The best base on the island depends on the trip, and where to stay in Corfu comes down to Corfu Town for culture and first-timers, the green north-east coast for quiet luxury, the west coast for golden beaches and sunsets, or family resorts like Dassia and Acharavi. The large island offers a base for every kind of trip. This guide matches the best areas and towns to the holiday you want.
Choosing a base shapes the whole holiday, a key part of the Corfu tours and travel guide. The island’s areas differ widely in character. The sections below compare them.
Should you stay in Corfu Town?
You should stay in Corfu Town for a first visit, for culture, dining and convenience. The UNESCO Old Town offers Venetian architecture, restaurants, shopping and nightlife on your doorstep, it is close to the airport, and it is the easiest base for getting around without a car.
Corfu Town is the natural choice for first-timers. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its Venetian Old Town packs in fortresses, museums, churches and squares, alongside excellent restaurants, shops and a lively evening scene. It sits just minutes from the airport and the ferry port, and its walkability and bus links make it the easiest base for exploring the island, especially without a car. Many visitors spend a night or two here on arrival before moving to a beach resort, set out in the guide to Corfu Town. The north-east offers a quieter, greener base.
What is the north-east coast like?
The north-east coast is the green, upmarket side of Corfu, with olive-clad hills falling to sheltered pebble bays and views to Albania. Resorts like Barbati, Nissaki, Kalami and Kassiopi suit couples and families wanting calm, scenery and clear water.
The north-east coast is Corfu at its most refined. Steep, olive-green hills drop to small pebble beaches and crystal-clear coves at Barbati, Nissaki, Kalami and the harbour village of Kassiopi, with the mountains of Albania across the narrow channel. Once the home of the Durrell family, the area keeps an exclusive, peaceful feel, with boutique villas and stylish tavernas rather than big resorts. It suits couples and families seeking calm, beauty and good swimming, though a car helps, set out alongside the guide to Corfu beaches. The west coast offers beaches and sunsets.
What about the west coast?
The west coast is best for golden-sand beaches and sunsets, with Paleokastritsa’s coves, the family sands of Glyfada and Agios Gordios, and hilltop Pelekas. It suits beach holidays and travellers wanting the island’s most scenic coast and evening light.
The west coast is the island’s beach and sunset side. Paleokastritsa wraps turquoise coves around green cliffs, while Glyfada and Agios Gordios offer broad golden sands ideal for families, and the hilltop village of Pelekas, with its famous sunset rock, looks out over the sea. Resorts here range from lively beach bases to quiet villa retreats, all facing the sunset over the Ionian. The coast’s beaches and scenery make it a favourite for a beach-focused stay, set out in the guides to Paleokastritsa and Corfu villages. Family resorts cluster on the east coast.
Where should families stay?
Families do best at the east-coast resorts of Dassia, Gouvia and Ipsos, north of Corfu Town, with sandy or shingly beaches, shallow water, watersports and plenty of amenities. The northern resorts of Acharavi and Sidari also suit families on quieter, shallow beaches.
The east coast holds the island’s main family resorts. Dassia, Gouvia and Ipsos, a few kilometres north of Corfu Town, offer mixed sand-and-shingle beaches, calm shallow water, watersports and a good range of hotels, restaurants and shops, all within easy reach of the capital. On the north coast, Acharavi and Sidari add long, shallow beaches and a relaxed, family-friendly feel, the latter home to the Canal d’Amour. These resorts keep everything on hand for an easy family holiday, set out alongside the guide to how to get to Corfu. Matching the area to your trip is the key.
How do you choose the right area?
You choose by matching the area to your priorities: Corfu Town for culture and a car-free first visit, the north-east for quiet scenery, the west coast for beaches and sunsets, and the east-coast resorts for families. Many split a stay between the town and the coast.
The right base follows your plans. Travellers wanting culture, dining and easy transport pick Corfu Town, especially for a first visit or without a car, while those after calm beauty choose the green north-east, and beach lovers the west coast. Families lean to the east-coast resorts for their amenities and shallow water. Because the island is large, splitting a stay, a couple of nights in the town and the rest at a beach base, is a popular plan, set out alongside the guide to a Corfu itinerary. Booking early secures the best places in summer. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should first-time visitors stay in Corfu?
First-time visitors should stay in Corfu Town, for its UNESCO Old Town, culture, dining and easy access without a car, close to the airport. Many spend a night or two there before moving to a west-coast or north-east beach base.
Where should families base themselves in Corfu?
The best family areas are the east-coast resorts of Dassia, Gouvia and Ipsos, with shallow beaches, watersports and amenities near Corfu Town, and the northern resorts of Acharavi and Sidari with long, shallow, family-friendly beaches.
Where should you stay in Corfu for beaches?
For beaches, stay on the west coast around Paleokastritsa, Glyfada and Agios Gordios for golden sand and sunsets, or the green north-east at Barbati, Nissaki and Kassiopi for sheltered pebble coves and clear water.