Old Perithia is the oldest village of Corfu. It is located in a protected heritage area just below Mount Pantokrator. The remains of the village date back to the middle of the 14th century, but the village is probably much older than that.

Nestled under the highest mountains on the island, old Perithia was once a refuge from pirate attacks. It was one of the richest of the island, surrounded by vineyards, oaks, thousands of sheep, and a population of 1200 inhabitants. 130 houses are still there, most of them built entirely by hand. But only a few of them have been restored. The village looks now a little bit like a ghost town, which is part of its charm…

What to do in Old Perithia

Take a trip to Old Perithia to enjoy a nice day, step back in time, and walk in the mountains. Or simply have a bite to eat in one of the 4 taverns.

Find the 8 churches of the village

For those who need a goal to start any activity, you can target taking a picture of every church of Old Perithia. You will find a village map at the entrance to help you. Marc, the previous owner of the bed and breakfast “The Merchant’s House,” edited this map and an awesome guide to the village.

Others will simply enjoy walking around the village and randomly discovering some of the 130 houses. You will probably pass under a Venetian-style gate. Then, visit the village school, which closed in the middle of the last century.

Establish your camp base to hike to Pantokrator

The path to Mount Pantokrator leaves to the right of the main church of Old Perithia which can be seen when arriving from the road. Just outside the village, after passing a concrete cube that serves as a reservoir, a small, barely traced path heads off to the left. Two orange and yellow markings are not very visible so you have to be particularly careful. Except to continue on the main path which is also a nice walk!

After half an hour, you reach a small kiosk and another dirt road. The view of Old Perithia and the sea on one side, and the other part of the coast on the other, is terrific. Turning right on this dirt road, you will arrive at an asphalt road after another half hour, taking you to the top of Mount Pantokrator after about twenty minutes. You can visit the monastery there. And refresh yourself and have a bite to eat before going back down to Old Perithia. Magnificent landscapes and an incredible view throughout the hike will be your best reward !

Have lunch or dinner in one of the 4 tavernas

Ognistra is my favorite taverna in Old Perithia. It is the first taverna that you will see after parking your car. Ask Nikos to prepare a rabbit stew for you. Or in Greek, Kouneli stifado. I also like to go to the old Perithia taverna, down the street in the village. There is a fantastic view of Mount Pantokrator. And you can also eat kouneli stifado here !

Get to old Perithia

Old Perithia is only 25 minutes away from Kassiopi and from Acharavi. And only 10 minutes away from Villa Voukithro if you stay there. Follow the direction of Loutses and then go straight forward. There is only one road !