CorfuCruise Port Guide
Venetian forts, the Liston promenade, or a boat out to the Blue Caves. Timed plans, real prices, and the old town you can reach on foot.
Welcome to Corfu
Pro Picks
Shore excursion · 5 hrsPaleokastritsa beach and Old Town shore excursion
A bus from the cruise terminal crosses the island to Paleokastritsa's cliff-backed bay for beach time and the hilltop monastery, then loops through Corfu Town and leaves you free in the Old Town before taking you back to the ship. Wear beachwear under your clothes; the listing says to bring it.
From $42.39/ person
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Food tour · 3 hrsOld Town walking tour with food tastings
A small-group walk past the Old Fortress, the British-era palace and St. Spyridon church, stopping for cheese pie, loukoumades (Greek doughnuts), halva and local ginger beer before a sit-down lunch. It meets at the Schulenburg statue by the Old Fortress, about a 30-minute walk from the terminal.
From $100.79/ person
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Boat trip · 75 minPirate ship cruise along the Corfu Town coast
Seventy-five minutes on a mock pirate ship along the town's waterfront, past both fortresses and Garitsa Bay to Mouse Island and the Vlacherna monastery, where planes land just overhead. It suits families; swap your voucher at the Black Rose ticket counter before boarding, and bad weather can cancel it.
From $17.92/ person
Book Now →Your time ashore
Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
Corfu in 3 hours
Olive oil tasting
Olive oil tasting in the Old Town
A 40-minute private tasting of Corfu olive oils with a host who explains how to judge them. It's at The Olive House on Nikiforou Theotoki street in the Old Town, roughly half an hour's walk from the terminal.
From$15.40
Time required40 minutes
Wine tasting
Greek wine tasting near Liston
A sommelier pours Greek boutique wines in a 10-seat tasting room: four wines in an hour, or six in two. It's on a pedestrian street a short walk from Liston, about half an hour on foot from the ship.
From$50.21
Time required1 - 2 hours
Walking tour
Small-group Old Town walking tour
A guided walk through Liston, the palace, the Town Hall square and St. Spyridon church in 1.5 to 2.5 hours. It starts at the Schulenburg statue by the Old Fortress, roughly 30 minutes' walk from the terminal.
From$66.93
Time required1.5 - 2.5 hours
Corfu in 5 hours
Sightseeing shore excursion
Kanoni viewpoint and Old Town tour
A guide meets you at the terminal exit and drives to the Kanoni viewpoint over Mouse Island and the Vlacherna monastery, past Mon Repos, then leaves time in the Old Town. Reviews are mixed (3.5 stars); give your ship's name when booking.
From$39.05
Time required4 hours
Countryside food tour
Villages, olive oil and wine tour
A drive into the hills to two traditional villages, a family-run olive oil mill and museum with a tasting, and a viewpoint over Paleokastritsa. It starts from an office in Corfu Town, so allow the walk or a taxi there.
From$89.26
Time required4 hours
Corfu in 7 hours
Cooking class
Greek cooking class with market visit
Shop the town market with your host, then cook Greek salad, tzatziki, cheese pie and slow-cooked pork in a wood oven at a country house and eat what you made. It meets at the Old Port, about 20 minutes' walk from the ship, and runs six hours.
From$111.89
Time required6 hours
Beach & town shore excursion
Paleokastritsa beach and Old Town by bus
The bus leaves from inside the cruise terminal for Paleokastritsa's beach and monastery, then Corfu Town, and brings you back to the ship. Five hours on the tour leaves a cushion before all-aboard.
From$42.39
Time required5 hours
Within a stroll of the boat
Six stops on foot from the New Port cruise terminal, starting with the New Fortress about 20 minutes along the seafront. The nearest place to swim near the Corfu cruise port is Faliraki, below the Old Fortress, about half an hour's walk.
Landmark · 1.0 mi · ~22 min
New Fortress
The Venetian fortress above the Old Port, the first big sight on the walk in. It's open mornings and early afternoon in season and closed on Tuesdays.
Market · 1.2 mi · ~26 min
Corfu town market
Corfu's town market, just below the New Fortress walls. The cooking class on this page starts here, shopping for the day's produce.
Church · 1.3 mi · ~28 min
Church of St. Spyridon
The Old Town church that holds the relics of St. Spyridon, a stop on both guided Old Town walks.
Plaza · 1.4 mi · ~29 min
Liston
The arcaded, stone-paved promenade on the edge of the Spianada, where the walking tours and the shore excursion both stop.
Landmark · 1.6 mi · ~33 min
Old Fortress
The Venetian fortress on its own headland past the Spianada. Tickets are €10, and it stays open into the evening for most of the cruise season.
Beach · 1.5 mi · ~31 min
Faliraki swimming spot
The closest swim to the ship: no sand, just stone steps and a platform into the sea below the Old Fortress, with a bar and sunbeds.
Handy Helpers
Small things that make a port day easier.
Private Driver, Waiting at the Dock
A pre-booked driver meets you at the dock for a fixed price. No haggling, no waiting for a taxi to fill.
Bike rental
Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.
Travel eSIM
Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in Corfu.
Quick answers
Facts last checked .
