Corfu is an island of distinct characters, and where you base yourself shapes your whole holiday. The lush northeast coast, the Venetian old town and the sandy south each offer something quite different. Here’s an honest local guide to help you choose — and where we’d stay.

The Northeast Coast — Kalami, Nissaki & Kassiopi

This is Corfu at its most beautiful: steep green hillsides of cypress and olive falling to a coastline of clear, sheltered pebble coves. It’s the coast the Durrell family fell in love with, and it still feels unspoilt. Days are spent swimming, hopping between bays by boat, and taking long lunches at waterside tavernas. It suits couples and families who want natural beauty, calm and authentic Greece over big resorts and nightlife.

This is where most of our homes are — our Kalami suites right above the bay, and our villas Marnie and Blanche with private pools and sweeping sea views just above the coast. See our guide to the best beaches near Kalami.

Corfu Town

One of the loveliest towns in the Mediterranean — a UNESCO-listed maze of Venetian lanes, fortresses, churches and elegant arcades, with the island’s best restaurants and shops on your doorstep. Ideal for first-time visitors, culture lovers and shorter stays, and you won’t need a car. The trade-off is that you’re a drive from the best swimming.

Our Corfu Town apartment puts you right in the heart of it.

The Central Countryside

Just inland from Corfu Town lies a quieter, greener side of the island that most visitors never see. Our villa La Châtaigne sits in authentic, non-touristy countryside — yet it’s only a 15-minute drive from Corfu Town and 10 minutes from the airport, with the sandy beaches of the west coast around 20 minutes away. It’s the ideal base if you want to be close to everything — town, airport and beaches — while waking up to real Corfiot country calm.

The South & West

The other side of the island is where you’ll find Corfu’s big sandy beaches — Glyfada, Issos and the long dune-backed stretch at Halikounas — along with a few livelier resort areas. It’s a good choice if soft sand and surf matter more to you than secluded coves, though it has a busier, more developed feel than the northeast.