Santa Barbara Beach is an endless, mostly wild, sand beach near the village of Perivoli, on the west coast of southern Corfu. The beach is part of a longer stretch of sand beaches between the Korission Lagoon and the island’s southern edge.
How To Get To Santa Barbara Beach
Santa Barbara Beach is located in the tiny village of Potamia, near Perivoli. It can best be reached with a private vehicle, like a rental car, scooter, or boat.
By car, Santa Barbara Beach is a 36-kilometer drive from Corfu Town, which takes between 50 minutes and 1 hour. There is not much space to park at the beach, so you might have to leave your car a bit further away alongside the road. You can also drive to Marathias Beach and park there as this will practically bring you to the same developed area with all the beach bars and restaurants.
Unfortunately, there is no public transport to Santa Barbara Beach. The nearest bus stops are in Marathias (2.3 kilometers away) and Perivoli (3 kilometers away).
Beach Description
Santa Barbara Beach is oriented towards the southwestern direction, which is great for watching the sunset. The beach only has some sparse shade from the surrounding hills and cliffs in the early morning hours.
The beach stretches out over a length of approximately 2 kilometers between Marathias Beach to the north, and the end of the bay to the south. The width of the beach varies between 10 and 40 meters. Confusingly, the names of Santa Barabara and Marathias are sometimes used interchangeably for the same beach and to make things worse, some locals also refer to it al Malta Beach.
The beach and seabed of Santa Barbara Beach are sandy and the seabed has a gentle slope. For the first few meters, the bathing water has a normal depth. The water is very clear and only has small waves, making it very suitable for swimming.
There are only some developments on the northwestern side of the beach. The rest of the coastline is completely natural with turquoise water, golden sand and high hills with dense, green vegetation. Large parts of the beach are situated below high cliffs, creating a secluded atmosphere.
Santa Barbara Beach is also great for long beach walks, watching the sunset, and if you enjoy hiking, you also make a hike through the olive groves on the hills behind the beach.
Facilities At Santa Barbara Beach
Santa Barabara Beach is only organized for a small part in the northwest, where it meets Marathias Beach. There you can find several facilities, including sunbeds and umbrellas for rent, showers, trash bins, several bars and restaurants, and some water sports. The rest of the beach is completely unorganized with no facilities.
