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Benitses Corfu resort - tourist holiday information guide

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Benitses resort and the surrounding area..

...Benitses is a former fishing village which has expanded in recent years mainly due to tourism, and  now boasts a yacht harbour (Marina), an ongoing project which among other things includes a parking area and other facilities.
Anyone approaching Benitses from Corfu Town will  first see a large rock with a very thin base in the sea that has been  there for centuries, and features in many old photos and paintings. 
It is the Rabbit Rock, or Laopetra, formed of the characteristic stone of the region, the small coves near here are peaceful, with very shallow and clear water.
Benitses has two creeks coming down from the mountains, one joining the sea at the harbour, and the other at Koutsomaroula, a small bay full of small hotels and rooms to rent, restaurants, bars and shops of every kind, and one of the oldest hotels on the island, the hotel "Avra".

Benitses consists of five settlements, the traditional part that is located between the mountains and is called Panochori (that means "the upper village"), a settlement around the aqueduct named Vaska (reservoir), and another around the old port called Skaloma which is the current commercial centre of the village and has the most shops. The village expanded south through Chontrakia or Kontrakia along the main road to Lefkimi, to Tsaki (chimney), where Benitses ends.

The main occupation of the people was fishing, cultivating oranges and lemons, and tending the olives. 
In the distant past water mills operated in the mountainous part of the village, the river ran through the centre of the old village, until diverted early last century.
The water sources and the aqueduct are still there today and are the reasons why the area has been inhabitated since ancient times, the origin of the name Benitses comes from these springs.
You can find more detailed information on the page devoted to the history of Benitses.

The main street offers the visitor every kind of store - supermarkets, travel agencies, tourist shops, car rentals, restaurants, cafes etc.
The beach has been awarded the EU blue flag, because of the purity of the water, and is an ideal place to enjoy swimming, sailing and water sports.
Recent archaeological excavations have revealed the ruins of ancient Roman public baths  which are well preserved. There is also a sea museum with one of the largest collections of its kind in Europe, with exhibits of shellfish and other rare marine species.
Despite the enormous development of tourism especially in 1980-1990, the village has retained intact almost all its natural beauty, and uniquely combines the attractions of both sea and mountains.
The village is literally resting on the green mountains where there are several isolated small churches, hidden in the trees, such as Agia Paraskevi, Agia Triada on an amazing knoll and others.
Conditions are ideal for biking and hiking on numerous trails leading to the mountainous village of Stavros from where the view of middle and south part of the island is amazing.
The village has also Doctors, Pharmacy, Surgery, Travel Agencies, laundry, Water Sports etc....

Benitses today is in a transitional period, aiming at attracting more discerning visitors by upgrading the infrastructure whilst preserving the traditional look which have never been lost.
The tourist facilities such as apartments, hotels etc are being upgraded to offer a much higher standard, and better service than those in previous decades.
The residents are largely involved in tourism, but do not forget the traditional ways of life, cultivating the olives and citrus fruit, and fishing, especially in winter.

The location of the village makes it a unique place to spend an unforgettable holiday and an ideal base from where you can easily explore the rest of this magnificent island.



Please dip into our Benitses resort information guide to find holiday information that will interest you.  WE WELCOME YOU TO THE BENITSES VISITORS’ GUIDE.

The sea in Benitses

The sea in Benitses is remarkably clean, thanks to a marine plant named Posidonia which you may see on the sea-bed.  This may not appeal to swimmers because of the dark color, but it cleans the water by filtering toxic substances, heavy minerals and carbon dioxide, it provides oxygen and also valuable shelter and food for the young fish, and generally is responsible for the delicious seafood available, as well as for the purity of the water.
The Posidonia meadows are green, but when the leaves gets old they take a dark brown color, separate from the plant and with the help of the tides they end up on the beaches, which are cleaned after the winter storms  so that they are beautifully clean and visitors can enjoy them.
Posidonia is not seaweed as some people mistakenly think, but a valuable marine plant that grows, blooms and multiplies like terrestrial plants,.  Its biggest enemies are the trawlers, the intensive fishing and human ignorance
It is a sign of clean sea and a well balanced environment, only thrives in the cleanest waters of the Mediterranean sea.