery specialises in unique Corfiot varieties of grapes (Kakotrigis, Petrokoritho, Skopelitiko) and produces unique wines from them. Nowadays, Pontiglio Winery owns 60 acres of land and still saving abandoned vineyards in South Corfu. Wine enthusiasts will be delighted to visit the Winery Museum - a special space where the old and contemporary methods of wine production and bottling are exhibited. There, you will find antiques, old tools and other materials for the traditional winemaking process.
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Mavroudis Olive Oil Factory - Vraganiotika
The Mavroudis family have created a beautiful museum housed in a traditionally built stone building adjoining their olive mill. The museum illustrates the history of olive oil extraction starting in the mid-16th century. All visitors will be welcomed by a member of the Mavroudis family and you can choose what you want to see and do. The tour of the museum and modern olive mill includes explanations and insights into the life and history of olive oil and modern methods of production. You can taste the many award winning olive oils and visit the the shop. No need to book in advance - just drop by.
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Roman Bath House, Benitses
The Roman Baths in Benitses are one of the best preserved archaeological sites of the Roman era in Corfu. A villa was situated here and you can see the remains of its impressive mosaic floor, with elaborate geometrical shapes still visible today, while the floor of the second room, covered with an arch,  is adorned with black and white marble. It has waterpipes made of clay and a hypocaust, an ancient Roman heating system, comprising a hollow space under the floor into which hot air was directed.
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A Drive Around South Corfu

Distance - 60 km
Time - 4 to 5 hours, including stops at the Achilleion and Benitses
Start and end point - Corfu Town

This drive passes the Achilleion then continues south through Benitses and Boukari before returning along a winding mountain road.

Start at the Old Port in Corfu Town. Drive west from the Old Port along Xenofondos Stratigou and Eth Antistasseos. Continue along the coast road for 3 km to a big junction. Take the left turn, signposted Lefkimmi. Follow signs for Lefkimmi and Achilleion. Follow Achilleion signs to reach Gastouri and then the Achilleion, itself worth visiting.

Continue from the Achilleion and descend steeply through numerous bends to the coast road. Turn right and continue to Benitses. Old Bentises, at the nothern entrance to the resort, is a charming place to explore.

Continue south to Moraitika. At the junction beyond the resort, where the main road bends sharply right, go straight across. In about 500 metres, at a T- junction, take the left turn, signposted Messongi Beach and Boukari Beach. At the next T junction by the supermarket, turn right and follow a narrow coastal road for 4 km to Boukari. Turn sharp right and uphill between taveras. Continue to Kouspades. Beyond the village, keep right at the next junction, signed Periti, then go downhill. At the next junction, on a right hand bend, keep right and continue to Neohoraki. Climb steeply to reach a T-junction at Argyrades (worth lingering in). Turn right.

Continue north and, after 9 km, cross a bridge. At a junction on a sharp right-hand bend, signposted Corfu and Benitses to the right, go straight across on to a narrow road. Continue to Agios Deka. Drive very carefully through the village, then descend through several steep bends. At a T junction, go right, signposted Kerkyra, and follow the signs to town.

The Flowers of Corfu
During an eight-day walk along the length of the Corfu Trail, 150 different flowers were photographed by local author John Waller. These flowers can be found in abundance across the island and are mainly in bloom from March to early June, and again in September and October.
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