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 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
no 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. This area is quite close
to the Corfu airport.
 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.
(If you are looking for The Pink Palace: Click Here)
 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.
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