The northern half of Corfu is by far the most dramatically diverse part of the island. The first resorts you come to offer wonderful beaches and plenty of water sports facilities. Popular with families, they have lost any sense of individuality. It is not until the road approaches the lower slopes of Mount Pandokratoras that you start to see sings of true charm in villages like Nissaki and, later, Kalami.

The interior of northern Corfu has lots of mountain villages worth exploring. Apart from the occasional bus passing through on a scenic drive, the villagers live in a world hardly affected by the thousands of tourists on the nearby beaches.

The northern coastline has its own variety, and even within one of its busiest resorts it combines, bustle with friendliness in a picturesque setting around a small harbour, with a wooded headland at either end.