Corfu

Buying Property in Corfu (Kerkyra), Ionian Islands

Property in Corfu combines a UNESCO-listed Venetian capital with the most established international villa market in the Ionian. The island has drawn British, Italian and, increasingly, American buyers for over a century: the Durrells lived here, the north-east coast has been an international address since the 1960s, and Corfu Town's listed Venetian houses are a finite, protected asset class.

Corfu is also a real, year-round island: a university, a hospital, a commercial port and about 99,000 residents (2021 census) keep the economy running after the charter flights stop.

Quick Facts

• Location: Northern Ionian Sea, facing the mainland coast of Epirus; the greenest of the major Greek islands.
• The island: About 99,000 residents (2021 census); Corfu Town, the capital, is a UNESCO World Heritage site (listed 2007).
• Access: Corfu International Airport (CFU) with direct seasonal flights from across Europe; year-round ferries from Igoumenitsa.
• Best for: Established villa investment, listed old-town restorations, estates with sea views toward Albania and Epirus.
• Property types: North-east coast villas, Venetian old-town houses, olive-grove estates, village houses.
• Golden Visa: As an island of over 3,100 residents, Corfu falls in the €800,000 zone under Law 5100/2024; a €250,000 route applies to restorations of listed buildings, a category the Old Town is full of.

Where to Buy: Corfu's Micro-Markets

Corfu runs from a formal Venetian capital to some of the most private villa coastline in Greece, all within forty minutes of the airport.

• Corfu Old Town: UNESCO-listed Venetian houses under preservation rules. A finite asset class, and the natural home of the €250,000 listed-restoration Golden Visa route.
• The north-east coast (Kassiopi, Nissaki, Kalami): The island's blue-chip villa market, discreet waterfront estates on cypress slopes, held by an international set for decades.
• Palaiokastritsa & the west coast: Dramatic bays and sunset views; villas and plots at a step below north-east pricing.
• Corfu Town fringes (Kanoni, Perama): Year-round living near the capital, apartments and townhouses with rental depth from the local economy.
• The south (Lefkimmi, Messonghi): The value end of the island, village houses and land where budgets stretch furthest.

What Drives Prices in Corfu

• Protected scarcity: The Old Town cannot be extended and the north-east coast is largely built out, so prime supply is effectively fixed.
• The Ionian yield story: Up to 6.8%. Gross long-lease yields in Zakynthos and the Ionian are the highest tracked market in our Q3 2026 Greek Property Monitor (indicative).
• Double access: An international airport plus a short ferry from the mainland motorway network keeps the island reachable all twelve months.
• Heritage premium: Listed Venetian architecture and named estates trade on provenance rather than square metres; request a live valuation for any specific asset.

We quote per-square-metre bands only where our network has current transaction comparables; for Corfu we price against live closings, asset by asset.

Key Figures & Sources

• Air traffic: About 4 million passengers used Corfu International Airport (CFU) in 2025, among the busiest of Greece's 14 Fraport-operated regional airports. Source: Fraport Greece / HCAA traffic data, 2025, provisional.
• Heritage status: The Old Town of Corfu was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007. Source: UNESCO World Heritage List.
• Population: About 99,100 registered residents in the Corfu regional unit. Source: ELSTAT census, 2021.
• Regional yields: Gross long-lease yields up to 6.8% tracked for Zakynthos and the Ionian, indicative. Source: BUY GREECE Greek Property Monitor, Q3 2026.
• Golden Visa tier: €800,000 as an island of over 3,100 residents, with a €250,000 route for listed-building restorations. Source: Law 5100/2024.

Who Buys & Lifestyle

Corfu attracts British and Italian buyers with decades of history on the island, Greek diaspora, and a growing share of American buyers entering through our Chicago office. Life runs from the arcades and cricket pitch of the capital to waterfront tavernas reachable only by boat, with international schools and a real hospital underpinning year-round living.

Buying & Golden Visa

Corfu, as an island of over 3,100 residents, falls in the €800,000 Golden Visa zone under Law 5100/2024, and the €250,000 route for restorations of listed buildings fits the Old Town's protected stock precisely (we confirm the applicable threshold for each specific property). Capital-gains tax on resale remains suspended for individuals through 31 December 2026. Non-EU buyers purchase freely: a Greek tax number (AFM), a lawyer for due diligence and a notary for closing, all possible by power of attorney without flying. BUY GREECE runs the process remotely from Chicago and Glyfada, Athens, with every candidate passing our six-check due diligence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Corfu a good place to buy property? Yes, for buyers who want an established market rather than an emerging one. Corfu has hosted international owners for over a century, its prime supply is protected or built out, and an international airport plus year-round ferries keep it reachable in every month.

Where do international buyers purchase in Corfu? The north-east coast between Nissaki and Kassiopi is the classic international villa address, Corfu Old Town holds the listed Venetian houses, and Palaiokastritsa and the south offer the same island at lower entry points.

Is Corfu eligible for the Greek Golden Visa? Yes. As an island of over 3,100 residents Corfu sits in the €800,000 zone under Law 5100/2024, while the €250,000 route for restorations of listed buildings applies to exactly the category of property the UNESCO-listed Old Town is made of.

Can Americans buy property in Corfu? Yes. Corfu is not a border-restricted area, so American and other non-EU buyers purchase freely with a Greek tax number (AFM), a lawyer and a notary, all manageable by power of attorney. BUY GREECE handles this remotely from Chicago and Glyfada, Athens.

What rental income can a Corfu property produce? The Ionian is the strongest yield region we track: gross long-lease yields run up to 6.8% in our Q3 2026 Greek Property Monitor (indicative). Short-term rentals require AMA registration under Greek rules, and returns depend on the specific asset.

Explore the rest of the region on the Greek Islands hub, or contact BUY GREECE for current Corfu availability. Selling? List your Corfu property with us.