Mike and I went to Corfu, Greece in 2021 but wanted to go again in 2023. This time we were wondering where to stay in Corfu without a car!
We thought back to our previous trip and remembered how wonderful Afionas, Corfu was. We knew the small village had everything we could want including good food, adventure and the most beautiful views so decided that Afionas, Greece would be the best option.
If you’re coming with your partner, I would say that Afionas is definitely the best area to stay in Corfu for couples.
Another great option based on our trip in 2021 is Corfu Town itself since it’s very walkable. However, Afionas has more of a small village vibe and really makes you feel like you’re in another world.
As a result, here are two options of where to stay in Corfu without a car and what you can do in each of these places!
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Where to Stay in Corfu Without a Car: Option 1
Afionas
Afionas is a quaint, traditional village on the northwest side of Corfu island. Here you’ll find everything from good, home cooked style food to adventure with hiking, boat rental and snorkeling.
Best of all, this is where the picturesque beach, Porto Timoni, is located. If you plan a trip to Afionas, then you’ll have the very unique opportunity of visiting a double beach here.
Because of the accommodation we visited and I absolutely would go back to again, Afionas may be the best area to stay in Corfu for couples, a girls’ trip or a mom/daughter trip!
How to Get to and Around Afionas
Afionas is definitely worth visiting and there’s so much to do without a car. But of course, you need to get there first.
To get to Afionas without a car, you could:
- Ride the bus for about an hour and a half for €3-6 (operates 2x a day on weekdays)
- Take a taxi for about €65-85
- Book a shared airport transfer for €27 a person
Alternative Idea: I know you’re looking for someplace to go in Corfu without a car but if it’s a matter of just getting to Afionas and back from the airport and not driving while you’re there, you could rent a car and just keep it parked at the hotel, which is what we did. We liked the convenience of possibly being able to use our own car (even though we barely did) and liked the cost savings. It was cheaper than a taxi to/from for a few days.
To get around Afionas, all you need to do is walk! You can walk to a handle of restaurants, a sunset viewpoint, Porto Timoni beach and around the village.
The only place you may want a car for is going down to the beach where you can rent a speed boat for the afternoon. However, it’s a 20 minute walk (with a big incline on the way back) so definitely doable without a car.
If walking down to the beach is not ideal, the hotel may be able to arrange something for you. Just ask!
Where to Stay in Afionas
In 2021 and 2023, we stayed at the Zeus Throne Resort. We loved everything about the place including the room, staff, view, location and food that we had to go back in 2023.
The resort is a 5-10 minute walk from the village, the sunset viewpoint, the entrance to Porto Timoni and a couple of our favorite restaurants in Afionas.
However, Zeus Throne alone makes Afionas the best area to stay in Corfu for couples because of the suites.
The resort has an array of suites and apartments suitable for any type of traveler, but if you’re traveling with a partner like we did, then the suites are for you. The suites include a private plunge pool and the most spectacular view of the Ioanian sea.
Best of all, for the pool, the view and breakfast included, you can’t beat the price. These suites are €300-400 a night! Other Corfu hotels with private plunge pools and not as great of views start at €1000+.
If you’re traveling with your family though, they do have family-sized apartments, and beyond the space itself, the staff is the best! They will make you feel like you’re at home.
Check availability directly on their website or via Booking.com.
What to Do in Afionas
Hike to Porto Timoni Beach and Snorkel There
Porto Timoni Beach is a unique beach in Corfu that you can hike to from the entrance of Zeus Throne.
What’s unique about this beach is that it’s actually a double beach meaning once you get down there, you can go to the beach on the left or the right. You’ll be able to see both the beaches clearly from the halfway point of the hike!
Note: I have fibromyalgia with chronic muscle tension in my body and nerve pain in my feet. This 20-minute hike turned into a 30-40 minute one with hiking boots and walking sticks. However, my healthy husband was able to do this hike quickly with regular sneakers. I saw someone wearing flip flops doing this hike!
Most people like to go here for a day trip, but if you stay at Zeus Throne and you don’t need to rush to get back to wherever you’re staying, then I highly recommend staying down here for sunset. It’s not as crowded and seeing the sunset over the water is beautiful.
Pro Tip: The beach has lots of pebbles and there’s little fishes in the water so bring water shoes and snorkel gear here. If you forget them though, then there’s a little souvenir in the village you can buy these from.
Enjoy a Sunset View
What is a trip to Greece without an unadulterated clear view of the sunset?
You can find that right at the sunset viewpoint in Afionas (as well as Anemos restaurant).
Experience the Sunrise From Your Suite
Since Afionas is so small, you can view both the sunrise and sunset easily. You can see the sunset from the viewpoint or Anemos restaurant and see the sunrise right from your suite!
