Corfu is one of the greenest islands in Greece, and its west coast is lined with sandy coves under steep, wooded cliffs. It’s also home to the island’s best-loved naturist beach, Myrtiotissa, which happens to be the Go Bare founder’s favourite beach anywhere.
1. Why Corfu
Corfu sits in the Ionian Sea off the north-west coast of Greece, a direct flight of around three and a quarter hours from London. The east coast faces the mainland and is calmer and busier. The west coast faces open sea, with longer sunsets, bigger cliffs and quieter beaches. That’s where the island’s naturists head.
2. Myrtiotissa
Myrtiotissa (sometimes spelled Mirtiotissa) is a small cove about 16 km west of Corfu Town, below the hill village of Pelekas. It’s only around 80 to 100 metres long, with soft sand, big rocks scattered in the shallows and the clearest water you could hope for. The writer Lawrence Durrell, who lived on Corfu in the 1930s, described it in Prospero’s Cell as perhaps the loveliest beach in the world.
Corfu’s official tourism site calls it an unofficial nudist beach, and it has been a naturist favourite since at least the 1970s. Large rocks divide the beach into sections, and naturists tend to use the ends. On the hill above sits the small monastery of Panagia Myrtidiotissa, which gives the beach its name.
Sunbeds and umbrellas are usually available in summer, along with a small canteen. There are no proper toilets, so plan ahead, and bring cash.
3. Getting down to the beach
Getting to Myrtiotissa is part of the adventure. A narrow, steep road runs down from the hills between Pelekas and Glyfada, and only part of it is surfaced.
- By car: park at the top, near the taverna, and walk the last stretch, roughly a kilometre. Don’t try to drive all the way down unless you have a four-wheel drive.
- On foot: the walk down takes about 15 minutes. The walk back up, in the heat, takes longer. Wear proper shoes.
- By taxi: ask to be dropped at the top of the track and arrange your pick-up.
- By boat: some people arrive by small boat or kayak from neighbouring beaches.
4. Other bare-friendly beaches
Corfu has plenty of quieter coves where people swim and sunbathe naked unofficially. One of the better known is around Agios Georgios in the south-west, where the far end of the long, dune-backed beach and a secluded spot under the cliffs nearby are both popular. Elsewhere, the rule is the same as anywhere in Greece: find a quiet, out-of-the-way spot where others are already bare, and keep your swimwear handy.
5. Nudity and Greek law
Greece has no officially designated nude beaches, and nudity in public is technically against the law. In practice, the authorities generally turn a blind eye on remote beaches with a long naturist tradition, like Myrtiotissa. Complaints can still lead to charges, so be discreet. Stay away from busy family beaches, villages and churches, and cover up when you leave the beach. Some beaches have “No nudity” signs; respect them. This is general information, not legal advice.
For how Greece compares with the rest of Europe, see naturism around the world. And for a reminder that nudity hasn’t always been taboo in Greece, read about the naked athletes of the ancient Olympics.
6. When to go
The best time for a bare swim is June to early October, when the sea is at its warmest. July and August are the hottest and busiest months; June and September are calmer and still warm. Average sea temperatures around Corfu:
- May
- 19°C
- Jun
- 22°C
- Jul
- 24°C
- Aug
- 25°C
- Sep
- 24°C
- Oct
- 22°C
Back home? Find a naturist beach near you on our UK map.