Chalikounas: Beach, Lagoon and Cedar Forest

At Chalikounas, a narrow strip of land separates the beach from the protected area of Korission Lagoon. The beach and lagoon are therefore part of a single, yet clearly defined, coastal landscape. This geographical setting helps put the character of the place into context: alongside the beach, the protected area also shapes the landscape.

Water Sports and Landscape

Wind and wave conditions make the area around Chalikounas suitable for kiteboarding; conditions vary. If you are planning this activity, it is a good idea to bear in mind that wind and wave conditions can change. The basics of windsurfing can be learned in the shallow water near the shore. The two activities therefore differ in their requirements: kiteboarding depends on wind and wave conditions, while the shallow water near the shore provides a setting for learning the basics of windsurfing.

A wooden walkway leads from the dunes and reed beds into a rare cedar forest with sand lilies. The transition from dunes and reeds to forest offers a different focus from the water activities. If you are interested in vegetation as well as the beach and water sports, the cedar forest and sand lilies are among the specific landscape features that define Chalikounas.

This gives you a choice of different priorities when planning your trip: the coastal landscape with Korission Lagoon, the wind- and wave-dependent conditions for kiteboarding, the shallow water for learning the basics of windsurfing, or the landscape of dunes, reeds and cedar forest.

Corfu as a wider travel destination: A digital guide to the Old Town, documented in 2023, is aimed at residents and visitors and offers audiovisual material on more than 80 sights within the city. Check its availability before your trip.

Within the wider destination of Corfu, the Old Town offers a distinct cultural and historical focus. Its historic urban fabric has been almost entirely preserved; the buildings date from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The Old Town and its two fortresses are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This urban history offers a different focus from the beach, lagoon and forest landscape that characterises Chalikounas.

The Museum of Asian Art in the Old Town houses more than 11,000 objects from China, Japan, India, the Himalayas and Central Asia. The collection brings together art and objects from several widely separated regions of origin. For a cultural and historical perspective on Corfu, the museum is another place to visit besides the Old Town itself.

The Archaeological Museum of Corfu was built primarily to display the pediment excavated at Paleopolis, depicting the Gorgon Medusa from the Temple of Artemis. The pediment dates to 585 BC and was excavated in 1911 near the Monastery of Aghioi Theodoroi. This brings a specific archaeological object, its date of creation and its excavation history into view within the wider context of Corfu.

From Corfu Port, the Museum of Asian Art can be reached by bus line 2 on the Mantouki–Kanoni route. Check the timetable before you travel.

Discover more destinations: Agia Triada, Kassiopi, Acharavi, Moraitika, Dafnata, Agnitsini, Erikoussa, Katsimatika

Back to the wider travel guide: Corfu.