Where to stay on Corfu, Greece

Corfu town

If you are visiting Corfu for just 1 or 2 nights, in late fall, winter or early spring, Corfu town is the place to stay at! Summer is less ideal due to the heat. The old town is a romantic, Venetian style settlement with lots of nice, renovated Airbnb’s. Shops and restaurants in Corfu town are open all year, and all bus lines start from or pass through Corfu town. But it might not even be necessary to leave town, since there are so many things to see and do!

Benitses

Towards the south side of Corfu, Benitses is the area closest to Corfu town that you can stay at. Its beach is not spectacular, as it is separated from the accommodations by the main road to the south. But it has a very cute old part of the village full of tavernas and bars. So this does give a bit of the cosy and authentic Greek feeling (although during the season there will be mostly tourists there). For real partying though, this is not the place to be. It also has a frequent city bus connection to Corfu town. Together with Gouvia, which is on the north side of Corfu town, this is the by public transport most well-connected central place to stay on the island. Combine that with the village center and you have exactly the reason why people like to stay here.

Gouvia / Kontokali

Gouvia and Kontokali are only a 15 minute drive away from central Corfu town. In terms of public transport they are the most well connected tourists resorts on the island. There is a very regular Blue Bus line going to Corfu town, and most Green buses to the north are passing by on the main road. They are also very popular places to stay, so quite touristy areas. Gouvia has a tourist strip with everything you might want or need. There’s quite some nightlife, but not so much that is keeps the whole town awake. The beaches are decent but not spectacular. Any type of accommodation can be found here, from cheap hotels and apartements to 5* resorts.

My summary would be: ideal in terms of finding accommodation, amenities and connectivity. But definitely not the prettiest area of the island. So be sure to go out and explore the island!

Pelekas / Kontogialos

Pelekas is a traditional, lively village on a hill. It is very centrally located in Corfu. It has all you need to self-cater such as a bakery, restaurants and bars. This is one of the best places for people that like to stay in a traditional village instead of a tourist resort. And want to explore the whole island, but want to be close to the beach as well. A steep 2km road leads down from the village to the beaches of Kontogialos and Yaliskari. Kontogialos is a long, sandy beach with shallow waters and lots of beach bars. Yaliskari is a secluded little bay with a traditional taverna right above the beach. 

Pelekas is connected to Corfu town and Aqualand by Blue Bus. The bus does not go down to the beaches. In case you don’t have a rented vehicle, the only option is to walk down (and up).

Agios Gordios

This is one of the most developed ‘seafront resorts’ of Central Corfu. But with a cosy local feeling to it! It is located in a large bay with a long, sandy beach with shallow waters. Accommodations are on walking distance of the beach. Perfect if you’re traveling with children. The beach is full of beach bars (relaxed vibe, no loud music) and sunbeds out of high season are often free of charge for customers in low season. In high season, most started charging € 10 per set now. At night you can dine at these bars while enjoying the sunset. Agios Gordios is connected to Corfu town by (Green) bus, and in summer also to Palaiokastritsa. However, renting a vehicle is advised to explore the island. Since Agios Gordios is so centrally located, you can easily visit all Corfu’s highlights while staying there. So if you want to stay on a sandy beach in a well-organized area at a central location, this is your go-to.

Liapades

Liapades, like Pelekas, is both a traditional village and a seafront resort. In terms of beaches it is also similar to Palaiokastritsa, but more authentic and with less tourists! The upper village has some amazing traditional tavernas, while the seafront side has more restaurants and bars and beautiful accommodations overlooking the bay. No sandy beaches here, but a couple of amazing pebble bays with turquoise waters.Great for snorkeling and renting a boat! The main beach is just a short walk down the road, while some other beaches can only reached by hiking, by rental boat or taxi boat. It is the ideal area to stay in for couples, and explorers who like the smaller ’50 shades of blue’ bays but want to stay away from mass tourism. Liapades is connected to Corfu town by Green Bus. However it is strongly advised to rent a vehicle.

Palaiokastritsa

Palaiokastritsa is a busier and larger version of the before discussed Liapades. It consists of multiple beaches with turquoise waters, that can be found down the main road the passes through the area. It has more (types of) accommodation to offer than Liapades, but is also less authentic as a town to stay at. In terms of restaurants and bars it caters only tourists, not locals. There is no real nightlife, just some (cocktail) bars. But if you are looking to stay near the turquoise waters of Corfu and want to choose from multiple organized beaches every day (since Liapades has just 1 organized beach), this is the place to be.

