Ipsos Beach Travel Guide
About Ipsos Beach
Ipsos (Ypsos), on the island of Corfu in Greece, was one of the first villages on the island to develop into a holiday resort back in the 1970s. Its reputation was, and still is, based on young Brits on package deals searching for cheap booze and late opening hours. Composed of low-rise buildings, which string around a long, gently-curving bay with a narrow strip of pebble beach, it lies on the busy main road cutting between the beach and the village itself, merging into slightly more upmarket Dassia to the south and Pirgi to the north. The hotels are mainly 2-star, and there are also apartments and rooms to let, plus three campsites. Countless bars and discos line the seafront, and while many employ touts to try to lure in passers-by for a drink, it is generally more low-key than Corfu's prime party destination, Kavos, on the southern tip of the island.
Beach:
Ipsos Beach is a 1.5km-long (1 mile) stretch composed of pebbles and sometimes referred to as the Christo Mili (Golden Mile), it has been awarded a Blue Flag for cleanliness. Its slight drawback is that it is very narrow, only 4-8m (13-26ft) wide, and is backed directly by the busy main road. It is equipped with sun beds and umbrellas, and two large, purpose-built jetties offer watersports facilities, including ringos, banana boats, parasailing and water skiing, plus boat hire and paddle boats.
Beyond the beach:
Sleeping off hangovers seems to take up a fair proportion of most visitors' time, but those who feel up to it might make a one-day boat trip along the coast to other resorts such as Kassiopi, while the more adventurous could try scuba diving with Waterhoppers Diving Centre (on the main road, at the north end of Ipsos, close to Pirgi harbour, www.waterhoppers.gr).
Family fun:
Ipsos Beach is suitable for kids as the sea shelves gradually into deeper water, but the busy main road calls for supervision. One hour south of Kassiopi, in Agios Ioannis on the main road to Glyfada, lies Aqualand water park (www.aqualand-corfu.com), a vast complex of pools, giant Jacuzzi and slides, plus a bouncy castles, an adventure playground and a games arcade. There is also a go-kart track (west of the main road) in Ipsos.
Exploring further:
The island's elegant capital, Corfu Town, is stunningly beautiful with a romantic mix of Venetian, French and British architecture dating back several centuries. Alternatively, take a day trip by boat to Albania to visit Butrint National Park with its UNESCO-protected Greek and Roman archaeological site, and the seaside resort of Saranda.
