Benitses Corfu
Benitses, once a traditional, beautiful fishing village, is now one of the most beautiful places to spend your holidays on Corfu Island.
Famous for its idyllic, natural beauty, it was expected that with the passage of time it would become an amazing tourist resort.
It is a village that stretches along the road, next to the sea, surrounded by green hills, maintaining its traditional profile without losing its charm. But apart from its unrivalled natural enchantment, the village of Benitses has many attractions to offer explorers.
The area is filled with old buildings that radiate grandeur, and paths that grow along the sides of the mountain, offering a breathtaking view for those who dare to walk them. These paths lead to natural springs, idyllic little churches and quiet little villages nearby.
The village of Benitses has been in existence for hundreds of years. Its history dates back to ancient times, since the first sources proving its ancient history date back to the 15th century. It was first settled in 1469 and one of the reasons why a large number of people permanently inhabited it was the plentiful water resources of this place, which still supplies the entire island today.
In fact, ruins of Roman baths have been discovered, which is only the tip of the iceberg in revealing the importance of this area. Archaeological excavations have revealed various artifacts that prove that this area was not only a vibrant place of living, but also a sacred area for the island.
But perhaps the most impressive sight is the stone-built aqueduct, Corfu’s most important water supply project, built during the British administration of the island. These monuments testify the area’s cultural heritage and its historical importance to Corfu.
Of course, during your exploration, you should not miss the opportunity to visit the Achilleion, the royal palace located just 3 km from Benitses. It is a three-storey building constructed in 1890 by the Empress of Austria-Hungary Elizabeth, also known as “Sissy”, which is nowadays used as a museum.
The building combines the classical Doric and Ionic styles and is decorated with many statues of ancient gods, philosophers and personalities. Among them, the statue of Achilles dominates the courtyard of the palace, which bears his name. After Elizabeth’s death, the palace was purchased by Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany, who used it as a summer residence, as mentioned above.
Benitses is an ideal destination for any kind of tourism you choose to do, as it offers its visitors moments of peace and relaxation through its lush vegetation and excellent beaches, many historical sites to explore and tour, but also many different options to have fun every hour of the day.
In the beautiful area of Benitses, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of culinary options in dozens of restaurants. You will find restaurants that offer traditional Greek and mainly Corfiot cuisine, grills, Chinese restaurants, fish taverns with fresh fish, pizzerias, gelaterie, many cafeterias, everything that can satisfy your palate.
Corfu’s long history under the Venetian rule had a positive influence on the cuisine of the area. Corfiot cuisine is a mixture of Greek and Italian influences with an emphasis on seafood and fish, which is the speciality of the inhabitants of Benitses, a region with historical ties to the sea and fishing.
If you are interested in a relaxed drink with soft music until late, Benitses can offer you that generously. The only thing this village lacks is that it has no options to please those who like a lively nightlife. Benitses is a more suitable destination for a more family-oriented, relaxing holiday.
As for the beaches, Benitses has countless options for swimming, since the entire coastline of Benitses has crystal clear waters, which is why many of the village’s beaches have been awarded with the blue flag.
There are pebble beaches in the area, some organized and some free, some with water sports facilities and others with boat hire. It is important to emphasize that wherever you choose to take a dip, you will always have access to whatever you ask for, even at the quietest ones.
The stunning destination of Benitses combines sea and mountain, modern life and rich history, a place to be discovered. To do this in comfort, you will need a rental car to tour all the secrets of the region and the traditional villages around it if you are a lover of exploration.
Even if you’re not, Benitses is just 12 kilometers from Corfu town and with a car you can enjoy everything the center has to offer in just half an hour or so: shopping, nightlife, museums, beaches and more, without having to deal with the hassle of public transport.
