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Dimitra & Manos Car Rental Corfu, await you for a self-paced road trip through the island of Corfu
Having the luxury of time to embark on an ultimate road trip and explore Corfu is a truly magnificent experience. There are so many beautiful sights you can visit during your holiday, that the choice can quickly get overwhelming. With 2 office locations in north-west Corfu, (in Sidari and Agios Stefanos), and free deliveries to most major arrival points, (airport and port), we are here to narrow down your choices.
Corfu is one of the biggest islands of Greece. Zooming off through the entire island during a one week vacation is a little unrealistic.
This is where Dimitra & Manos Car Rental Corfu can assist you in your road trip adventure
Sidari and Agios Stefanos are two of the most beautiful locations in Corfu. Afterall, it is no coincidence that our two offices are based there. A great road trip would be to start from Corfu town and make your way to the north-west part of the island. Among the many advantages you have by renting your car with Car Rental Corfu, is that you have unlimited mileage. You won’t have to worry about how far you drive and getting charged for the extra mileage you used.
If you took advantage of our free delivery to Corfu airport, we recommend the following route:
Corfu town to Sidari through mainland Corfu
If you’re staying in Corfu town or in an area close by, Sidari is approximately 1-hour’s drive. The shortest route is through mainland Corfu.
By driving this route, you will pass through some villages untouched by tourism. They are full of character, and you will have the opportunity to snap some wonderful pictures along the way. Getting to know a place like Corfu island, means that you need to follow the roads less travelled. You must embark on a trip that takes you out of the usual tourist trails. These authentic villages will compliment your Corfu road trip and create more lasting memories and experiences.
Corfu town to Skripero village – a road trip with Dimitra & Manos Car Rental Corfu
Skripero village rests just 17 km outside the central town of Corfu. Yet, only a few visitors will make an effort to see it. It is the bigger village of an area called ‘Agyros’, (or Gyros). This small region of approximately 580 inhabitants is surrounded by beautiful mountains and green valleys. It will offer you some much sought after peace and quietness from the busy town of Corfu.
It is mostly known for its huge music tradition that dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The inhabitants of Skripero formed one of the biggest choir societies back then. The choir got further established a few years later into one of the most leading Philarmonic Orchestras of Corfu. It participates in most of the major musical events of Corfu, like the yearly Easter orchestra parades marching into Corfu town.
Your road trip through this area should also include a stop by the traditional monastery of ‘Panagia Vlahernon’. You shouldn’t mistake this monastery with the church in the Kanoni peninsula and closer to Corfu town. This stone made monastery dates back to the 18th century, and its fantastically preserved murals are worthy of a visit alone. If you happen to be here on the 2nd of July, make sure you dedicate a bit of time and attend part of the church service taking place in honour of its Patron, the Holy Mother. It will further enrich your cultural experience of Corfu.
Despite its size, Skripero village has a traditional bakery, a supermarket and a gas station for a refill of your car rental before you head further north.
A small detour for a visit to Ano Korakiana village – a road trip with Dimitra & Manos Car Rental Corfu
Just 5 km away from the village of Skripero you will make a stop for a stroll through the village of Ano Korakiana. A worthy detour that will reward you with its local architectural gems. This is one of the oldest villages in Corfu with sources originating from the 15th century. Ano Korakiana was an important settlement for the production of olive oil and a significant supplier for the rest of the Ionian islands as well.
Its noble character is seen throughout this area and is best observed when walking in the maze of its small paved streets and twisted alleys. Our advice is to park your car hire upon your arrival at the village. Many mansions are dominating this mountainous area with a clear influence of the Venetian style era. Some have been renovated in a more contemporary style, while still keeping their authentic character hidden, behind secluded courtyards. Other such mansions have been transformed into museums, such as the one dedicated to the talented stone mason and sculptor, Aristides Metalinos. This self-taught artist devoted most of his life’s work portraying the ‘Human nature and its weaknesses‘.
A mix of pastel and earth tones occupy the colour palette on the buildings of Ano Korakiana. This creates a picture-perfect landscape that would inspire amateur and professional photographers alike.
Zooming off to the north of Corfu and Sidari – a road trip with Dimitra & Manos Car Rental Corfu
After our brief, but highly recommended stop at Ano Korakiana, we are back on the road to reach north-west Corfu and the town of Sidari. You will pass signs for the village of Velanio, Velonades, Livadi and Gousades. Remember that this is a self-paced road trip, so it is entirely up to you to make another stop in any of these villages.
