Corfu: Private Custom Day Tour with Driver & Flexible Stops

4.68

(81 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I booked this private Corfu custom day tour because honestly, I couldn’t decide between history, the sea, or just wandering somewhere local. Our driver, Nikos, picked us up right at our hotel—he waved through the window like he already knew us. The car smelled faintly of sunscreen and something sweet (maybe his breakfast pastry?). He asked what we wanted to see and didn’t rush us when we hesitated. I blurted out “Achillion Palace” mostly because I’d seen it on Instagram, but it turned out better than expected. The marble floors were cool underfoot and there was this hush inside that made me whisper even though nobody else was around. If you want a guide to walk you through the palace stories, they’ll arrange it—but we just wandered ourselves, reading plaques and making up our own theories about Empress Elisabeth’s life.

Afterwards, Nikos drove us up winding roads to Kaisers Throne in Pelekas village. That view—layers of green hills tumbling into the sea—made me stop mid-sentence. There was a breeze that kept blowing my hair into my mouth (should’ve brought a hair tie). We sat at a tiny café for a quick espresso; the owner grinned when he heard my clumsy Greek (“kalispera!”), and gave us a plate of olives on the house. I still think about that moment—the taste of strong coffee with salty olives and sunlight bouncing off white walls.

We had time for one more stop so Nikos suggested a beach nearby—he seemed to know which ones were crowded by locals versus cruise groups. The sand was warm but not scorching, water clear enough to see pebbles at my feet. I didn’t bring a swimsuit but ended up wading in anyway, jeans rolled up past my knees. On the drive back, windows down, salt in my hair—I realized how rare it is to feel like you’re actually setting your own pace on a day trip in Corfu instead of being herded from place to place.