Compare cheap 7 seater car hire at Corfu Airport. Fire-risk closures at Porto Timoni, Corfu Town parking, drives north, the Albania ferry and new traffic fines.
On high fire-risk days, Corfu closes forests and beauty spots such as Porto Timoni to people and cars. Read the section below before you plan a beach day.
Corfu Airport handled 4,618,810 passengers in 2025, and almost a third of them, 1,509,817, came from the UK. No other country comes close (Corfu Airport).
The airport is about 3 km south of Corfu Town (Ionian University), so you are on the island’s busiest roads within minutes of landing. If your villa is in the north or west, a 7 seater does the work of two taxis.
How far it is from Corfu Town
Corfu is bigger than it looks on a map. Road distances from Corfu Town, according to the municipality and the regional authority:
- Agios Gordios: 20 km (Visit Corfu)
- Paleokastritsa: 23 km west (Visit Corfu)
- Sidari and the Canal d’Amour: 36 km (Visit Corfu)
- Kassiopi: about 37 km (Ionian Islands Region)
- Acharavi: 40 km (Visit Corfu)
The kilometres are short, but the roads are not fast. The north is hilly, and the road up Mount Pantokrator, the island’s highest point, winds the whole way. Allow longer than the satnav suggests.
Fire-risk days close the beauty spots
Corfu publishes closures on high fire-risk days. On Category 4 and 5 days, people and vehicles are banned around the clock from Porto Timoni and the islet of Vidos, among other spots. On Category 3 days, the ban runs from 1pm to midnight (Enimerosi).
Forests and protected areas close on those days too. On one Category 3 day in July 2026, entering them carried a fine of about £255 (€300) (Enimerosi).
GOV.UK adds that causing a wildfire is a criminal offence in Greece, even by accident, and warns against lighting barbecues (GOV.UK). Check the daily risk level before a day out in summer.
Porto Timoni on foot
Corfu’s famous double beach has no road to it. You park in Afionas village and walk down a path of about 20 minutes, and the return is uphill (Greek City Times).
With small children, take water and go early, before the heat. Afionas is small, so a 7 seater may need to park at the edge of the village.
Corfu 7 Seaters for the north and west
One search shows the 7 seaters at Corfu with the total price for each, including firms off the airport.
Corfu Town in August
Corfu Town fills up in peak season. For August 2026, the council set up car parks on the edge of town, at Lyriko with 250 spaces plus two smaller sites with 60 each, linked to the centre by city buses. The Corfu Parking app shows how many spaces are free (Enimerosi).
The municipality lists at least ten car parks in town, including free parking on Anapafseos Street next to the airport (Visit Corfu). In past summers, the historic centre has also closed to most cars in the evening (Enimerosi). Use the edge-of-town car parks and walk in.
Taking the car to Albania
Saranda in Albania is a short ferry ride away, and some families think about taking the car. GOV.UK says you must carry a green card as proof of insurance in Albania, and that hire car drivers should check with their hire company first (GOV.UK).
Unless your rental terms allow it in writing, cross as foot passengers and leave the 7 seater in Corfu.
Greece’s new traffic code
Since 1 January 2026, the default limit in Greek towns has been 30 km/h, about 19 mph, with 50 km/h kept on some main roads (To Vima). Speeding up to 20 km/h over costs about £128 (€150).
The new code came into force on 13 September 2025. A phone at the wheel now costs about £298 (€350) and a 30-day suspension (To Vima). Our Heraklion Airport guide lists more of the new penalties.
The drink-drive fines start at 0.50 g of alcohol per litre of blood (Taxheaven). GOV.UK puts the limit at about two-thirds of England’s, so the safe answer is not to drink at all if you are driving.
Paperwork and child seats
GOV.UK says you can drive in Greece on a UK photocard licence, though hire firms often ask for a year’s experience or a higher minimum age (GOV.UK).
Children aged 12 or under must use a child seat or restraint suited to their size and age. If a rear-facing seat goes in the front, the airbag must be switched off (IOAS).
GOV.UK says the Greek authorities have indicated they will not collect fingerprints and photos from UK travellers under the EU Entry/Exit System (GOV.UK).
Picking up at Corfu Airport
The airport lists four car hire firms with desks in the arrivals hall (Corfu Airport). Others meet you outside and take you to a depot nearby, and your voucher will say which.
The car park outside the terminal has 150 spaces, and the first 20 minutes are free (Corfu Airport). That helps on the way home if one adult returns the car while the rest check in.
Seven people, seven cases
A large suitcase holds 80 to 110 litres. With all seven seats in use, the roomiest common 7 seaters manage about 340 to 350 litres of boot.
For a full family with a big case each, look for the ACRISS FV class, meaning seven or more seats plus more space, or book an 8 or 9 seater. Corfu’s hill villages are tight, so do not oversize if you do not need to.
Flying into another Greek island next time? Our Greece guide covers the national rules and the other airports UK families use, including Rhodes and Chania.
Keeping a Corfu 7 Seater affordable
- Compare the total, not the daily rate. Fuel policy, deposit, insurance excess and extra driver charges all sit outside the headline price.
- Keep the car on the island. A ferry trip the terms do not allow can leave you without cover.
- Price child seats per day. Hire firms usually charge per seat, and two or three seats over a fortnight add up. Bringing your own is often cheaper.
- Book early with free cancellation. With a third of passengers from the UK, 7 seaters go fast in the school holidays. Lock in a cancellable rate, then search again nearer the date and rebook if prices fall.
Price a Corfu 7 Seater for your villa
Put in your dates to compare low-cost rates while summer stock lasts.
Questions people ask
How far is Corfu Airport from Corfu Town?
About 3 km. The airport sits just south of the town.
Can I drive to Porto Timoni?
Only as far as Afionas village. From there it is a walk of about 20 minutes down a path, and it can close on high fire-risk days.
Can I take a Corfu hire car to Albania?
Only if your hire firm allows it in writing. GOV.UK says you need a green card for insurance in Albania.
Where can I park in Corfu Town?
Use the edge-of-town car parks, such as Lyriko, and the city buses in August. There is also free parking on Anapafseos Street near the airport.
How do I find a cheap 7 Seater at Corfu Airport?
Compare several hire firms at once. Our search shows 7 seaters from firms in the terminal and nearby, with the total price for each. Summer stock goes quickly, so the earlier you search, the more choice you get.
