Corfu Beaches

Corfu is famous for having some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Some are long endless stretches of sand while others are sheltered coves

The north coast of Corfu is completely tourist infested and unless you care nothing about Greek culture and only about baking like a reptile on the beach all day and hitting the local pub at night you may want to steer clear in the summer months. But what the hell? If this is your idea of fun there is nothing wrong with that. We can't all be Grecofiles and a holiday is a holiday and there is something to be said for being able to get drunk with someone from home while in a far-away place.

The whole area is a collection of beautiful little coves which have been built up with fancy hotels and resorts and villages that look like an outcrop of Disneyland with pubs and discos and moussaka. But there are also campsites, marinas and plenty of Venetian ruins and The Village, a modern reconstruction of a traditional village of the Venetian period where they hold the summer wine festival. As tacky as the beaches may be in the summer, if you come here in the off season they can be quite peaceful and even in the summer if you want to escape the crowds just get in a car and drive inland for some of the most beautiful scenery in Greece.

South of Corfu town is Kanoni, one of the most popular areas of the island with many hotels and tourist facilities, but worth a visit because of the Vlacherna Monastery, one of the most photographed places in Greece. It sits on a small island in the middle of the bay and is connected by a narrow causeway, lined with fishing boats. There is a second island close by called Pontikonisi which has a 12th century Byzantine church, that you can get to by small boat.

Further south is the well known town of Benitsis which according to Lonely Planet has been taken over by British hooligans looking for a place to party. If you are a British hooligan making your holiday plans by browsing the web then you will be happy to know this. But if you are an educated traveler seeking the land that Odysseus once walked upon you may want to come early while everyone is still recovering from the evening's festivities, see the Roman baths and the ruins of the Roman villa, take a dip and then get out of town before they wake up.

Paliokastritsa on the west coast is a large resort area spread out in six beautiful coves, all with sandy beaches and surrounded by green forests and olive trees. It is actually quite an impressive place and is famous for its lobsters which are sold in the small tavernas. Nearby is the Monastery of our lady of the Mother of God, founded in 1228, though the existing buildings are only a couple hundred years old. From here you can get a view of the bays of Paliokastritsa.

South of Paliokastritsa. is Ropa Valley, home of the Corfu Golf Course, the largest in Europe, close to the beach of Hermones. The town of Pelkas is popular with independent travelers and not package groups, due to the three beautiful nearby beaches of Glyfada, Pelekas and the nudist beach of Mytiotissa.

From the highest point of the village, is a flat area called Kaiser's throne because Wilhelm II used to come here to watch the sunsets.South of Glyfada is Agios Gordios beach, one of the most popular resort areas on the island and home of the famous Pink Palace, known to students and party animals from all over the world. It is a hotel complex with lots of activities that keep young people happy and occupied, from water-skiing and volleyball to drinking contests. For many young people seeing Europe for the first time, this is the last stop and for some people who make the mistake of beginning their European holiday here it is also their last stop. Like the island of Ios, it is the kind of place you must force yourself to leave so you can get on with the rest of your life.

Way up in the north the former fishing village of Sidari is noted for it's tiny coves and narrow channels that have been cut out of the rock. Like most of the other former fishing villages it too is a resort though a good one for families since the water is very shallow.

There are dozens more beaches but you get a clear picture of what is going on in Corfu. If you are coming to Greece looking for a secluded beach to have a picnic and eat feta cheese and drink wine then you are not going to find it here, especially in the summer. But then again that would be like going to the French Riviera for seclusion or to Rio. Corfu is where you go it you want to see lots of people in bathing suits, swimming in some of the most beautiful season on some of the most amazing beaches that are spectacular despite the development that continues to this day.

If you are the meditative sort then Corfu may not be for you since it is hard to meditate with jet skis and speedboats racing around and music blaring from the cafes. But if you like this stuff, it's cool. I even like this sometimes and I would much rather be in Corfu then in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Myrtle Beach, Venice Beach or anything they have in the UK.