Corfu sailing itinerary (Easter special edition)

If you are searching for an immersive experience in the true old customs of a Mediterranean country, Corfu is definitely the place to be. Corfu reaches its peak of traditional celebrations during Easter, the most important holiday for the Greek Orthodox world: from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, the island immerses itself in a week-long of events, and religious and cooking traditions that you won’t be able to witness in any other country. Believe us when we say it’s worth a visit! 

April is a great month to visit Corfu. The weather is crisp but warm enough to wear short sleeves and sunscreen during the day, the streets are clear of crowds of tourists, and the winds are mild: sounds like a perfect moment to dive into a unique traditional experience! 

Easter in Corfu is filled with amazing events happening throughout cities and villages that will make you hop from one place to another in a jubilee of joy and excitement. Definitely not to miss! 

We put together a sailing itinerary that fits perfectly in the week before Easter Sunday (this year, from April 9 to April 16) but can be experienced throughout the year. Enjoy these amazing stops along the journey and don’t forget to spare some time to indulge in the culinary and religious traditions of the Holy Week!

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Day 1: Corfu, Gouvia Marina 

Day 2: Corfu - Plataria 

Day 3: Plataria - Parga 

Day 4: Parga to Paxos

Day 5: Paxos - Syvota 

Day 6: Syvota - Corfu (Petriti) 

Day 7: Petriti - Gouvia Marina

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Day 1: Corfu, Gouvia Marina 

We start our journey in Gouvia Marina, about 20 minutes north of the airport. This marina is well equipped with all amenities and a supermarket that offers a delivery service to the ship. You can also decide to depart from Mandraki harbor in Corfu, below the old Venetian fortress. From there you can quickly reach the town center with its many tavernas and restaurants. 

Corfu is a beautiful town to explore, renowned for its cobblestone streets and Venetian architecture. It is rich in history and culture, therefore we suggest spending a day visiting the many buildings scattered around the area and learning about this intricated and multicultural reality. If you want to go back in time, visit the old Venetian Castle built on a small peninsula in 1546, or the Museum of Asian Arts, located in the beautiful Royal Palace. 

The church of St. Spyridon, with its characteristic red-domed bell tower and finely decorated, will be the protagonist of many celebrations during the Easter week. 

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Day 2: Corfu - Plataria (29 nm)

From Corfu, we first head towards the mainland on the west coast, to a village between Igoumenitsa and Syvota called Plataria. This is one of the places that has profited enormously from the sailing tourism boom of the last 35 years and it has grown more and more each year. 

South of the marina, you will find the homonym Plataria Beach, a large and sandy beach with shallow, clear waters where you can spend the afternoon relaxing and enjoying the sun. There are numerous restaurants close to the marina, and the local bakeries invite you to stock up on provisions before heading to your next stop. 

If you are visiting this town during Palm Sunday, you can head to the local church of Agios Vasilios to witness the religious celebrations that will initiate the Holy Week.

Finally, you can spend the night at Plataria Marina and leave in the morning. 

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Day 3: Plataria - Parga (23 nm)

Today we head further south to reach Parga, another charming town laying on the coasts of the mainland, and anchor at one of the small piers available. Parga is a little town with about 2500 inhabitants, all living in small, colorful buildings that make this place so unique. 

Despite being small, there are several activities you can do here, and it’s a perfect place to be if you are looking for tranquility away from the crowds; apart from the picturesque town, full of boutiques and quaint streets, you can visit the ruins of a Venetian castle, still well-preserved and sitting enthroned on a small headland, from which you can admire a beautiful view of the town and the coast. 

In the town, you can also visit a famous old olive oil factory; here you can taste the local product and learn all kinds of interesting facts about its production, and since olive oil is one of Greek’s cuisine highlights, we strongly suggest indulging in this liquid gold! 

Regarding the beaches, Parga boasts a variety of fantastic traits of coasts where you can enjoy the sun and beautiful waters. Valtos beach is the main one and is nestled in a natural bay; the sandy beach has beautiful turquoise water and is the right place for practicing water sports activities. If you sail down the coast, you can reach Lichnos beach, another stunning bay with crystal-clear waters where you can also explore Aphrodite’s Cave. 

