Northwest of Corfu, beyond the point where the island’s own coastline runs out, three small islands sit in open water. The Diapontia are inhabited, reachable and almost entirely overlooked — most visitors to Corfu never learn they exist. Between them they hold the westernmost land in Greece.
Othonoi
The largest and furthest out, Othonoi has a small port at Ammos, a scatter of villages inland, and a permanent population that thins considerably in winter.
Its claim to fame is a cave on the southern coast, traditionally identified as the place where Calypso held Odysseus for seven years. Whether or not you take the identification seriously, the cave is real, reachable by small boat, and the association has been attached to the island for a very long time.
Beyond that, Othonoi offers quiet beaches, walking tracks through the interior, and a handful of tavernas around the harbour.
Erikoussa
Erikoussa is the greenest of the three and the one with the best sand. The main beach sits directly beside the port, which makes it the easiest of the islands to visit on a short trip — you step off the boat and you are essentially there.
It is also the most straightforwardly pleasant. There is not a great deal to do beyond swim, eat and walk, which is the point.
Mathraki
Mathraki is the smallest and least visited, with a long stretch of sand on its eastern side and very few people on it. Facilities are minimal and accommodation is limited. If your interest is in getting somewhere genuinely quiet, this is the one.
How to Get There
There are two quite different ways to do this.
- The ferry from Agios Stefanos on Corfu’s northwest coast is the local service, used by islanders. It runs on a schedule that varies by season and day, and it is the only realistic option if you want to stay overnight or visit more than one island properly.
- Day cruises operate in season from Corfu’s northwest, typically taking in one or two of the islands with time to swim and eat before returning. This is the simpler choice for a single day.
Crossing times are modest but the water is open sea rather than sheltered channel, and a windy day makes itself felt.
Visiting in Late September
This is the point in the year where planning matters. Ferry frequencies and cruise schedules reduce as the season winds down, and some services stop altogether by early autumn. Tavernas and rooms on the smaller islands also begin closing.
Check current schedules before committing to a date, and avoid arriving on the last boat of the day with no confirmed way back. If you want to visit the Diapontia in late September, build the day around the timetable rather than the other way round.
What to Expect on Arrival
Not much, in the best sense. There are no resorts, no organised beaches and very little traffic. Shops are small and few. Cash is worth carrying. Accommodation exists but is limited and mostly informal.
The islands are quiet in a way that Corfu itself has not been for fifty years, and anyone arriving expecting facilities will be disappointed. Anyone arriving expecting empty sand and a slow afternoon will not be.
Reach the Northwest with Corfu Compass NSK
The ferry port at Agios Stefanos is at the far northwest of Corfu, well away from the airport and the main resorts, and the early departures matter. Corfu Compass NSK offers car rental, transfers to the northwest ports and boat trip arrangements, so the connection is one less thing to organise.
Contact Corfu Compass NSK to plan your Diapontia day trip.
