Everything you must-know about Corfu (Kerkyra) cruise port in Greece: where cruise ships dock, the top attractions in the Old Town, shopping, dining, basics and more ...
The Greek island of Corfu has a lot to offer. Corfu's old town, the Achilleion Palace, and the monastery of Paleokastritsa are top highlights to visit, but there are many other attractions to enjoy beyond the sites drenched in history.
Contents
- Where is Corfu
- Where cruise ships dock
- How to get to Town
- Top Things To Do in Corfu
- Top attractions in the Old Town
- Shore excursions (Shorex)
- Beyond the Old Town
- Shopping
- Dining and Corfiot Food
- Must-know: tourist info, language and currency
Overview
With over 650.000 cruise passengers visiting the island every year, on more than 450 ships, Corfu is one of the most popular cruise destinations in Greece and a top attraction on many cruise itineraries in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Corfu is a place to enjoy historical sites, nature and tasting the fruits of life. Known as the greenest island in Greece, it is lush with abundant wild plant life.
The island has a mountainous landscape, with the highest mountain being 914 meters, and a dramatic coastline that attracts cruise visitors to seaside villages and wonderful beaches.
The Old Town is a UNESCO world heritage site with a good number of historical landmarks, museums and cultural sites to explore.
Photo: © IQCruising.com
Where is Corfu (Kerkyra)
Corfu aka Kerkyra (Κέρκυρα in Greek) is an island located a few miles off the west coast of Greece in what is known as the Ionian sea. Although it is a relatively small island, Corfu is the second largest of the Ionian Islands (Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Ithaca, and Lefkada are the other major ones).
The northern tip of the island is just 2 miles from Albania, separated by a strait, whilst the southern part lies 18 miles from the Western Coast of mainland Greece.
Where is the cruise port in Corfu?
Cruise ships dock in the New Port (Neo Limani) just a couple of miles from the main attraction in the island: Corfu's Old Town, a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the main reason why cruise ships visit this Greek island.
Port of Corfu
Photo: Public Domain
As you can see on the photo above, the port in Corfu is on a large bay and cruise ships berth at different piers. There is a cruise terminal building with all services and amenities close to to the long L-shaped pier on the western side of the the port.
On the other berths, which are closer to the exit gates of the port, cruise travelers will not find any services or amennities. But there is a shuttle bus to the cruise terminal. However, when docking at the eastern side of the port you will be much closer to Corfu's Old Town.
How to get from the cruise port to Corfu's Old Town?
The Old Town is around 2 miles (3 km) from the cruise port. Although the walk to Corfu Town is pleasant and has a few interesting landmarks along the way, on summer hot days, a taxi might be preferable costing around €10.00 each way.
Some cruise lines provide a shuttle to the Old Town. Depending on the cruise line, this can be a paid service. The public bus is the most affordable transportation to the Old Town, with tickets costing €1.90. However, be aware that you will need cash to pay the driver.
Top Things to do on a cruise to Corfu
Here are the top things to do on a cruise to Costa Maya:
- Explore Corfu's Old Town.
How: get to the Old Town on foot (around 30 minute-walk), on a sightseeing hop-on hop-off from the port, on a shuttle bus, or with a shore excursion. Top Attractions: Saint Spyridon Church, Liston, Spianada, Square of the Saint, Town Hall Square. Read our in-depth reviews to learn more about the major landmarks in the Old Town. - Visit the religious sites of Corfu.
Corfu has such a rich history that the cruise traveler will have the opportunity to visit very interesting and diverse religious sites like the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, the Catholic Cathedral, the Synagogue or the Church of Saints Jason and Sosipater. Read our reviews of the top 7 religious sites in Corfu to learn more about these sites. - Visit the museums of Corfu's Old Town.
In the Old Town, cruise visitors will find eight unique museums to visit. The Museum of Asian Art and the Antivouniotissas (Byzantine) Museum are unique in their own right. But there are other interesting museums with rare exhibits to visit. - Mon Repos Palace and the Achilleion Palace
The Achilleion Palace and the Mon Repos Palace are two of Corfu's most beloved attractions. The former was a summer retreat for Elizabeth, the Empress of Austria, known as Sissi. The latter is particularly notable because it was the birthplace of Prince Phillip, the husband of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Both palaces are reviewed on our page dedicated to the top things to do in Corfu. - Paleokastritsa Monastery and traditional villages
Relatively close to the cruise port, the Paleokastritsa Monastery is a highlight included on full-day shore excursions of the island. These tours also include visits to wonderful, quaint, traditional villages. Check our reviews of the top attractions on the island of Corfu beyond the Old Town. - Beaches
Cruise travelers not interested in heritage sites will find spectacular beaches close to Corfu's cruise port. Most of these beaches offer water-related activities: be it jet skiing, canoeing, surfing, or scuba. Read our page about beaches and outdoor activities in Corfu to learn more.
Attractions in the Old Town
Corfu Town aka Old Town is picturesque and vibrant. It sits in the middle of two fortress, the Old and New fortresses, both built by the Venetians in the 15th century.
