Porto Timoni is a classic day trip destination in Corfu and for good reason. It’s a beautiful, secluded two-sided wild beach complete with the Mediterranean’s cool turquoise waters. The journey to get to this beach itself is half of the experience.
Since it is a wild beach there is no infrastructure (no bathrooms, no drinking water, no shade, no trashcans). Bring your own food, water and supplies and take your trash with you. The beach is popular and not large in surface area so it can get cramped. Good thing there are two sides to choose from!
Useful Map of Porto Timoni
How to get to Porto Timoni Beach
The best jumping-off point to access Porto Timoni Beach is Agios Georgios Pagon. All along this beautiful beach you can find boat hires and rentals for boats, kayaks, paddle boats, stand up paddle boards and mopeds.
By Boat
Hire a boat to take you to Porto Timoni with Porto Timoni Boat Hire if you’re closer to the southern end of Agios Georgios Beach. This option is great if you want to avoid the 25ish minute hike down (and back up) from the trailhead at Afionas to the beach. The boat will cost around 30€/person round trip. They will drop you off and arrange a time to pick you up, communicating via WhatsApp.
Alternatively you can be the captain of your own ship and rent a boat to drive yourself! At Dimitris & Babis Boats located on the northern end of Agios Georgios Beach you can do exactly that. As long as the boat is below 30hp you do not need a license.
By Scooter
For me, this was an unmissable experience. Rent a scooter for 25€ a day and scooter your way up the winding hills to Afionas past villages, olive groves and the amazing view of the sea. I got mine from Alexandros Bikes & Car Rentals just by walking up to the shop the same day (cash only). It’s right on the beach of Agios Georgios Pagon located along on the road that leads to Afionas.
Because I have a basic driver’s license (and not a motorcycle license) I could only rent a 50cc moped. This was more than enough for the short 3km ride to Afionas! In fact the ride was short enough that we did not have to refill the tank. You will have to park in the singular parking lot at Afionas for 5€.
By Paddleboat or Kayak
If you’re feeling adventurous and are up for a workout, don’t rule out renting a paddleboat or kayak from any of the rental stalls along Agios Georgios Beach and making your way to Porto Timoni. I imagine that you would need to rent your manual water vehicle for the whole day to give yourself plenty of time.
By Foot
If you’re feeling really adventurous and want to get your steps in (despite the fact that you are on vacation) you can actually hike from Agios Georgios Beach to Porto Timoni! Start at the very northern end of Agios Georgios Pagon and you will eventually find a trail that leads up the mountain for about 1 kilometer. It will be steep and rocky! At the top you can choose to enter the village of Afionas or make your way down to Porto Timoni Beach. ⚠️ Be aware that this trail may not be well maintained and definitely wear sneakers for this hike ⚠️.
Afionas
Afionas is the tiny traditional village where you access the trailhead for the path to Porto Timoni beach. It beautiful and charming and exactly what I would imagine a small Greek village should be. Complete with magenta bougainvilleas, white washed homes and well-kept stone pathways, it’s full of tiny boutiques, cafes and restaurants with incredible views of the sea.
I stopped to have a wonderful lunch at Anemos, a more upscale restaurant (higher prices/smaller portions) with a patio covered by an awning of dense grapevines. It might have had the best view I’ve ever had with lunch and a beer.
The Hike to Porto Timoni from Afionas
The trailhead is located right after the outdoor cafe Canteen Afionas Corfu. It’s the perfect place to refuel on caffeine for your beach day ahead. Also here is a nearly 360° view of the sea and is ideal for watching the sunset. On Google Maps it’s even called Sunset Viewpoint. Walk towards the giant cross and Greek flag to begin your descent.
The 1-kilometer hike is surprisingly challenging since the sun makes it very hot and the path is rocky and steep especially in sandals. ⚠️ This hike is not shaded from the sun and there are no sources of water at the beach. Bring protection from the sun and drinking water. I highly recommend bringing a beach umbrella. ⚠️
Once you arrive you’ll find two rocky pebble beaches. They are slightly differing temperatures based on their orientation to the sea. The side I preferred was the left beach facing Agios Georgios. There is a large rock in the middle of the cove that you can climb and jump off of. There are wonderful opportunities for snorkeling if you swim along the rocky coast. Look out for starfish!
On the right beach there is more activity in terms of paddle boat rentals and yachts parked in the bay. Across the bay on this side, is actually another small, wild beach which I imagine is accessible by paddle boat.
There’s no avoiding the fact that the hike will be hot and the beach will be crowded, no matter the time of day. So make the best of your beach day and make space for your neighbor!
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Porto Timoni is an excellent day trip for your visit in Corfu. I recommend making your way there via scooter so that you can experience Afionas. Stop for a coffee, beer or lunch and take in the incredible views from the top of the hill. In this case, the journey is just as rewarding as the destination. I mean, what’s better than a wild beach on a Greek island? Enjoy the journey!
❤️ Valerie ⛱