Kassiopi area (Kalami, Nissaki, Agni, Agios Stefanos Northeast)

The area of Kassiopi in the northeast part of Corfu, is a lush green environment where you will find little fishing harbors with tavernas and bays with blue & emerald green waters everywhere. Mostly pebbly beaches. The accommodations there tend to be a bit more expensive then elsewhere on the island. It really is a more exclusive and cosmopolitan, cosy yet quiet area. So it is perfect for couples or families looking to stay in suites, villas or small-scale hotels and that like to discover a new pebbly bay every day.

Agios Stefanos Northwest (San Stefanos) / Arillas / Agios Georgios Northwest

Agios Stefanos, Arillas and Agios Georgios are 3 ‘neighboring’ settlements on the Northeast coast of Corfu. They are 1 hour by car from Corfu town. All with lovely, child friendly sandy beaches. Arillas is the most authentic and smallest resort of the three, with a small boulevard with traditional restaurants and beautiful cliffs with clay for a natural mud mask. No mass tourism here! Agios Stefanos and Agios Georgios are slightly larger, with a small port at Agios Stefanos that offers daytours to for instance the Diapontia islands. Both are however still small scaled and will ensure you of a relaxing (family) holiday. There is no real night life at either of these places. Agios Georgios has the most spectacular sandy beach, and is close to the nowadays famous twin beach of Porto Timoni. All three are perfect for exploring the Northeast coast of Corfu, which has lots of beautiful sights to offer. And for families who want to stay at an organized but not too crowded sandy beach and town. San Stefanos, Arillas and Agios Georgios are connected to Corfu town by Green Bus. Some buses also pass by Sidari. It is recommended to rent a vehicle to be able to explore freely.

Acharavi / Roda

Acharavi and Roda are located at the northern tip of Corfu (1 hour from Corfu town) and are great destinations for a family as well as a couples holiday. Acharavi has an 8km long beach with a mix of sand and pebbles. Roda has a sandy beach and a picturesque little harbor, as it was once a fishing village. Both places are lively and have lots of options for excursions, food and drinks and bars and pubs that show sports games. However, they are not as busy as the nearby Sidari, where the real party is going on.  You can easily walk from Roda to Acharavi or the other way around. It will take you around 20 minutes. Both Roda and Acharavi are connected by Green Bus to Corfu town.

Sidari

Sidari is the party place of north Corfu, mainly inhabited by tourists from the UK. There is a sandy beach (not too spectacular) but most people chill around the famous Canal d’Amour. There is an area with a few streets full of bars and pubs. So I’d recommend this place for groups of friends who are looking for nightlife, mainly want to see the northern part of the island and therefore do not mind being located far (1 hour) from Corfu town.

Halikounas

Halikounas is located just north of Agios Georgios / Issos, with the spectacular beach starting in Agios Georgios stretching all the way till here. There is no standard ‘tourist resort’ with a street with bars and restaurants located here. Recently however, a lot of beautiful villas and other secluded accommodations were built. There are a few options for eating out and 2 beach bars. It is the ideal place for those who like a quiet and private, self-catered beach holiday. There’s also a wind- and kitesurfing school, which is rare on the island. A rented vehicle is needed to get around, as there is no bus connection. 

Agios Georgios Southwest / Issos beach

The perfect place for a relaxed family holiday in the south of Corfu, in an organized town with all facilities but away from busier tourist resorts. This laid back seaside village is a 45-minute drive to the south from Corfu town. It has a spectacular kilometers long sandy beach with shallow water and amazing dunes. There is a sufficient amount of accommodations, shops, restaurants and bars to choose from. Since it is located in the far south it is not the ideal place to discover the whole island from. Still there are plenty of options for organized tours for those who’d like to do just a couple of excursions during their stay. The village is connected to Corfu town by (Green) bus. 

Kavos

Kavos is the party place of South Corfu, again mainly visited by youngsters (youngest crowd probably of all Corfu) from the UK. So this is one of the towns I would recommend to groups of friends who want to party and drink cheap alcohol, and relax on the beach the rest of the time. Because you have to keep in mind that Corfu town is 1 hour away and the south of the island consists mostly of long, sandy beaches.

Thank you for reading this ‘Where to stay on Corfu’ blog. Enjoy your holiday on the wonderful island! If you want to know more, read my other blogs or get my Corfu Travel Guide!

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