Europe · Beach and resort guide
Green scenery, coves, villas and resorts that range from peaceful to lively.
Is it right for you?
A strong fit for
Couples, families and villa holidays.
We would think twice for
Travellers who want big sandy beaches above all else, because Corfu's north-east coast is pebbles, coves and cypress hills, and its beauty is the view rather than the sand.
What we would want you to know
Terrain and road transfer times are easy to underestimate.
We’ve been here
We were on Corfu in July 2025, on the same trip that took us across the strait to Albania. Most Corfu questions come back to one choice: sand or scenery. The north-east is the Corfu of the photographs but mostly pebble, while the long sandy beaches are on the west and north coasts.
Map and areas
The Venetian old town, with the arcaded Liston, two fortresses and washing strung between tall shuttered houses, is made for walking. Staying here puts evenings on your doorstep but no beach worth the name, so many visitors come in for an evening from their resort instead.
A fishing harbour in the far north-east with a ruined castle on the headland and a coastal path linking small pebble coves. Evenings round the harbour are lively without being loud, and Albania is so close across the strait that its lights show at night.
Small bays of shingle and clear water under olive and cypress hills, where Lawrence Durrell lived in the 1930s. There is little here beyond tavernas on the water and villas above, which is the appeal. Roads are narrow and steep, so you need a car or a boat.
Several small bays folded between wooded headlands on the west coast, with a monastery on the rock above. Boat trips into the sea caves leave from the beach. The water is noticeably cooler than elsewhere, and day-trippers crowd the main bay at midday.
A busy north-coast resort where a broad strip of sand meets shallow water, backed by plenty of bars and family restaurants, with the sandstone channels of the Canal d'Amour at its western edge. Livelier and more built-up than the north-east, and cheaper for it.
A long stretch of golden sand on the west coast backed by green cliffs, with a few hotels and beach bars and not much else. Waves build on windy afternoons and the road down is steep, but the sunsets make up for it.
Weather and seasons
Corfu is green because it rains. The island sees far more rain than the Aegean, almost all of it between October and March: around 152mm falls in November against almost none in July. That is also why spring is so lovely here, with wild flowers and fresh olive groves in May, when days reach about 25°C. Midsummer is humid and busy, August afternoons average 34°C, and the Ionian Sea is warmest in August and September. Corfu's Easter draws big crowds to the town, so book early if your dates coincide.
Worth timing a trip around
Corfu's Easter is famous across Greece: brass bands, candlelit processions and, late on Holy Saturday morning, residents hurling clay pots from their balconies to smash in the streets.
The relics of the island's patron saint are carried round Corfu Town behind the bands, remembering the end of the Ottoman siege of 1716. There are three other processions through the year.
| Month | High | Low | Sea | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15°C | 5°C | 15°C | 129 mm |
| February | 16°C | 7°C | 15°C | 52 mm |
| March | 17°C | 8°C | 15°C | 75 mm |
| April | 21°C | 11°C | 16°C | 41 mm |
| May | 25°C | 15°C | 19°C | 31 mm |
| June | 30°C | 19°C | 22°C | 15 mm |
| July | 34°C | 22°C | 24°C | 0 mm |
| August | 34°C | 22°C | 25°C | 16 mm |
| September | 29°C | 19°C | 24°C | 53 mm |
| October | 25°C | 15°C | 22°C | 112 mm |
| November | 20°C | 11°C | 20°C | 152 mm |
| December | 17°C | 7°C | 17°C | 159 mm |
Temperatures are 2015 to 2024 averages from NOAA records for Ioannis Kapodistrias Intl, 2 km away at 2 m. Rainfall is from Corfu, 0 km away and shows the typical (median) month, so one freak storm does not skew it. Sea temperatures: NOAA OISST, 1991 to 2020.
Sand, shingle and swimming
A wild, dune-backed sweep of sand on the south-west coast beside the Korission Lagoon. The wind makes it a windsurfing favourite; facilities are few, so bring shade and water.
A long pebble beach on the north-east coast under Mount Pantokrator, with very clear water that deepens quickly. Loungers and a couple of watersports kiosks; better for swimmers than toddlers.
Twin bays back to back on a narrow neck of land near Afionas, reached only on foot or by boat. The path down is steep and rocky, so allow time, wear sturdy shoes and carry water.
