Benitses Corfu is a charming east-coast fishing village turned relaxed resort, just 12 kilometres south of Corfu Town, with a pretty harbour, clear-water pebble coves, Roman ruins and a seafront famous for seafood. This guide covers the village, its beaches, the harbour and history, and how to visit.
Benitses blends tradition with easy resort comforts, a relaxed base in the wider Corfu tours and travel guide. It sits below green hills facing Albania. The sections below cover the village.
What is Benitses like?
Benitses is a relaxed east-coast resort with the soul of a fishing village, set around a pretty harbour below lush green hills. Once a hectic 1980s party resort, it has reinvented itself as a laid-back destination known for seafood, an old quarter of cobbled lanes and easy charm.
Benitses has come full circle. One of Corfu’s original beach resorts, it boomed in the 1970s and 80s as a busy package destination with a hedonistic nightlife, before quietening down and reconnecting with its fishing-village roots. Today it is calm and characterful, set around a harbour of fishing boats and yachts, backed by green mountains with views across the strait to Albania. Unusually for a resort, it keeps an old quarter of traditional houses and shady cobbled streets behind the seafront, giving it a genuine village feel alongside good tourist amenities, set within the wider Corfu villages. Its beaches are small but lovely.
What are the beaches like?
Benitses has a cluster of small east-facing coves of fine pebble and coarse sand, with calm, crystal-clear water ideal for swimming. The main coves sit by the harbour, with quieter, almost isolated little beaches such as Laopetra and Limeri stretching to the south of the village.
The coves at Benitses are small but inviting. The shore is made up of several little east-facing beaches of fine gravelly pebble mixed with coarse sand, both on the shore and in the water, where the calm, exceptionally clear sea is beautiful for swimming and snorkelling. The best-known beaches lie around the marina and harbour, while a string of tinier, almost secluded coves, including Laopetra, Contrakia and Limeri, run southward along the coast, rewarding a short walk for more privacy. Sunbeds and tavernas back the main stretches. The clear water and sheltered setting make them a relaxed daytime base, set out alongside the guide to Corfu beaches. The harbour and history add interest.
What is there to see in Benitses?
In Benitses you can stroll the picturesque harbour of fishing boats and yachts, explore the old village quarter of cobbled lanes, and see the remarkably intact ruins of a Roman villa and bath complex just off the main road. The green hills behind invite short walks.
Benitses packs surprising variety into a small village. Its harbour, a mix of working fishing boats and visiting yachts, is the heart of the resort, perfect for an evening stroll and a waterfront dinner. Behind the seafront, the old quarter of traditional houses and shady cobbled streets is a reminder of the village’s past and a pleasure to wander. History runs deeper still: a short walk from the main road lie the surprisingly well-preserved remains of a Roman villa with its bathhouse, complete with mosaics. The lush mountains rising behind the village offer walking trails and viewpoints, set out alongside the guide to things to do in Corfu. The food is a highlight.
Where do you eat and what are the amenities?
Benitses is renowned for fresh seafood, with a seafront of tavernas alongside international restaurants, cafés and bars. The village is well equipped, with supermarkets, bakeries, pastry and souvenir shops, jewellers and car rental, making it a comfortable and convenient base.
Eating well is one of the great pleasures of Benitses. The seafront and harbour are lined with tavernas celebrated for fresh fish and seafood, served with the day’s catch and a sea view, alongside international restaurants, casual cafés and easy-going bars for the evening. The village’s long resort history means it is rich in amenities, with supermarkets, bakeries, pastry shops, souvenir stores, jewellers and car-rental offices all close to hand. The atmosphere is sociable but relaxed, a world away from its raucous past, suiting food lovers, families and couples alike, set out alongside the guide to Corfu food and wine. Reaching it is very easy.
How do you get to Benitses?
You reach Benitses in about 20 minutes by car from Corfu Town, 12 kilometres south along the coast, with parking in the village. The frequent number 6 Blue Bus connects it directly with Corfu Town, making it one of the most accessible resorts without a car.
Benitses is among the easiest resorts to reach on Corfu. By car it is a short 20-minute drive south from Corfu Town along the coast road, around 12 kilometres, with parking available in and around the village. Best of all, the frequent number 6 Blue Bus runs a cheap and reliable service directly between Benitses and Corfu Town through the day, so the resort is easy to enjoy without a car, including evening trips into the capital. Its closeness to the town and airport, combined with good amenities, also makes it a fine base for exploring the rest of the island, set out alongside the guides to how to get to Corfu and Corfu car rental. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Benitses Corfu known for?
Benitses is known for its pretty fishing harbour, its fresh seafood tavernas, its small clear-water pebble coves and its old village quarter of cobbled lanes. Once a lively 1980s party resort, it is now a relaxed, characterful destination just south of Corfu Town.
Is Benitses good for families?
Benitses suits families and couples, with calm, clear coves for swimming, a relaxed atmosphere, good amenities and excellent dining. Its frequent bus link to Corfu Town and gentle, low-key evenings make it comfortable and convenient rather than a party resort.
How far is Benitses from Corfu Town?
Benitses is about 12 kilometres south of Corfu Town, a drive of roughly 20 minutes along the coast road. The frequent number 6 Blue Bus connects the village directly with Corfu Town, making it one of the most accessible resorts without a car.