Private jet charter and flights to Corfu
Set in the glistening Ionian Sea, just a few miles off the coast of mainland Europe, is one Greece’s most beautiful islands; and that’s really saying something. Lined by picture-postcard coves, sweeping sandy beaches, a handful of lively resort towns, and a heritage-rich capital, Corfu attracts sun seekers from around the world. Up in its wonderfully verdant mountainous interior there are villages that seem to have been frozen in time surrounded by acre upon acre of olive groves. Experience it all, charter a private jet today.
Corfu Town, or Kerkyra, is the island’s vibrant capital where a network of narrow cobbled lanes are shadowed by weathered Venetian buildings. Down on street level they house the requisite souvenir shops, buzzing tavernas and restaurants, and there’s a church at nearly every turn.
Dominating the town’s skyline are two forts: Palaio Frourio (old fort) and Neo Frourio (new fort). The former is undeniably the most striking spot in Kerkyra - it’s a towering structure that’s built high on a rocky headland to the east of town and has layers of history to be discovered. The gatehouse showcases Byzantine relics, many of the Venetian buildings and thick protective walls remain intact and there’s a 19th-Century British-built Anglican temple which is now a Greek Orthodox place of worship.
Corfu has been a favourite spot with the package holiday crowd since the first charter jets started to arrive in the early 1970s and there are lively resort towns dotted around the island’s coast. These include Kavos and Sidari, which are located a whole island apart from one another, and Ipsos which is just a few miles north of Corfu Town. In these popular destinations, the parties tend to go on all night and the beaches are packed with sunbathers during the late morning and afternoon.
There are other beach resorts that are a little more low key but still have enough buzz to satisfy night owls. Kassiopi, which is set on Corfu’s more upmarket northeast coast, is a particular favourite and it’s naturally pretty too. It retains some of its old world fishing village-like vibe but has all the shops, bars and restaurants you would expect from a holiday destination. Bataria Beach alone is well worth the trip to this corner of the island. It’s set in a pretty cove within walking distance of the village and is next to the unique Kanoni ‘beach’ where you can laze on the rocks and slip straight into the clear blue sea below as if you are getting into an inviting swimming pool.
Over on the island’s west coast you’ll find the incredibly picturesque resort of Paleokastritsa where cliffs rise dramatically from the sea at the entrances to a handful of horseshoe bays and sheltered coves. At the top of one of these cliffs is the Monastery of Paleokastritsa, one of the best places in Corfu to watch the sunset. Just to the north of Paleokastritsa is another of Corfu’s imposing fortifications, the Byzantine-era Angelokastro, which sits high up on a rocky peak 1000 feet above the crashing waves below.
While some of Corfu’s traditional fishing villages have been developed for the sun, sea and sand seekers, there are still plenty of spots along the shore to soak up a bit of old world Greek charm. A couple of our favourites include tiny Agios Stefanos and Kalami, both of which are located on the island’s northeast coast. The latter is the setting of the White House, which was once the home of Lawrence Durrell, the eldest son in the famous Durrells, a British family who lived in Corfu in the 1930s. Over on the west coast, there’s Afionas, which sits high above the magazine cover-worthy Porto Timoni Beach, one of the most scenic spots on the island.
Some of the prettiest villages are located high up in Corfu’s mountainous interior, particularly near the highest peak on the island, Mount Pantokrator. To reach some of these villages you’ll have to drive up seemingly never-ending switchbacks to a world where time seems to have stopped and the 21st Century seems a world away. You’ll stumble across hidden-away gems like Sokraki that are a joy to explore on foot, and drive through streets so narrow that the clearance on either side of your vehicle and the crumbling buildings is minimal. Between villages and passing middle-of-nowhere churches, you’ll drive through verdant groves full of gnarly olive trees – there are an estimated 3.5 million of them covering around 55% of the island.
For nature lovers, there’s a must-visit spot down in southern Corfu. The saltwater Korission Lagoon, which is separated from the Ionian by the sweeping Chalikouna Beach and windswept sand dunes, is home to a wide range of flora and fauna. The first animals you’ll probably see (or just hear at first) are the flamingos which flock here in huge numbers between May and early October. There are also egrets and cormorants as well as a few otters and various species of turtles.
The island’s airport is located just under two miles south of the capital Kerkyra. Simply contact one of our team and we will arrange everything you need to charter a private jet to Corfu
