Corfu | Mumsnet

Powerplant · 2025-01-12T22:24:09+00:00

I’m looking to book a holiday for 7 adults and 1 toddler in Corfu second week in September. I’ve never been so really don’t know which resort/area to look at. Would prefer a villa not too far from the airport walking distances to beach/bars restaurants etc but not too lively. We will hire a car to explore for a few days though. Kissopi? or Roda sound lovely but seems miles away for a transfer and I think Sidari may be a bit too lively. I’ve read info on Gouvia but just can’t make my mind up. Would love some suggestions thanks.

TooManyCupsAndMugs · 13/01/2025 06:31

Roda is nice but quite small. The next resort along, Acharavi, had more going on and the beach is nicer (we used to walk from Roda to this beach). It is quite a drive through the mountains to get there, about an hours transfer but the scenery is spectacular. Corfu Town is lovely too.

dreamingofsun · 13/01/2025 09:01

we went in september. it was beautiful but was ruined by the wasps. they were everywhere. i have a job that involves insects and i still found them very annoying. husband hates them so we could only really go to one restaurant which was semi indoors. everywhere had swatters and burnt coffee grounds (not that they made much difference). Our resort was a coastal one with rural areas around......so i'd try and go to a much larger town if i ever went back in sept. which i wouldnt

Original poster

Powerplant · 13/01/2025 12:08

Thank you for the replies. I didn’t want too long a transfer as we can hire a car to see the island during our stay. I’ve read about the wasps so will maybe have a rethink about Corfu esp in September

OP posts:

Ohhelpicantthinkofaname · 13/01/2025 18:24

I’ve been a few times in late august/early September and the wasps can be really annoying. Look out for the mosquitos too. I’ve had to go and get antibiotics because of bites before (I react really badly to them).

corfu is really beautiful. I’ve stayed in Roda. The village itself is quite nice but the beach isn’t anything special. Kassiopi and kalami are both beautiful and have lovely beaches with really clear water. Though they’re not very sandy. I like St George’s south. They have a huge sandy beach with lovely clear water but it’s in the south which is probably a little less picturesque than the north. We always travel around so doesn’t bother us.

Palaiokastritsa Is stunningly beautiful, has a sandy beach, clear water and a small aquarium but it’s a longer transfer to the airport on mountain roads, though to me it’s worth the drive.

Original poster

Powerplant · 14/01/2025 18:26

I react really badly to mozzies too I’ve had some horrible bites. Do you know how long it would take to transfer to Kissiopi from airport and is it a hairy mountain route? I may rethink Corfu for Sept mainly due to the problem with mosquitos as we will be travelling with a 1 year old too.

OP posts:

Ohhelpicantthinkofaname · 14/01/2025 19:15

I’m ok as long as I use the max strength jungle formula for the mozzies. It was the first time we went that it had a really bad reaction after being bitten about 10 times on the first night, I learnt after that and have been back without issues.

id say that Kassiopi is probably about an hour from the airport and pretty much all the roads in the north of Corfu have some element of being mountainous. Though they’re not as mountainous as the roads in the east I don’t think.

Wishboneswishes · 14/01/2025 19:21

Corfu in summer is horrendous for mozzies so avoid if they’re a problem for you. I love Sidari though - beautiful beach and the seafront bars and restaurants are lovely and I didn’t find it too lively. 1.45 transfer puts me off going again sadly!

happy2025 · 14/01/2025 20:10

Angsana - absolutely beautiful, will definitely go again.

Pieceofpurplesky · 14/01/2025 23:15

A friend and I had a great time in Corfu when younger as the US Navy were docked. Don't think we ever bought a drink!

Titasaducksarse · 14/01/2025 23:45

Kassiopi by transfer bus would be a lot longer than 1 hour. It takes that in a car.

We always hire a car and go out to sandy beaches for the day.

Last year we had a week in Kassiopi and 4 nights in Messonghi in the South. Gosh, the North and South are so different.

stickybear · 15/01/2025 07:18

We stayed in Agios Gordios in September a few years back, which is quite handy for the airport and for Corfu town (maybe about 30 mins on the bus). Beautiful sandy beach with a few beach bars / tavernas. I'd forgotten about the wasps! There were a lot of them but I remember they were quite dopey at that time of year and not aggressive

wishIwasonholiday10 · 15/01/2025 08:36

stickybear · 15/01/2025 07:18

We stayed in Agios Gordios in September a few years back, which is quite handy for the airport and for Corfu town (maybe about 30 mins on the bus). Beautiful sandy beach with a few beach bars / tavernas. I'd forgotten about the wasps! There were a lot of them but I remember they were quite dopey at that time of year and not aggressive

I second the recommendation of Agios Gordios with a toddler. We stayed there and also Kassiopi and Agios Georgios North and thought Agios Gordios was the most toddler friendly (everything close by if you stay near and sandy beach). Kassiopi was nice but generally you have to drive to get to beaches. There are a couple in walking distance which are crowded and not as toddler friendly (stones and water gets deep more quickly).

We went in June and didn’t see many wasps or mosquitoes.

Caps44 · 15/01/2025 12:50

If you are frightened of Wasps, then don't go....can't eat without having dozens of them around you.

RampantIvy · 15/01/2025 13:09

Yes, September is bad for wasps and mosquitos, as are a lot of Mediterranean countries at that time of year.

We stayed in Arillas several years ago, and liked it so much that we returned the following year.

BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop · 15/01/2025 13:13

dreamingofsun · 13/01/2025 09:01

we went in september. it was beautiful but was ruined by the wasps. they were everywhere. i have a job that involves insects and i still found them very annoying. husband hates them so we could only really go to one restaurant which was semi indoors. everywhere had swatters and burnt coffee grounds (not that they made much difference). Our resort was a coastal one with rural areas around......so i'd try and go to a much larger town if i ever went back in sept. which i wouldnt

This is very similar to my experience - in fact so much so I’m wondering if we were at the same resort (although there’s hundreds that fit the description). It’s a beautiful place but rock up on wasp and mozzie repellent- I ended up in a pharmacy in Corfu city buying hydrocortisone cream and dressings for my many mosquito bites.

BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop · 15/01/2025 13:13

*stock up

dreamingofsun · 15/01/2025 13:17

@BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop actually i dont remember mozzies being a problem, though maybe they were overshadowed by the wasps. I wasnt too keen having snakes on our patio either, but the villa agency did spray against those. According to the gardener they were attracted by the rats in the roof (I personally thought these might be squirrels but never actually saw them)

Original poster

Powerplant · 15/01/2025 16:44

I’m not worried about the wasps it’s just the mosquitos always make a beeline for me and I get horrendous bites. I will look at Agios Gordios as location sounds perfect. I may look to go another time of year with just me and my DP as September fitted with everyone in the group. Thanks again for all your experiences and suggestions.

OP posts:

PollyCreo · 15/01/2025 17:55

Agios Gordios is beautiful, idyllic. It's a very quiet and isolated resort though so not sure it'll meet your criteria. There are regular buses to Corfu town which only take 30-40 minutes.

The wasps though! They are annoying and hover around your head and food but aren't aggressive 😑

dreamingofsun · 16/01/2025 08:57

second what polly says about agios gordios which is where we stayed.