5 Beaches Worth Visiting in Corfu

Porto Timoni is the image that appears on every "Corfu from above" post you have ever seen. A narrow isthmus of pale sand and rock, flanked on both sides by perfect coves, enclosed by green hills and cliffs. The water on the sheltered side is almost unnervingly clear. On a calm morning before the boats arrive, it looks like something drawn rather than something real.

The beach sits below the village of Afionas on Corfu's northwest coast. The only way to reach it on foot is a 20 to 30 minute descent on a rocky path. The path is steep, loose in places, and entirely without shade. This is not a gentle stroll. What it is, is completely worth it.

There are two beaches at the bottom: a larger one facing the open sea, rougher and better for swimming, and a smaller sheltered cove on the other side of the isthmus, calmer and shallower. We recommend heading to the sheltered side first. It is where the water is most spectacular and where most people end up staying for the day.

Paleokastritsa is not a single beach. It is a collection of six interconnected coves enclosed by dramatic limestone cliffs, with a 12th-century monastery perched on the headland above and waters so blue they photograph as if edited. This is, by most measures, the most famous stretch of coastline in Corfu and one of the most visited places in Greece.

The water here is extraordinarily cold by Mediterranean standards, even in summer. It is clear and beautiful, but come prepared for a genuine shock if you are used to the Aegean. The coves themselves are pebble and stone rather than sand, so we recommend beach shoes. What Paleokastritsa does beyond swimming is what makes it special: the boat trips into the sea caves for around 10 euros per person are a genuine highlight, and the trail up to the monastery offers views that most visitors never find.

In high summer it is very busy, the car park fills early, and sunbeds in the coves cost up to 25 euros per person per day at the organised spots. If you are visiting in July or August, plan to arrive before 9am. In September or October, the same place belongs almost entirely to you.

Rovinia sits just south of Paleokastritsa, enclosed by sheer cliffs and reached either by a short walk through the hillside or by boat. It is smaller and more intimate than its famous neighbour, and consistently described by visitors as one of the most beautiful beaches they have ever been to. The water is exceptionally clear, turquoise to green depending on the light, and the snorkelling around the rocks on the right-hand side of the bay is some of the best on the island.

The access road is the one thing that catches people off guard: narrow, rocky and steep, with three car parks at different points on the descent. The lower you go, the cheaper the parking but the worse the road surface. Our advice is to use the second car park down, which costs around 4 euros for the day, and walk the final stretch. Do not follow Google Maps to the very bottom. The last section is in poor condition and can seriously damage a car, particularly on the way back up.

A small canteen boat anchors in the bay during summer months, selling cold drinks and basic snacks. Beyond that, there is nothing on the beach. Bring your own food, water and umbrella, the shady spots go fast in the afternoon.

Avlaki sits in a sheltered bay on Corfu's northeast coast, between the village of Kassiopi and Agios Stefanos. It holds a Blue Flag certification, meaning the water quality is consistently monitored and the beach is cleaned daily. It is around 500 metres long, made up of smooth large pebbles, and backed by a handful of villas, green trees and two tavernas that are consistently praised in every review category: food, service and value.

What Avlaki offers that most famous Corfu beaches do not is a genuine sense of quiet. It sits slightly off the main tourist circuit of the northeast coast, well-known to locals and returning visitors but rarely featured on the coach excursions. The bay faces northeast, which means it is sheltered from the prevailing summer winds that affect the south and west coasts. Because of this, the water here warms early in the season and stays calm even when other beaches are choppy.

We have seen this bay at its best in the early morning when the water is still and the light comes across the channel from Albania. It is one of those places that rewards arriving before everyone else does.

Issos is the beach on this list that surprises people most, because it does not look like it belongs on a Greek island. A long stretch of fine golden sand backed by wild dunes, a cedar forest, and the freshwater Korission Lagoon: the landscape feels North African in places, particularly when the light is low and the dunes cast long shadows across the sand. Over four kilometres of beach, most of it free of sun loungers and facilities, ending at a lagoon where flamingos appear in the mornings, particularly in spring and autumn.

Issos sits on Corfu's southwest coast, around 35km from Corfu Town, roughly an hour's drive on roads that narrow considerably in the final few kilometres. The journey is worth it. The beach offers both an organised section with sunbeds and umbrellas at around 15 euros for two beds and a parasol, and a completely wild section where you can walk for thirty minutes without seeing another person.

The dunes themselves are a highlight entirely separate from the beach. Climb them in the late afternoon and you get a view over the water on one side and the lagoon on the other, with the sun dropping behind the hills. In our view, this is one of the best sunset spots on the island, and one almost no one knows about unless they have been here before.