A Complete Guide to Danilia Village Corfu

Welcome to our complete guide on the authentic Greek open-air museum known as Danilia Village, which is located on Corfu’s east coast. During our visit to Corfu, we spent a full morning at this charming Cypriot town and have collated plenty of tips and recommendations to help you plan your own visit.

Danilia Village Corfu is an open-air museum that was created as a replica of a 1930s Corfiot village. A somewhat unknown tourist attraction, it’s a great place for those that are looking for something other than beaches and relaxation. In this guide, we’ll talk about the history behind Danilia Village, its location, things to see and do there, and some helpful tips and tricks.

What is Danilia Village?

Danilia Village is a small open-air museum that provides you with an insight into what life was like in Corfu in the 1930’s. As soon as you step your foot through the main entrance, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back into time. The museum is almost completely open to explore, featuring charming streets, gardens and a variety of buildings you can enter. It also has a good selection of shops and an on-site café.

Where is Danilia Village located?

Danilia Village is in Gouvia, a village and resort town in between Limni and Kontokali. The open-air museum is located out in the countryside, just off a main road, a 10-minute drive from the coast. From the outside, the museum looks like an abandoned mansion, but it’s a completely different story as soon as you walk through the entrance!

Top tip: when approaching the museum, be sure to drive slowly, as it can be easily missed. Keep your eye on Google Maps to make sure you don’t miss the turn.

What’s the history behind Danilia Village?

Danilia Village was living and working village that was almost destroyed by an earthquake in the 1950’s. It was then transformed into a museum by the Bouas Brothers in 1970 and has existed in its current form ever since. Over the years it has been used to host weddings and other large events. It was also the film set for a variety of TV shows and movies, including the hit ITV series ‘The Durrells’ and the James Bond film, ‘For Your Eyes Only’. Nowadays, it’s open year-round as a museum and occasionally hosts events.

How do you get to Danilia Village?

Due to the museum’s semi-rural location, the easiest way to get there is by car. You can either rent a car yourself or catch a taxi from where you’re staying., it’s best reached by rental car. Alternatively, you can speak to your hotel rep and see if they’re organising group tours here.

We also suggest looking at GetYourGuide tour options if you want an action-packed day of sightseeing. This tour takes you to some of Corfu’s top attractions in a private daytrip.

There aren’t currently any buses that pass by Danilia Village.

Book a Danilia Village tour on Get Your Guide.

How much does it cost?

It costs 10 euros for adults and 5 euros for children. The entry tickets can be redeemed at the onsite café for a refreshing cold drink, or a Greek coffee. Check out the menu when you get there and see what you fancy.

The top things to do at Danilia Village

When visiting Danilia Village in Corfu, you’ll want to spend a few hours wandering around the different areas and buildings of this marvellous open-air museum. The top things to see and do here include:

Souvenir shops

The museum has several souvenir shops selling handmade products, soaps, olive oil, liqueurs, and other typical touristy gifts you’ll find elsewhere on the island. The shops are run by locals who are incredibly friendly and are always open for a chat. Prices in the souvenir shops are pretty reasonable, but expect to pay a little more here, as many of the products and gifts are handmade.

Open air museum exhibits

There are several open-air areas to explore at the museum, with the main village street located at the front, just a few metres away from the main entrance. Here you’ll find traditional Cypriot buildings, water fountains, old bicycles, flower arrangements and a small lake. You’ll also see locals helping out around the museum, who are more than happy to answer any questions.

Listen to the live music

One element that we loved about Danilia Village was the music playing in background, as we sipped on our delicious Greek coffee. If you’re visiting later on in the afternoon or on an evening, keep your eye out for the live music.

Walk around the vineyards

Corfu is known for its countryside, wineries and olive oil farms, and we were happy to find Danilia Village’s very own vineyard. Located towards the back of the museum, the vineyard has rows of plants and a series of walking paths. We enjoyed walking around and enjoying being amongst beautiful scenery. One of the best things to do in Danilia Village is to simply wander around looking at the quaint buildings, gardens and finer details.

