Where to stay in Corfu

Corfu Town is the old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site with Venetian forts, about 3 km by road from the airport and 2 km from the New Port. North of it on the east coast, Gouvia has a marina and Dassia a shingle beach, 10 to 14 km from the airport.

The north-east coast pairs the harbour village of Kassiopi with the pebble bays of Kalami and Agni, facing Albania across the strait. The north coast has the long beaches of Roda and Acharavi and the sandstone coves of the Canal d'Amour at Sidari. Both lie 31 to 38 km from the airport by road.

On the west side, Paleokastritsa is a set of six coves under wooded headlands about 24 km from the airport. Further south, the hill village of Pelekas stands above Glyfada beach, and Agios Gordios has a long sandy bay, 12 to 16 km from the airport. Moraitika and Messonghi, on the south-east coast where the Messonghi river reaches the sea, are about 20 km from the airport.

In Corfu Town the municipality says the historic centre is full in August and sends drivers to the peripheral car parks, all 10 to 15 minutes' walk from the centre. The largest municipal one, Lyriko on Donatou Dimoulitsa Street at the southern entrance, has about 250 spaces, and smaller municipal lots at Mantouki and Alsos Fylakon have about 60 each. The Spilia car park at the Old Port is municipal and free but busy at peak hours, and the Corfu ParkApp shows free spaces in real time.

For the resorts no official parking information was found, so ask the host whether a space comes with the booking. Travel guides cited by GetCar describe the lanes down to Agni and Kalami as narrow and steep, with little parking at the bottom. GetCar's guide Driving in Corfu: the Airport, Corfu Town Parking, Narrow Roads, Ferries and the Rules covers the island roads, the ferries and the Greek rules.

Greece charges a climate resilience fee per night and per room or property, paid by the guest and collected by the host before departure. Article 44 of Law 5177/2025 sets it: from April to October EUR 8 in a short-term rental, EUR 15 in a detached house over 80 m2 or a tourist villa, and EUR 2 to EUR 15 in hotels by star rating; from November to March EUR 2, EUR 4 and EUR 0.50 to EUR 4. Tax press lists the same amounts for 2026.

Hotels and professional hosts also charge the municipal visitors' fee on the price of stays under six months, which the guest pays: 0.5% nationally, and private hosts who let one or two properties do not charge it. Corfu has three municipalities with their own rates. Central Corfu, which includes Corfu Town, Paleokastritsa and Pelekas, raised the fee to 0.75% in council decision 3-8/2026 of 9 February 2026, in force three months after publication. North Corfu, which includes Kassiopi, Sidari, Roda and Acharavi, raised it to 0.75% in decision 23-159/2024 of 13 November 2024. No South Corfu decision was found, so the national 0.5% applies around Moraitika.

Every short-term rental must show its 11-digit AMA, the registry number from the tax authority AADE, on every platform and advert, and licensed properties show a 16-digit ΕΣΛ or a 7-digit ΜΑΓ number instead. Corfu has no ban on new holiday rentals; the 2026 bans cover central Athens and central Thessaloniki only. Since 1 October 2025 each short-term rental must also have smoke detectors, a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit under Law 5170/2025.

August is the month the municipality warns about. With the historic centre full, a town stay with a car in August works best with a space at the property or a plan for the peripheral car parks.

From November to March the climate fee falls to EUR 2 a night in a short-term rental. For a late arrival or an early flight, the town, Gouvia and the west coast keep the airport run to about 16 km or less; from Kassiopi or Roda it is about 37 to 38 km.

An old town on foot and the ferries: Corfu Town.

Short drives and a marina: Gouvia and Dassia.

Villas and pebble bays: Kassiopi and the north-east coast.

Coves and boat trips: Paleokastritsa.

Long beaches for families: Sidari, Roda and Acharavi.

Sandy bays and sunsets near town: Pelekas, Glyfada and Agios Gordios.

A quiet family resort in the south-east: Moraitika and Messonghi.