Northern Corfu tour with monastery visit and typical meze

Northern Corfu is home to some of the island's most important monuments – and best beaches. On this exclusive tour, you'll wind your way from the northwest to the northeast, visiting the picture-postcard villages of Paleokastritsa, Lakones and Kassiopi – all in one day. Eleni, one of our local guides, says, ‘For me, Kassiopi is the real pearl of the north. The central square, the ruined Byzantine caste, the restaurants and bars by the water's edge, all fringed by cypresses and pine trees. It was love at first sight.'

First up is Paleokastritsa, which is sprinkled across three rocky bays. You'll have the chance to go for a swim, sunbathe or take an optional boat trip to nearby sea caves. If you wish, you can visit the monastery – admission is free – where you can poke around the museum, admire the icons or take selfies by the bougainvillea-festooned patios. Its clifftop location affords spectacular views over a bay. It's easy to understand why 13th-century Orthodox monks found this spot heavenly.

Next, there's a brief but scenic drive to Lakones. It's above Paleokastritsa and boasts impressive views of its own over the coastline. Here, we'll drop into a family-run taverna to munch on meze made from locally sourced ingredients. It's on to Kassiopi then. Enjoy free time to soak up the sun on the pebbly beach and find a waterfront taverna for lunch. You can also trek up to the castle to take panoramic pics or drop into Panagia Kassopitra church, whose gate doubles as a belfry.