Corfu, Greece
Two Venetian fortresses, an old town with Italian arcades and French promenades, and green hills that run down to clear coves. Here’s how to spend your day on Corfu.
Greece with a Venetian accent
Corfu sits at the mouth of the Adriatic, closer to Italy than to Athens, and four centuries of Venetian rule followed by French and British rule left it looking unlike any other Greek island. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: two fortresses, the arcaded Liston promenade, the wide Spianada square and a tangle of lanes around the Church of St. Spyridon.
Beyond town, the island is green and hilly, with the Achilleion palace built for Empress Elisabeth of Austria, the view of Mouse Island from Kanoni and the cliffs and coves of Paleokastritsa on the west coast. Below are the private tours we’d book, the cruise line favorites and the answers to the questions we hear most about Corfu.
Where you’ll dock
Cruise ships in Corfu dock at the New Port on the northwest edge of Corfu Town. On the busiest days a ship may anchor and tender instead, so check your itinerary.
New Port (Neo Limani)
Ships tie up along a long breakwater, and depending on your berth it can be a third of a mile or more to the terminal building. Port shuttle buses carry passengers between the ship and the terminal. The Old Town is about one to two miles away, so ask your advisor about your ship’s shuttle into town (often extra cost) or book a tour that starts at the port.
Used by: Azamara, Celebrity, Cunard, Explora Journeys, Holland America, MSC, Norwegian, Oceania, Princess, Regent, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, Silversea, Viking, Virgin Voyages and Windstar.
Excursions we’d book
Hand-picked shore excursions from local operators, bookable through our partner Project Expedition. Every tour here carries Project Expedition’s Back to Ship Guarantee. Prices are per person and can change; check the live price when you book.
Private Tour: Achillion, Kanoni & Corfu Town
A private half day that takes in the Achilleion palace and its gardens, the view of Mouse Island from Kanoni and a stroll through Corfu’s UNESCO-listed Old Town. Pickup is as close to the ship as the port allows, and the tour runs about four hours.
View on Project ExpeditionPrivate Shore Excursion: Corfu Beaches: Paleokastritsa & Glyfada
A private half day on the west coast: Paleokastritsa, with its monastery and turquoise coves, then Glyfada Beach. A boat trip to the sea caves, sunbeds and drinks cost extra. About four hours from the port.
View on Project ExpeditionThe Back to Ship Guarantee and refunds if your ship skips Corfu are covered by Project Expedition’s shore excursion terms. Your advisor can walk you through them.
Cruise line favorites
Book these in your cruise planner. Ship-sold tours cost a bit more, but the ship waits for you if the tour runs late.
- Achilleion & Corfu Town. The palace of Empress Elisabeth (Sisi), with its gardens and statue of Achilles, paired with time in the Old Town. One of the most popular tours on the island.
- Paleokastritsa & the west coast. Cliffs, coves and a 13th-century monastery on the hill. Many versions add a short boat ride to the sea caves when the water is calm.
- Panoramic Corfu. A scenic drive through olive groves and hill villages to lookouts over both coasts, a good choice if you’d rather see the island than walk it.
- Mon Repos & Old Town walk. The estate where Prince Philip was born, with a small museum and ancient temple ruins in the park, followed by a guided walk through the Old Town.
Exploring without a tour
Prefer to explore at your own pace? These are the highlights to know, wherever your day takes you. Keep an eye on the clock.
The Liston & Spianada
The arcaded Liston, modeled on Paris’s Rue de Rivoli, faces the Spianada, one of the largest squares in Greece. Cricket is still played on the green, a leftover from British rule.
The Old Fortress
A Venetian fortress on a rocky headland, with a Doric-style church and views back over the town and out to the mainland. Entry costs extra.
St. Spyridon & the lanes
The red-domed bell tower of St. Spyridon, the island’s patron saint, rises above lanes full of olive-wood carvings, kumquat liqueur and cafés.
Before you go ashore
- All-aboard is firm. Allow time for the walk or shuttle back along the breakwater, and for traffic on busy days. If you book independently, plan to be back at the pier an hour before all-aboard.
- Itineraries can change. Lines sometimes swap Corfu with another port or change the day, especially on busy summer weeks. If that happens, the cruise line usually cancels and refunds its own tours; independent tours follow their own policy, so read it when you book.
- Private car and driver. Several lines sell a private car and driver in Corfu, and some ask for each guest’s passport details well in advance. If you want one, ask your advisor early.
- Late departure? Plan dinner. Some ships stay into the evening. If yours does, a dinner in the Old Town is a lovely way to end the day; ask your advisor for ideas well before you sail.
- Greece charges a small cruise fee. Greece adds a per-person fee for every Greek port you visit: €5 from June through September, €3 in April, May and October and €1 from November through March. Most lines add it to your onboard account.
- Traveling with mobility needs? The Old Town is cobbled and partly stepped, and the pier walk can be long. If you or someone in your party has mobility needs, tell your advisor when you book. Our accessibility specialist can help arrange the right support.
Sailing to Corfu
Adriatic, Greek Isles and Eastern Mediterranean itineraries call here, often sailing from Venice (or nearby Ravenna and Trieste), Athens (Piraeus) or Rome (Civitavecchia).Find a cruisePlan with Harr Travel
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