Corfu is one of the most beautiful Greek islands, full of great beaches. So many, in fact, that it can be quite a struggle to decide which ones you’ll include in your visit. After all, we’re all a little short on time. As such, today, we’re going to try to pick only the 13 best beaches of Corfu to try to simplify the choice. Let’s take a look!
Canal d’Amour, Sidari
The Channel of Love
This is one of the best and most popular beaches in Corfu. It’s located in the village of Sidari, positioned between two cliffsides. It’s not large but it’s certainly charming. There’s also a legend associated with it – as it’s the Channel of Love, if you sail through it with your significant other, you’ll stay together forever, happily ever after and all that.
If you’re visiting in the summer and you’d like to find a spot, we’d recommend coming here very early or at lunchtime – some people may leave for lunch, basically. You’ll find equipment hire on the beach itself and a club nearby.
Myrtiotissa
A quiet beach in Corfu
Myrtiotissa is a small beach next to the popular Glyfada. This beautiful spot lies at the foot of a hillside, cut off from civilization. You can either get here by car; there’s a car park above the beach. Apart from a small equipment rental, there isn’t much infrastructure around the beach.
Paleokastritsa
More cliffsides
Paleokastritsa is the name of a small village in the north-western part of Corfu. You’ll find many small bays here, both sandy and pebbly, all perfect for relaxation. Many have access to cafes, restaurants and equipment rentals.
On the peninsula you will also find the Paleokastritsa Monastery.
Glyfada Beach
A popular beach in Corfu
Glyfada Beach is one of the best beaches in Greece, located on the west coast of the island. Apart from just being a very picturesque sandy swath next to green hills, it also has great infrastructure, with tavernas, equipment, hotels, car parks, everything. It’s also suitable for children.
As you can imagine, if you want a spot here in the high season, you’ll have to come very early. If it gets too crowded, you can try driving up to the nearby Myrtiotissa or Kontogialos.
The southern part of Glyfada is a nudist section.
Porto Timoni
A famous beach in Corfu
You’ve likely seen this one before, from postcards depicting the most beautiful spots of Corfu nonetheless. You can’t drive up to the beach itself – you’ll have to walk about 20 minutes from the nearest car park. The car park has a €4 fee but it’s well worth the money.
After walking down the incredibly scenic path, two beaches await you: Limni and Porto Timoni (though we tend to just call them the Porto Timoni beaches). There’s no cafe or shop or restaurant here so bring your own food and water. You can also find a great viewpoint along the way to the beach, about halfway.
Avlaki
A quiet beach in the north of Corfu
Avlaki Beach is a long and wide beach in the north of Corfu. Despite its massive size, it tends not to be very popular with tourists, so it’s a great spot to find some tranquility. The beach is predominantly pebbly with sand in the water.
Kalami
Corfu beach
Kalami is a well equipped medium-sized pebbly beach in the north-eastern part of the island, next to the village of Kalami. You’ll even find changing rooms and showers on the beach.
Car park has a fee of €3.
Agios Gordios
The best beach in Corfu?
This is a popular long beach in Corfu with some interesting attractions nearby. The beach itself is 95% sandy with a small pebbly section on its northern stretch. If you move further north, past the restaurants on the northern tip, you’ll find the wreck of Agios Gordios lying on the coast. Sadly, time has already eaten much of it away, but you can still see the remains before it gnaws on it once more.
The beach itself abounds with equipment rentals: there are changing rooms, showers and children’s areas. It is full of restaurants, tavernas with Greek cuisine, and cafes.
The beach is very well equipped: you have equipment rentals, changing rooms, showers, children areas, restaurants and tavernas with great Greek cuisine and cafes.
Rovinia Beach
A small beach in Corfu
Rovinia is a small lovely cove with a mixed beach and some small caves. The beach hides behind cliffs and trees – it’s more of a secluded beach, so you won’t find too many restaurants or facilities nearby. Just the beautiful coastline of Corfu.
The car park is above the beach – you can also park in the nearby village or along the road, if you find space.
Issos Beach
A beach in the south of Corfu
Issos Beach is incredibly long and incredibly golden. At its beginning, on the eastern side, you’ll find food outlets and all infrastructure necessary – the further west you depart, the less services and people there’ll be. Issos actually connects to another beach, Halikounas.
You can also find the Corfu Horse Riding Centre in Issos, perfect for family holidays.
Liapades
A beach with great views
Liapades is another beach hidden between green cliffs in a small cove. It’s well equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas as well as restaurants and cafes.
The trees on the shore are lovely, more reminiscent of a lake shore than a Corfu beach.
Agios Stefanos
A wide and sandy beach in Corfu
Speaking of cliffs, Agios Stefanos is one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Greece, located in the northern part of the island. The necessary infrastructure is in the southern part and up north is a nudist section.
Beaches on Paxos
Where to go for a beach on Paxos and Antipaxos?
If, somehow, you feel like you haven’t yet had your fill of beaches, you can also take a ferry ride to Paxos from Corfu. There’re plenty of small lovely beaches which tend to be largely uncrowded. The best ones are: Mesovrika, Kipiadi and Voutoumi.
Nudist beaches in Corfu
Nude sunbathing in Corfu
You can also find plenty of places in Corfu where you can sunbathe nude without anyone raising an eyebrow. The popular places offering this are Glyfada, Mirtiotissa, Issos and Agios Stefanos. Of course, these sections tend to be to the side, off of the main section of the beach. There are also many small beaches hidden in coves, practically empty, where no one will mind you sunbathing naked either. It’s relatively easy to find nudist beaches in Greece in general, so don’t fret, you’ve got options.
What should you bring to the beach?
What do you need?
Most of the beaches on this list are equipped with restaurants of some kind, though, if you want to save money, you should bring your own food and water. Water is a must anyway amidst such summer heat. In addition, the classics: sunscreen, towels and a hat of some kind.
If you’re heading to pebbly beaches, make sure you have appropriate footwear. Some paths, like the one leading up to Porto Timoni, can be quite demanding on the feet otherwise.
Map of beaches in Corfu
Where to find the best beaches in Corfu?
1) Canal d’Amour, Sidari
2) Myrtiotissa
3) Glyfada
4) Paleokastritsa
5) Porto Timoni
6) Avlaki
7) Kalami
8) Agios Gordios
9) Rovinia
10) Issos
11) Liapades
12) Agios Stefanos
See also:
