Beautiful Corfu: ‘The Garden of the Gods’ – known through the centuries as a place of unparalleled beauty. Perhaps unique among the islands of Greece, Corfu has become a world-renowned destination for garden tourists due to the abundance of stunning historical and modern gardens set in its beautiful landscape.
The Corfu Garden Festival is a nine day event which takes place every spring. It showcases a diverse array of gardens from the historic to the recently designed and planted, from the wild or productive to the meticulously curated, and from large estates to small courtyards, so there is plenty to provide inspiration for anyone who enjoys gardens and nature.
Entry to the gardens is free and you don’t need to book, simply arrive and take a wander around. Gardens open for just one day and because they are scattered across the island, openings are scheduled by area to allow as many to be visited as possible in a day. There is a map on the Festival website to assist with planning. Most people drive themselves but this year, for the first time, a shuttle service from Corfu Town will also be available to help people without transport to enjoy the gardens.
You will have an opportunity to meet and talk with the people who created and care for the gardens, to exchange ideas and knowledge about gardening, the wider nature all around us, sustainability and environmental concerns.
The Festival started in October 2018 as Corfu Open Gardens Weekend, a twice yearly event in spring and autumn.
It was organised by Rachel Weaving, author of the beautiful book ‘The Gardens of Corfu’, with the help of the landscape architect Alithea Johns following suggestions that it would be wonderful for members of the public to be able to visit some of the gardens that were so beautifully described and photographed in Rachel’s book. The idea was to showcase an important aspect of Corfu’s cultural heritage and natural beauty and to give visitors the chance to experience Corfu from a different perspective.
The first couple of events attracted several hundred visitors and following a break during Covid the event was reborn as The Corfu Garden Festival.
The Festival is being organised by a committee who share the goal of promoting and fostering deeper connections between people and gardens. The Festival has grown into an event that now includes a variety of workshops and events. These include a wildflower walk, a delicious lunch served in beautiful surroundings, mosaic classes, glass fusion, the chance to learn about the butterflies of Corfu, and much else. It is now more than just a showcase of beautiful gardens: the Corfu Garden Festival is a celebration of nature, culture and community.
You can find the complete program of the garden openings, workshops and events on the website:
Corfu Garden Festival
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