Gouvia Holidays 2024/2025
Gouvia’s great seaside location, complete with marina and waterfront restaurants, has given it a reputation as one of the most chic resorts to visit on holidays to Corfu. The beaches are picturesque, with calm waters that appeal to sun worshippers and watersports fans alike. Gouvia is very well connected to neighbouring resorts and capital Corfu Town by bus or taxi, so a day trip away from the beach is always an easy option.
Gouvia Holiday Deals
A beautiful beach, or three
Gouvia is blessed with a handful of sandy shores, meaning you get more beach for your buck than in many other Corfiot resorts. The Ionian Sea is often very calm during the summer months as these beaches are sheltered, making them ideal for little ones who want to splash around in the shallows.
The largest stretch of beach at Gouvia is a peaceful shingle shoreline, where you can take an evening stroll, lay on your towel and tan or have lunch at a seafront taverna. There is an area right in the centre, between two jetties, where you can swim, bob around on an inflatable or try out some of the water sports, such as banana boats and water-skiing.
Possibly the best fish on the island
The restaurants in Gouvia are lucky enough to be situated beside one of the best fishing marinas on the island. On a casual walk through the resort you will see countless signs advertising fresh squid, prawns and sea bass at very reasonable prices. These are all caught and prepared that day, so couldn’t be fresher. You’ll find people come from miles around to dine at these mouth-watering eateries.
If you’re not a huge fish fan, don’t worry. The cuisine in Gouvia revolves around the the Greek’s creative use of lamb, pork and chicken, with souvlaki and stifado sitting top of the list for meat-eaters. If you’re veggie or vegan you can bet these restaurants will have something for you too.
Venetian history
As Gouvia was once an ancient naval base, it is one of the last relics of the Venetian occupation of Corfu. You can see evidence of this throughout Gouvia and much of Corfu. If you’ve built an interest for the history of the island while in Gouvia then you simply must see the Old Fortress in the island’s capital.
The towering structure, which once a upon a time protected the island from three Ottoman Empire sieges, to this day overlooks the city like a protective giant. Regular tours of the fortress run each day, but you can also go round of your own accord. Occasionally, you might be lucky enough to catch the odd event in the fortress. These come in the form of live music, formal dinners and political gatherings.
The lively capital is just down the road
Corfu Town is easily connected to Gouvia by public transport, so if you’ve not hired a car for your cheap Corfu holidays you can still get to and from the capital in just 15 minutes. The city is split roughly into a modern shopping district – with marble streets and trendy clubs – and an old town whose winding alleyways are bursting with market traders, traditional tavernas and plenty of bars.
The market is an absolute must see. Here you’ll find everything from olive wood chopping boards to Greek honey, and bouzouki guitars to novelty T-shirts. Once you’ve had your fill of this lively part of the city, you can get a breath of fresh air at one of the restaurants in the beautiful arched Liston building, which skirts the huge grassy park by the sea.
After dinner there are plenty of opportunities to grab a drink at one of the hip bars, or take a romantic stroll through the Old Town. With buses running regularly and cheap taxi fares, you can stay out as late as you’d like.