Corfu is the greenest of Greece's Ionian islands: cypresses, olive groves and citrus orchards descend to turquoise coves. The capital Kerkyra keeps a UNESCO-listed old town with Venetian fortresses, the Liston arcade and the Campiello quarter. The Achilleion palace with its Achilles statues stands inland, Pontikonisi islet carries a Byzantine chapel, and sandy beaches alternate with rocky coves. People come for the sea and Italian-accented food.
If you have time left — worth it too.
Dominating St. Mark's Hill above Corfu Town's old port, the New Fortress was constructed by the Venetians between 1576 and 1645 following Ottoman sieges. The massive citadel features imposing stone bastions, vaulted underground tunnels, English-era barracks, and carved reliefs of the Lion of Saint Mark. Climbing to its upper battlements rewards visitors with 360-degree vistas over the old town, harbour, and Ionian Sea.