Between Kassiopi and Agios Stefanos on Corfu’s northeast tip there is a stretch of coast with no road along it, no buildings on it, and no way to arrive except on foot or by boat. Erimitis is what the rest of the island’s shoreline looked like before the resorts, and it is the last piece of it left.
What Is Actually There
The peninsula is a mix of low woodland, freshwater lakes, wetland and cliffs, dropping to a series of small pebble beaches. There are four main coves, all unnamed on most maps and unmarked on the ground, separated by rocky headlands.
The lakes behind the shore are unusual for Corfu — small bodies of fresh water surrounded by woodland, close enough to the sea to feel out of place. The whole area supports birdlife, and the vegetation is denser and lower than the olive terraces that cover most of the island.
There are no sunbeds, no bar, no toilets, no shade structures and no signage. That is the entire appeal.
Getting In
Access is on foot along tracks from the surrounding area, or by boat from Kassiopi or Agios Stefanos.
- On foot, the walk in takes roughly twenty to forty minutes from the nearest parking, depending on which cove you are heading for. The tracks are unpaved and unmarked, and there is no water anywhere along them.
- By boat, a self-drive hire boat or a water taxi from Kassiopi drops you directly at the coves. This is by far the easier option and the one most visitors choose.
Parking is informal and limited. If you are driving, a small vehicle is a genuine advantage on the approach tracks.
What to Bring
Treat it as a walk rather than a beach trip.
- More water than you think you need. There is nothing there.
- Proper shoes. The tracks are rough and the coves are pebble and rock.
- Sun protection and shade. Tree cover near the shore is patchy.
- Everything back out with you. Nobody is coming to collect it.
Why It Is Contested
Erimitis has been the subject of a long-running dispute between developers and conservation and local campaign groups. Proposals for tourism development on the peninsula have been advanced repeatedly, and opposed with equal persistence by people who argue it is the last undeveloped coast on an island that has very little left.
The argument is genuinely difficult. Corfu’s economy depends heavily on tourism, and development brings jobs to an area that empties out in winter. Set against that is an irreplaceable landscape and the fact that once this coast is built on, there is no comparable stretch remaining.
Whatever happens, the sensible position for a visitor is simple: go lightly, leave nothing, and do not treat it as a resort beach.
September Is the Right Month
Erimitis in August is hot, exposed and thirsty work. In September the walk in is comfortable, the sea is at its warmest, and the coves are close to deserted. It is also quiet enough that the birdlife around the lakes is actually visible.
Go in the morning or the late afternoon, and allow more time than the distance suggests.
Reach the Northeast with Corfu Compass NSK
Erimitis sits at the far end of the island from the airport, and the approach roads are narrow and lightly signposted. Corfu Compass NSK’s car rental and private transfers make the northeast tip straightforward to reach, and our boat trip options along this coast take the walk out of the equation entirely.
Contact Corfu Compass NSK to plan your trip to Corfu’s wild coast.