I’m not a morning person so both times I’ve stayed at the Zeus Throne, I’ve woken up for sunrise and went right back to sleep. It was the best way to experience sunrise!
Walk Around the Village
For a slow and lazy afternoon, you can walk through Afionas village. There are adorable cobblestone streets adorned with flowering vines and plants.
Rent a Boat
What’s fun about Corfu is that anyone can rent a boat and drive it around the island. You can anchor it wherever you want, making stops at small hidden beaches, go for a swim and hop back on for a drive again.
We rented a boat from Spiros boat rental with the help of the staff at Zeus Throne but there are other boat rental companies along the same beach. Just click on the Google Map and move it to the right to see the others.
If you’re exploring Afionas without a car though, Spiros boat rental is a 20 minute walk down from Zeus Throne, which is not an issue. It’s the walk up that may be a bit taxing because it’s quite steep. Another option to get down to the beach is possibly asking the hotel for help or even catching a ride with others.
Eat, eat and eat
There are so many delicious places to eat in Afionas. Check out the next section to discover where to go.
Where to Eat in Afionas
The Grill
The Grill has the best gyros in the village for less than €5 each and is a great spot to go for lunch. The pita is so fluffy and savory and the meat is tender and flavorful with lots of spices.
Anemos Restaurant
Anemos is the best restuarant to go to for a delicious meal while watching the sunset!
The best tables for watching the sunset are on the outside, which can get booked, so as soon as you arrive, figure out what time sunset is and book a reservation for one of your nights there.
Zeus Throne
The Zeus Throne is not only a place where you can stay but a place where many people go to simply eat before/after their hike to Porto Timoni beach.
Whether you stay there or just go to eat, I definitely recommend anything with the grilled vegetables. Many of it comes from the owner’s father’s own garden.
We’ve gotten the grilled fish a couple of times and the grilled chicken, which both come with a side of vegetables.
The Night Owl
The Night Owl is one of the few (or perhaps the only?) place in Afionas that stays open late. So you can go there for a late dinner and drinks, or if you’re like us, go there for a late lunch on the way back up from riding around on the boat.
Good to Know: If you’re staying at the Zeus Throne, take advantage of the lit up pool and view at night. Grab a bottle of wine from the fridge, a couple of glasses and relax outdoors for one night (instead of going out every night).
Where to Stay in Corfu Without a Car: Option 2
Corfu Town
Although I recommend Afionas over Corfu Town, Corfu Town is an even easier place to stay in Corfu without a car because of its proximity to the airport.
There’s tons to do in this Venetian style Greek town, which includes swimming in crystal clear water!
How to Get to and Around Afionas
To get from the Corfu airport to Corfu town, you can hop on the city bus for €1 or take a taxi for about €8-11.
Once you’re in Corfu town, it’s easy to simply walk around.
Where to Stay in Corfu Town
I personally haven’t stayed in Corfu town since I only went for a day trip, but if you do stay there, I recommend being closer to the Asian Museum so you can easily walk to the swimming area, visit the Old Fortress and go to the restaurants I recommend here.
Booking.comWhat to Do in Corfu Town
Corfu Town is especially great for walking around and getting lost in the Venetian style streets.
However if you’re looking to use it as a base to explore, you may want to:
If you want to swim though, you actually don’t need to leave Corfu town to do this.
Right by En Plo, a restaurant I suggest eating at, there are crystal clear waters for you to swim in right in Corfu town! A lot of the locals like to hang out here all day.
It’s an absolutely swimming spot, which we discovered on the last day right before we were headed to the airport and wish we had found it earlier. See En Plo and the swimming spot on my Google map of Corfu.
Lastly, for a handcrafted souvenir, check out Ceramic Art. We bought a mug there that had drawings of people with masks on as an ode to 2020 😝.
Where to Eat in Corfu Town
Taverna Ninos
Taverna Ninos had one of the most delicious gyros I had on this trip (the other being at the Grill in Afionas). Definitely stop by here for a casual lunch in this charming alley.
En Plo
En Plo is a wonderful outdoors restaurant by the water. They have delicious seafood with a gorgeous view of crystal clear waters.
After lunch, plan on hanging out by the water and going for a swim!
Cavalieri Hotel
Up on the roof of Cavalieri Hotel is the best view of Corfu town from above.
I recommend this place more for the view than the food so don’t count on the food being amazing. Just go for a light bite, drinks and the view.
You can find all these locations on my Google map, which you can open up in your app.
Thanks for making it all the way down to the end of this post about where to stay in Corfu without a car! I hope it helps you with your Corfu trip planning.
If you found it to be helpful, you might like what I share on my Instagram @sarchetrit.
Till then, thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!
xo,
Sarah