Head back to Parga to spend the night at the main port or at the other piers. 

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Day 4: Parga to Paxos (15 nm)

On day four, we set sail to the small Paxos island, more precisely to a town named Lakka, a beautiful and very popular location for sailing holidays, which attracts many tourists who wish to spend a day or more on the island. Paxos will appear on the horizon after a short sail from Parga, and to reach Lakka bay we will need to head north. 

Time on this island seems to have stopped, and the fact that it can only be reached by private boat or ferry helped to avoid excessive modernization. There are three main towns on the island: Lakka, our first stop, with a rich vegetation of olive trees all around; Gaios, the largest fishing town nestled in a beautiful bay where you can safely sleep at anchor; and finally, Loggos, a tiny postcard village with a harbor fronted by tavernas and shops, and emerald waters. 

Paxos is full of beautiful bays and beaches, but if you have to choose one, we strongly recommend sailing towards Eremitis Beach, a natural cove of white pebbles surrounded by high cliffs and emerald waters. You can also reach the nearby island of Antipaxos to enjoy other stunning beaches such as Mesovrika or Voutoumi. 

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Day 5: Paxos - Syvota (14 nm)

We sail back to the mainland to reach the town of Syvota, northeast of Paxos. The harbor promenade presents many bars and restaurants and is an excellent place to spend the night. 

The beaches around Syvota offer plenty of opportunities for relaxation. Don’t miss the beautiful Pisina Beach (meaning “pool”) located in Agios Nikolaos, which was awarded this name for a reason: the crystal clear and light blue waters make you feel like you are swimming in a real pool! 

You can spend the day cove-hunting, spotting the perfect private places to relax surrounded by pristine nature and turquoise waters. For snorkeling, Blue Lagoon Beach on the westernmost of the offshore islands is strongly recommended!

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Day 6: Syvota - Corfu (Petriti) (14 nm)

Today we make our way back to the east coast of the island of Corfu., where the somewhat sleepy fishing village of Petriti awaits. This idyllic town is one of the few villages on this coast with a sandy beach, so it’s a great spot for getting ashore and enjoying some quality time in a family-friendly area. The shallow water offers excellent conditions for swimming, snorkeling, SUP, and kayaking. 

Halikounas Beach is particularly recommended for those who want to learn to kite surf, while the local tavernas offer fresh fish and delicious dishes to try! 

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Day 7: Petriti - Marina Gouvia (20 nm)

We head back to Marina Gouvia, where our journey began. Perhaps, a short stop at Mandraki Marina is a good idea, one last detour into the heart of Corfu Town before taking the yacht to your charter.

If you have departed on Saturday, April the 9th, you should be back to Corfu town right on time for Easter celebrations, therefore we suggest spending one more night at a local hotel to witness the magic of this holiday with your own eyes: the following day, Sunday, will be the peak moment of this festivity! 

Saturday is a very important day for Easter celebrations in Corfu. Saturday starts very early in the morning, around 6 am, with an interesting custom taking place in the Church of Virgin Mary ‘Ksenon’: a reproduction of the earthquake that shook the ground during the resurrection of Christ is enacted.

Right when the first resurrection is announced at 11 am, locals will start to throw clay pots full of water down the balconies, to emphasize the destructive strength of the earthquake, filling the streets with the sound of hundreds of pots smashing on the cobblestones. 

The Catholic and Orthodox Mass are held one after the other one that evening, at 10 pm and at 11 pm, to allow people to attend both in a beautiful act of coexistence of religions. After midnight, when Christ has finally risen, people gather around their tables to eat delicious food such as lamb and the aforementioned fogatsa.

The celebrations continue on Sunday starting with the service of Love at the local churches and continuing with singing and dancing to folk music. 

Enjoy the day tasting delicious food such as the traditional meat soup with egg and lemon sauce, lamb on a spit, or the famous kokoretsi. 

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If you enjoyed this itinerary, check our boat availability in Corfu and book your next sailing vacation in beautiful Greece!