Sand and shingle beneath steep green hills on the west coast, with a tall sea stack off the southern point. Waves roll in on windy days, and the village behind has a laid-back feel.
Things to do
Walk from the Spianada through the Liston arcades into the lanes, then climb the Old Fortress for the view back over the rooftops. The Church of Saint Spyridon holds the relics of the island's patron saint.
The white monastery of Vlacherna sits on a causeway below Kanoni, with Pontikonisi, Mouse Island, beyond. Planes land right beside it on the airport runway, which children love.
A Byzantine castle ruin on a crag above the west coast near Paleokastritsa, with sea views from the chapel at the top. The climb from the car park is short but steep.
The island's highest point, reached by a narrow road, with a monastery at the summit. On a clear day the view runs across to Albania and the mainland; go early, before the haze and the traffic.
A deserted Venetian-era village on Pantokrator's slopes, slowly coming back to life with a handful of tavernas among the ruins. A good lunch stop on a mountain drive.
Boat trips run south to Paxos, with its harbour villages and olive groves, and Antipaxos, whose small beaches have remarkably clear water. The crossing is open sea, so pick a calm day.
Cricket arrived with British rule and never left. Local clubs play on the grass of the Spianada in Corfu Town, and if a match is on, watch it from a Liston café.
A long-distance footpath running the length of the island through olive groves and hill villages. Walk a section in spring or autumn, when the heat is off and the flowers are out.
In the north-east you can hire a small motorboat without a licence and explore coves by the day. The owners show you the basics; stay close to the shore and head back if the wind picks up.
Food and drink
Beef or rooster slow-cooked in a spiced tomato sauce with cinnamon and cloves, served over thick pasta. Corfu's Sunday lunch, with a Venetian accent.
Thin slices of veal cooked in white wine, garlic and parsley, a sharp, light dish rarely seen outside the Ionian islands.
A fiery fish stew made with red pepper, usually with scorpion fish, from the island's fishing tradition.
Kumquats grow in the north of the island and become a bright orange liqueur and sweet preserves. Taste before buying the souvenir bottle.
Corfu's ginger beer, a leftover from British rule, still made on the island and served cold in summer.
Money
The north-east coast carries a premium because the view is what you are paying for, and its best villas and small hotels sell out early for August. The west and north coasts are better value for families who want sand. The extra worth planning for is a small boat for a day: you can hire one without a licence and reach coves no road gets near.
Flights and transfers
Direct seasonal flights run from Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle. The island is compact, but the coast road is slow and winding, so a resort that looks close to the airport on a map can still be a fair drive.
Flights from UK airports
Route check September 2026. Some routes are seasonal and schedules change, so we confirm the live options when we quote.
Practical details
2 hours ahead of the UK
Euro (€)
Greek
Type C and F, 230V
On the right
Often brackish or heavily chlorinated; drink bottled
Round up, or leave around 10 percent in restaurants
Entry for British passport holders
Visa. No visa needed for tourist stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
Passport. Issued less than 10 years before you arrive, and valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave the Schengen area.
The EU Entry/Exit System is now in use, so you may be asked to register your fingerprints and photo at the border on your first visit. It is free.
Summarised from the FCDO travel advice on gov.uk, checked 29 September 2026. Rules change: read the current entry requirements and the full travel advice before you go.
Questions we get asked
Yes, but not everywhere. The famous north-east coast is mostly pebble and shingle coves. For sand, look at the west coast around Glyfada and Agios Gordios, the north coast from Sidari to Roda, or Issos in the south-west. We match the coast to how much the sand matters to you.
Yes. Kavos, at the southern tip, is built around young nightlife in July and August and is best chosen deliberately. Families and couples rarely want to be there, and the rest of the south, around Lefkimmi, is quiet farming country.
Partly. Green buses link Corfu Town with the main resorts and blue buses cover the town and nearby villages, but the north-east coves and mountain villages really need a car or a boat. Roads are narrow and winding, so allow more time than the map suggests.
Rain. Corfu sits on the western side of Greece and catches the weather coming in from the west, so it gets far more winter rain than the Aegean islands. Summer is still dry and hot, but the olive groves and cypresses stay green all year.
Sidari, Roda and Acharavi on the north coast, or Glyfada and Agios Georgios on the west, for sand and shallow water. The north-east suits families with older children who swim well and like boats, because its beaches are pebbly and deepen quickly.
Photographs
Also worth a look
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