Corfu (Kerkyra): Island Guide, Beaches, Achilleion & Hotels

The island of Corfu

Corfu is the second-largest and northernmost of the large Ionian islands, 58 kilometres long and 27 kilometres across at its widest, with 593 square kilometres of land, a 217-kilometre coastline and about 120,000 residents. It lies close to Italy, 74 kilometres away, and its north-east comes within about 2 kilometres of Albania. Once called Drepanos, "Scythe", for its shape, the island was used as a holiday retreat even by the Romans and later ruled in turn by Venetians, French and British. Corfu is green and full of flowers, birds and butterflies, with cypress, olive, oak and pine on its hills; its warm, well-watered climate keeps it lush, and roughly a third of the population lives in the capital, Corfu Town.

Corfu Town (Kerkyra)

Corfu Town is the island’s main attraction, a picturesque mix of Venetian, French and English period buildings. It has a couple of fortresses, and at its heart is a large square with houses and cafes on one side and the old fortress on the other; the archaeological museum lies 50 metres south of the square. Almost half of the island’s people live in Corfu Town, and you can wander it for days without getting bored. The capital and most of the busy resorts sit along the east coast, thickest from Corfu Town south to Benitses, and it grows quieter beyond that.

The Achilleion and the sights

Corfu is known for the Achilleion, the palace of Sissi, Empress of Austria and Hungary, who came to the island to recover from a lung illness; you can visit it every day for an entrance fee. Quieter sights include the Angelokastro fortress near Paleokastritsa, the Mon Repos Palace in Corfu Town and the Gardiki Fortress in the south, along with many monasteries, churches and museums. At Kassiopi the Panagia Kassiopitissa Church, once the island’s main sanctuary, holds beautiful icons and frescoes, and the village keeps the remains of a 13th-century castle. Sidari has its "Canal d’Amour", Perithia its old churches, and Gouvia the remains of a Venetian shipyard. At Kanoni, just south of Corfu Town, the Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island sit out on the water. See more in the Corfu sights guide.

Paleokastritsa and the beaches

Corfu’s beaches are one of its great draws, and some rank among the best in Greece. The east coast has mostly small pebble beaches, plenty of them, while the north and west coasts hold the larger sandy ones; the biggest sands lie in the north-west by the Antinioti lagoon and in the south-west along Lake Korission. The cliffs at Paleokastritsa in the west are exceptionally beautiful, especially at sunset, and Kassiopi in the north-east has many small bays of pebbles and turquoise water. The Pantokrator mountain, 906 metres high, rises over the north and sometimes carries a little snow in winter, its slopes covered with orchids in spring. See the full guide to the beaches of Corfu.

Getting to Corfu

Corfu has an international airport with direct flights from Amsterdam and other cities. Ferries reach Corfu Town from Venice, Ancona, Bari, Brindisi and the former Yugoslavia, and run to and from Igoumenitsa and on to Patras; there is a daily connection to Sarande in Albania, and boat trips to Parga on the mainland or to the island of Paxos. From Corfu Town most places on the island are well served by bus.

Where to stay on Corfu

Below is a small selection of places to stay, including some where we stayed on the island. There is much more on the Corfu hotels page and the Corfu villas page.

Anna Pension, Liapades

Anna Pension sits in the village of Liapades, on the hill just above the bay, with three studios and two apartments over an area of 1,000 square metres and fantastic views over the bay of Liapades. The rooms are simple but spacious, there is parking for your car, and Liapades beach is a 5-minute walk away; the quieter Rovinia Beach lies about 20 minutes off, signed from the road to Liapades Beach.

Bella Vista Hotel & Studios, Benitses

Bella Vista Hotel & Studios stands on a quiet side street off the beach road at Benitses, in two buildings — the hotel and, a short walk away, the studios and apartments — run by three friendly sisters, Anthea, Christina and Marina. Breakfast is served in the hotel, and the cheerful studios have their own mural paintings, brand-new kitchenettes and fridges, a TV and a balcony. Benitses itself is quiet now, with a town square of restaurants, a few bars, and supermarkets and tavernas nearby along the seafront.

Solaris Apartments, Kassiopi

Solaris Apartments lie in a side street off the main road down to the port of Kassiopi, in the lively north-east of Corfu. The complex has a few small buildings around two large pools, one with a children’s section, and its own snack bar, with shops, bars, tavernas, a bakery and a supermarket around the corner and five beaches within 10 to 15 minutes on foot. The studios and apartments are well kept, with extra-long beds, a new kitchen and dining area, and two balconies that look out over the pool and over the village and its old Venetian castle.