Each of these low-key places is unique in its own way and with a character of their own. If you are a keen photographer, you will find plenty of picturesque frames to enrich your growing photo gallery. If you prefer just to sit and absorb the beautiful surroundings and do some people watching, the peace and quietness will be your best friends.
The town of Sidari could easily engulf you and lure you to spend your entire holiday here. It caters to many types of holidaymakers, and while hordes of tourists arrive here throughout the season, it will still make it as one of the best highlights of your Corfu holiday experience.
There are many sights to explore while in Sidari. Trying to fit it all within a day’s road trip, could be challenging. You could always stop by Dimitra & Manos rent a car Corfu and say hello, while we brief you on the area’s sights. Sidari used to be a small fishing village back in the 80’s but its great potential as an ideal holiday resort in north-west Corfu, couldn’t be overseen.
Here are some of the highlights Sidari has to offer
The coastline of Sidari
This is an excellent way to start exploring Sidari. Afterall, this heavenly coastline is one of the many reasons it makes it so popular. You could drive around your car rental and make a brief stop for a quick dip in the famous Canal D’Amour.
The ‘Channel of Love’ looks like it is hand sculpted out of sandstone to inspire romanticism. It is the perfect stage for the ultimate selfie. Its unusual shape and the crystal-clear emerald waters could offer you hundreds of followers on Instagram.
Apart from the small, sandy beach, people are often seen baking on its sandstone walls. This creates a colourful display that is mixed with chiselled, tanned bodies on brightly coloured towels soaking the sun rays. Cliff divers are often seen walking to the end of the rock formations looking for the perfect spot to spread their hands wide open and plunge into the deep blue.
Canal D’Amour is the sort of place that clinks to your holiday memories and ignites your creative spirit. A landscape that escaped out of a Surrealist’s painting to offer us the ultimate holiday experience.
Canal D’Amour in Sidari – NW Corfu
The main beach of Sidari is a much longer and wider stretch of coastline. If you find yourselves with some extra time until the next destination of your road trip in Corfu, hire a sun lounger and umbrella. Your chances of finding one here are much higher than in Canal D’Amour.
This is another jewel on Corfu’s coastline with golden sand and beach bars. You can relax among locals and tourists, sipping your cool drink and letting the world go by.
Other activities in Sidari
If children are with you, a visit to Sidari Waterpark may be an activity you won’t easily avoid. It can easily offer a few hours of fun for the whole family. There are quite a few water slides that will keep your adrenaline levels high as you plunge down the steep inclines. If this is not exactly your idea of having fun, you can still relax by the swimming pool next door and catch up on your favourite book.
Heading off further west along Corfu’s coastline – a road trip with Dimitra & Manos Car Rental Corfu
As the sun is starting to go down, it will be the perfect time to drive on and head to the seaside village of Peroulades. This is the ideal spot for sunset watching while enjoying a drink in one of the many cafe-bars perched alongside the cliffs.
The area of Agios Stefanos – the westernmost point of Corfu – a road trip with Dimitra & Manos Car Rental Corfu
Reaching this far with your rental car you will get a sense of achievement. Having driven through the low-key, mainland villages of Corfu, you have now come to a land’s end. Cape Kefali is the most western point of this island. Standing on top of these weather-beaten cliffs will offer you stunning panoramic views. The quaint marina of Agios Stefanos rests on one side, while the immense expanse of the blue Ionian Sea is all around you.
As with many other seaside areas of Corfu, this was also a tiny fishing village. Despite the development of the region and the emergence of Tourism, it still keeps a lot of its charm and authenticity. The main sandy beach of Agios Stefanos is over 1 mile long. It offers an abundance of space for hundreds of sunbathers, even during the peak of the summer season.
Concluding our road trip with Dimitra & Manos Car Rental Corfu
This was a self-paced road trip making it as long or as short of a drive as you needed it to be. The route we decided to follow is by no means written in stone. You could reverse it and even visit some, (if not all), of the recommended places, according to the length of your visit. This is the itinerary of the places we drove through:
- Corfu town -> Skripero village
- Skripero village -> Ano Korakiana
- Ano Korakiana -> Sidari
- Sidari -> Peroulades
- Peroulades -> Agios Stefanos
TOTAL DISTANCE: 55km