St. George Church - Old Fort
Photo by joanbanjo CC-By-SA
Cruise travelers will find much to see in the Old Town, with most attractions concentrated close to the Liston and the Spianada, such as:
- Saint Spyridon Church
- Palace of Saint Michael and Saint George
- Museum of Asian Art
- Banknote Museum
- St. George Church
- Old Fort
- Municipal Gallery
- Reading Society
- Byzantine Museum
- Solomos Museum
- Museum of Banknotes
- Music Museum "Mantzaros"
- Serbian Museum
- Old Fortress
- Byzantine Collection
- Municipal Theatre
- New Fortress
- Archaeological Museum
The Old Town is very easy to explore on your own and delight to meander and discover its nooks and crannies.
Beyond Corfu Old Town
Just one mile south of the Old Town, in the area known as Kanoni, the Mon Repos Palace is a must see and always included in tours of the highlights of Corfu.
Sculpture in the Achilleion Palace
Photo by Thomas Schoch CC by SA
The Achilleion Palace, near the Village of Gastouri (10 km south of the Old Town), is another highlight not to be missed and also always included in shore excursions.
Pontikonisi, just off Kanoni
Photo by stefanos kozanis public domain
The Vido Island (not Vidos as you may find misspelled on most Travel Guides) is right across the Old Town and, farther away, the Paleokastritsa Monastery, or the villages of Kassiopi, Agios Matheos and Pelekas are wonderful sites to be enjoyed on a full day excursion.
Paleokastritsa Monastery
Photo Copyright IQCruising.com
These are all the most interesting attractions for cruise passengers to visit outside Corfu's Old Town:
- Mon Repos Palace
- Achilleion Palace
- Vido Islan
- Paleokastritsa Monastery
- Agios Matheos village
- Pelekas village
If you are not interested in cultural heritage and historical sites, there are also many exciting activities in the island, in particular, for those traveling with young families. There is a good number of wonderful beaches, an excellent golf course and horse riding is a must do.
- Kontokali Beach (pebbles)
- Benitses Beach (sand and pebbles)
- Dassia Beach (sand and pebbles)
- Ipsos Beach (sand)
- Glyfada Beach
- Mirtiotissas Beach
- Barbati Beach
- Agios Gordios Beach
- Messonghi Beach
- Nissaki Beach
- Paleokastritsa Beach
- Issos Beach
- Sidari and Canal d'Amour Beach
Shore excursions and tours
Obviously, all cruise lines offer many and diverse shore excursions in Corfu. Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean offer as many 10 shore excursions. Carnival lists 12 shore excursions. Norwegian Cruise Line has available 15 shore excursions. Oceania Cruises organizes 34 shore excursions, and Princess has 24 excursions available.
There are also excursions offered by the following reputable private online services and local tour operators:
Shopping in Corfu
Because Corfu is one of the most famous and visited Greek Islands there are lots of shops with local souvenirs, gifts, and crafts. Olives, kumquats, and honey are harvested locally and make flavorful treats.
Shopping in Corfu
Photo Courtesy of Land of Corfu Natural Products
You can take home the flavors of Corfu in kumquat liqueur or jam and fresh-pressed olive oil.
On Nikifóros Street, which runs through the heart of the Old Town you will find many unique shops. Here are our favorite shops in Corfu to take home a great gift or a souvenir when calling at the cruise port of Corfu for the day:
- The Land of Corfu
- Patounis' Soap
- Corfu Sandals
- Icon Gallery
- Hartokouto souvenirs
- Corfu Gallery
The shops above are worth a visit and we dedicated a full page with reviews of our favorite shops of Corfu.
Dining and Corfiot Food
Don't forget to "taste" the island as Corfu is filled with local delicacies and traditional Corfiot food. Dishes like Pastitsada and Sofrito are mouth-watering traditions found in most restaurants on the island. Here is a list of our favorite restaurants in Corfu:
- Aegli Restaurant
- Bellissimo Restaurant
- Da Giovanni Restaurant
- Rex Restaurant
- The Venetian Well Restaurant
- Taverna Rouvas
Cruise visitors to Corfu should not miss lunch, a light fare, or a quick bite in one of our favorite restaurants in the Old Town.
Must-know: tourist info, language, and currency
Tourist Info
There are Tourist Information kiosks outside all cruise terminals in Piraeus port.
Language
Greek is the official language but English is widely spoken. Piraeus and specially Athens are such tourist magnets that the English speaking cruise passenger will easily communicate with locals pretty much everywhere.
Currency
The legal tender in Greece is the Euro (€) (EUR). US$ dollars or any other currency are NOT accepted in Greece.
Corfu Basics
| Language: | Greek is the official language. English is widely spoken. |
|---|---|
| Currency: | The Euro (€) is the official currency and legal tender. |
| ATM's: | In the Old Town and also at the cruise terminal. |
| Wi-Fi: | It is available at the Cruise Ship Terminal, and also in some restaurants and Coffee Shops in the Old Town. |
| Post Office: | Close to San Rocco Square on Leoforos Alexandros Avenue. |
| Opening Times: | Most shops in the Old Town will be open from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm. However, most public services will close for a lunch break between 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm. |
| Rent-a-Car: | The cruise passenger will find car rental services at the terminal. |
| Driving: | Driving is on the right. |
Corfu Island - Map
Corfu Cruise Port Video
Watch the 3-minute video below to have a preview of what the Corfu Cruise Port looks like.
