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Beach Corfu Hiking Map 2 Nature

Hiking Down to the Best Beach in Corfu, Giali!

(GPX map to Giali beach at bottom)

It was a sunny day in Corfu, Greece. Nothing uncommon for a summer day here in the Ionian Sea. We had just gone to the Corfu Donkey Rescue. It was our first time and we enjoyed it. There are over 40 donkeys, one horse, and a bunch of cats. It is a nice place to visit with a warm welcome from volunteers from all over the world.

Fun fact: Donkeys can recognize areas and other donkeys they were with 25 years in the past.

Next, we were sitting at the studios that I rent out to travelers from all over. We both had the day off and were trying to figure out our next adventure for the day. We always like finding new experiences so we were thinking of places we had never been. I made the suggestion of Giali Beach.

Things to know about Giali Beach:

  • Giali Beach is a wild beach in the village of Giannades, Corfu.
  • Giali means glass in Greek
  • It is only accessible by boat or hiking down
  • Hiking down is a bit dangerous
  • Early in the morning Goats come down to drink water
  • Giali Beach has the best souvenir pebbles
  • There is no service at Giali Beach

Our Decision

I have been to Giali plenty of times by boat and by foot, but this year maybe only twice. Elisa has only been once, last year and that day wasn’t a great day to go. It was windy, cold and the waves were huge. Today, being a gorgeous day we knew it would be a totally different experience.

As we were driving back home we made a deal that we would take a maximum 5 minutes to get ready and be out the door to go to Giannades to start the hike.

We had to change pack some things to eat and drink, grab the towels and leave. We walk in the door and I set the timer!

GOAL ACHIEVED!

Just kidding. It took us double the time because we were continuously talking, but that doesn’t matter because we were enjoying ourselves.

We got in the car put on some good music and we were off for what we knew would be a good day!

The CHURCH

When you get to this church Chapel of Prophet Elias you can park your car here. It is a wonderful church located with nothing around it. You are under a bunch of trees so it is a great place to have a picnic.

Take a walk around, enjoy the scenery then be on your way down the path to Giali Beach.

START

After walking around the beautiful church, enjoying nature, the cool fresh air, and getting a huge feeling of gratitude, you are ready to start your hike to Giali Beach.

Go back on the main road by foot and take a left down a rocky road. It will be downhill the whole way there. It will be slippery because of the rocks so be careful.

After about 10-15 minutes of walking, you will arrive to a more narrow path. You will be under trees for about 5 minutes and then come out to a beautiful view of Giali Beach.

Take a picture.

Now it starts to get a little bit more dangerous, but they have added ropes and some ladders to make it easier for you. However, still take precautions and don’t go down with flip-flops! I have seen plenty of girls going down with flip flops and I can only imagine how much more difficult it is.

Elisa is a little afraid of heights so it was a big accomplishment for her to get down with no problem at all! If you don’t try to face your fears. It will just lead to more fears. There’s no standing still in this world. Either you choose to move forward or you fall backward. It is your choice.

Arrived

40 minutes later we arrived. It was amazing. The air was so fresh. Half of the beach was in shade, half in sun. Some people not many and nature. We laid out our towel, put on our bathing suits and jumped into the water. We had originally laid out our towels in the shade. However, after getting out of the water being in the shade was really cold so we went into the sun.

10 minutes later the sun passed us again so we packed up our things and moved into the sun again. This happened a couple of times, so eventually, we just moved closer to the other side of the beach. I never realized how fast the earth turns!

We laid there for a while enjoying the fresh air, and the peaceful sounds of the sea. We packed some watermelon, so we took it out to eat.

#TIP- Try putting feta on watermelon!

The pebbles at Giali are very unique. Each one has its own color, design and shape. The beach is mostly pebbles but they are just the right size so it doesn’t hurt your feet. It is also too big so they don’t get stuck on you and make you dirty like sand.

Return

When the shade starts to cover the whole beach, it is a good time to start heading back. Fortunately, going back is much easier than coming. It is also much safer.

When you get back to the car another great place to see an amazing view probably right around this time too since it is time for the sunset is Grouza. Contact me personally for me to tell you how to get there!

Dinner

If you are now very hungry from the hike and great experience, wondering where to go for dinner now, I have the answer. Maragkos Grill! This restaurant is owned by my friend Akis. You will find amazing food here at a great price, and a fantastic view. However, be prepared to wait a little bit for your food if he is busy.

Feel free to contact me at any time with questions. My Instagram is mycorfuexperience.

Have a great time in Corfu!

Click on icons for descriptions

Dark red is Giali

You will see this on the path along the way!

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