The whole of Corfu town is a sight worth seeing, a living open-air museum. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the enchanting town of Corfu reveals a different side of Greece, with its narrow streets, known in the local dialect as kantounia, its palaces, forts, museums, libraries, galleries, churches, public and private buildings. Start your tour in the Spianada, the main square with its lovely gardens, the largest in the Balkans. Here you will see the famous George I Avenue, better known as the Liston, the impressive building complex with its long arcade, built to designs by Mathieu de Lesseps, father of the constructor of the Suez Canal.

As you enter the harbour of Corfu you are greeted by two superb examples of Byzantine and Venetian defensive architecture. You can enter the Old Fort by crossing the moat, known as the Contra Fossa. As you approach the interior you come to the imposing church, in the Doric style, dedicated to Saint George. The New Fort, which protects the city from the landside, is smaller and less elaborate, but equally impressive and imposing, with its austere lines and stone fortifications.

A simple, mysterious but still imposing structure, the Church of Saint Spyridon, patron saint of the island, was built in 1589 and has more in common with a western than a Byzantine church. Admire the beautiful ceiling with the 17 gilded panels and the great marble altar screen, a characteristic feature of Ionian architecture, decorated with works by the great Corfiot painter Spyros Prosalentis. To the right of the sanctuary you will see the remains of the saint, preserved in an opulent silver casket.

The museum is home to a rich collection of archaeological finds, including the Lion of Menecrates and earthenware figurines from the ancient sanctuaries of Corfu. Of particular note is the impressive Gorgon pediment from the Temple of Artemis at Agioi Theodoroi, dating from 585 BC, the oldest stone pediment to have survived from a Greek temple. Address: 1 Vraila Street, T +30 26610 30680

It’s impossible not to be struck by the elegant edifice on the northern side of the Spianada, with the two gateways and beautiful gardens. The Palace is the most important architectural legacy of the period of British rule of the Ionian Islands, built in the 19th century to house the luxurious residence of the British Governor, Sir Thomas Maitland. Most of the building is now used to house the Museum of Asian Art, the only such museum in the Mediterranean, and the Municipal Art Gallery.

One of the most beautiful spots on the island, the Kanoni takes its name from the cannon mounted here by the French during the first period of French occupation. You should walk down to the little island of Vlacherna, joined to the mainland by a narrow causeway, and admire the little 17th century Church of the Virgin. And you should definitely take a boat trip to the tiny Pontikonisi, Mouse Island, a rock covered in greenery which looks out over the bay and, according to myth, is the ossified remains of the boat in which Ulysses came to Corfu.

You should make a point of visiting the elegant colonial-style palace, nestling among the fragrant gardens and offering an impressive view out to sea. It is now home to the Palaiopolis Museum.

The Achilleion Palace is located 9km to the east of the town, on a verdant hillside surrounded on all sides by gardens. It was built in 1892 by Empress Elizabeth of Austria, in the style of a Pompeian villa. Its most striking feature is the large collection of statues of figures from Greek mythology and Homeric heroes, such as the colossal statue of the dying Achilles. Τel.: +30 26610 56245,

A magical stretch of rugged coastline with six tiny bays and crystal-clear cold water, Palaiokastritsa is one of the island’s features you absolutely must see. You should also definitely walk up to the monastery, founded in 1225 at the summit of the headland, to admire the amazing views out over the blue sea, to enjoy the serenity of the cloisters, strolling through the arches and absorbing the tranquillity of the monks’ cells.

The Ionian Sea is internationally famous for its turquoise, crystal-clear waters and white sandy beaches, and much of this reputation is down to the beaches of Corfu. Whichever beach you choose – paying or free – the natural landscape alone will take your breath away. You should visit Sidari, with the famous Channel of Love, a natural sculpture created in the rock by the erosion caused by water and wind, and Palaiokastritsa with its delightfully clear waters. If you prefer sandy beaches, head for the famous Glyfada, on the western coast of the island. Also worth visiting is the surprising landscape of the south, with the Halikouna and Issos beaches and the beautiful wetlands of Lake Korision behind them.