Explore the inside of traditional Cypriot homes and workshops

When visiting Danilia Village in Corfu, it’s not just the outside you can explore. Many of the buildings are free to roam! Head upstairs to the traditional Cypriot home to gain an insight into what life was like back in the day. Wander around the museum and explore the kitchen, living area and bathrooms. Our favourite area of the traditional house was the outdoor space. Peak out the front windows and get a beautiful view of the streets of Danilia, or head to the other side of the traditional house and get a view of the vineyards from above.

In addition to the main upstairs living area, you’ll find several workshops, including a blacksmith and horse stables.

Café

Once you’ve wandered around the museum, stop off at the quaint coffee shop for a drink. Once you’re seated, you’ll be given a menu with a couple of drink options to choose from. Don’t forget to show the staff your entry ticket for a free drink. There aren’t many options available at the café but be sure to try their freshly made Greek coffee – it’s delicious. They’ll also bring you a few samples of Turkish delight to try, which we thought was a great offering! The café offers both indoor and outdoor seating in a picturesque area of the museum main square.

Wander to the church and events hall

One of the prettiest areas of Danilia Village is its church. Just a short walk away from the vineyard, you’ll find an old Corfiot orthodox church. There isn’t much to see here, as it’s just a church building, but it’s incredibly picturesque and a great photo spot. Next door to the church is a large events hall. It features knights in shining armour an array of medieval weapons at its entrance.

Events at Danilia village

Danilia Village is the perfect place to host events such as weddings, parties and any other celebrations. You can hire out the entire village for the day for a special occasion. If you’re lucky, you might even get to witness an authentic wedding here at Danilia Village!

Dining

If you’re visiting Danilia Village on an evening, you can book the authentic evening dinner experience. Expect a traditional Greek and Cypriot menu that includes dishes such as moussaka, fresh fish, meat, Greek salads and much more. The museum comes to life at night, and having dinner under the dim lights is beautifully romantic. Note that dinner is served from 7pm-10pm (May – October excluding Mondays). The dinner offering is only available during some months of the year.

Our top tips for visiting Danilia Village Corfu

• Arrive no later than 11am. Whilst Danilia Village doesn’t see as many tourists compared to other hotspots on the island, it’s becoming increasingly popular, and some tours may arrive late morning. Skip the crowds and have the entire village to yourself by arriving early.
• Take your time to walk around. There so many areas to this wonderful open-air museum, so you’ll want to take your time and see it properly.
• Bring sun cream and a hat with you as some areas of Danilia Village don’t have any shade.
• Bring cash with you. Most places accept card payment, but it’s always wise and handy to have cash for small payments. This tip also goes for visiting other areas of Corfu.
• Have a look online to see when Danilia Village are holding events. The museum will be closed to the public when there’s an event on.
• Check the weather before planning your visit. Danilia Village is all outdoors, and you won’t want to walk around in the rain. If you’re visiting during the summer months, there’s a higher chance of dry weather.
• Don’t forget your complimentary drink at the café. Show your entry ticket to the café staff to claim a drink of choice.
• Be sure not to miss the garden area. The old buildings are the main area to walk around, but the gardens are equally as beautiful.
• Don’t miss the upstairs area above the café. Multiple houses connect to form a large museum of a traditional Cypriot home. This area is easy to miss.

FAQs

We hope you found our guide to visiting Danilia Village useful. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting this unique open-air museum and would highly recommend it if you have the time. It has a lot less crowds than Corfu’s other attractions and is a welcome change of scenery away from the beaches and busy towns. We’d love to hear about your experience, so be sure to leave us a comment down below!

BY SUSIE

Author bio:

I’m a passionate traveller that loves a sunny beach holiday, but also appreciate the cultural side to a trip and checking out undiscovered destinations. I’m the go-to Toucan Traveller for great holiday stories, cool photos and foodie recommendations.