How we checked these answers
Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.
Getting ashore
Where do cruise ships dock in Corfu?
Cruise ships usually dock at Corfu's New Port (Neo Limani), the same harbour the ferries to Italy, mainland Greece and Albania use, rather than tendering. Every line calls there, and the Corfu Port Authority's 2026 schedule lists MSC most often, along with Viking, Norwegian, Holland America, Costa, Princess, Celebrity, Virgin Voyages, Disney and Carnival. A free shuttle usually takes you from the berth to the cruise terminal building.
Can you walk to Corfu Old Town from the cruise port?
Yes, you can walk from the Corfu cruise terminal to the Old Town: the Old Port and New Fortress are about 1 mile (around 20 minutes) along the flat seafront road, and Liston and the Spianada about 1.4 miles (25–30 minutes). There's little shade on the way, so carry water. The stroll map shows the walk with times to each stop.
What is there to do in Corfu from a cruise ship?
Yes: Corfu's Old Town is a 20 to 30-minute walk from the cruise terminal, and strolling its lanes, the Spianada and the Liston promenade costs nothing. The terminal itself has a duty-free shop, an information desk, an ATM and free Wi-Fi. Two shore excursions leave straight from the terminal, one to the beach at Paleokastritsa, and the nearest swim on foot is Faliraki below the Old Fortress, about half an hour away.
Is there a shuttle from the Corfu cruise port to town?
There's no public shuttle from the Corfu cruise port into town, though a free shuttle usually runs inside the port from your ship to the terminal, and many ships run their own (free or paid) shuttle to the Old Fortress area. Otherwise the blue city buses leave from the port: lines 16 and 17 go to the Old Town, for €1.10 bought in advance or €1.70 on board.
How much is a taxi from the Corfu cruise port to the Old Town?
A taxi from the Corfu cruise terminal to the Old Town costs about €10 per cab, by guide estimates; there's no published flat fare. Taxis wait right outside the terminal. Agree the price before you get in and make clear it's per cab, not per person; many drivers will also pitch island tours.
How do I get from the Corfu cruise port to the airport?
Blue city bus line 15 links the Corfu cruise port with the airport, running via San Rocco Square in town. A ticket is €1.10 if you buy it before boarding, €1.70 from the driver, or €5 for a day ticket. The port stop is behind the ferry ticket offices.
Can I rent a car at the Corfu cruise port?
Yes, car rental desks operate inside the Corfu cruise terminal. Cruise Critic notes renters need to be over 21 and have held a licence for at least a year. Only take one on a long port day, and plan the drive back around your all-aboard time.
Beaches & water
Can you walk to a beach from the Corfu cruise port?
Yes, but not to a sandy one: the nearest place to swim from the Corfu cruise port is Faliraki, below the Old Fortress, about 1.5 miles (roughly 30 minutes) on foot. There's no beach there; you get in from stone steps or a platform, and a bar rents sunbeds (whether entry is charged varies). Sandy beaches like Dassia need a taxi or bus.
Things to do
What are the Old Fortress hours and ticket price?
The Old Fortress in Corfu Town costs €10 (€5 reduced), according to Greece's Ministry of Culture ticketing site Hellenic Heritage. It's open 08:00–20:00 from April to August, closing a little earlier through September and October (18:00 from 16 October), and 08:30–15:30 from November to March; last entry is 20 minutes before closing. It's about a 33-minute walk from the cruise terminal.
Can I do the Paxos and Antipaxos cruise on a port day?
Only on a long port day: the Paxos, Antipaxos and Blue Caves day cruise leaves Corfu at 08:20, with boarding from 07:40 to 08:10, and runs 7 to 12 hours. If your ship arrives at 8 a.m. or leaves mid-afternoon, it won't fit; a shorter boat trip along the town coast, like the pirate ship cruise, will.
Do shops in Corfu close in the afternoon?
Yes, many shops and some sights in Corfu close for an afternoon break, roughly 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. If your ship arrives after lunch, plan shopping for the late afternoon and head for places with set opening hours, like the Old Fortress, first.
Money & documents
What currency does Corfu use, and are cards accepted?
Corfu uses the euro, and cards are widely accepted in Corfu Town. There's an ATM in the cruise terminal and plenty more in town, so carry a few euros for buses, small shops and tips. Tipping is less expected in Greece than in the U.S., though a little extra is welcome for good service.
Do I need a passport for Corfu on a cruise?
Greece is in the EU's Schengen area, where the EU says a non-EU visitor's passport must be valid for 3 months after leaving and issued within the last 10 years; US citizens can visit Corfu for up to 90 days without a visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System applies to non-EU visitors, so follow your cruise line's instructions for going ashore. If you have to fly home, US citizens need a passport book or another accepted air-travel document.
Safety & connectivity
Is Corfu safe for cruise visitors?
Yes, Corfu is generally safe for cruise visitors: the US State Department rates Greece Level 1, "Exercise Normal Precautions," its lowest advisory level.
Is there Wi-Fi at the Corfu cruise port?
Yes, the Corfu cruise terminal has free Wi-Fi. On your own phone, the EU's "roam like at home" rules don't cover US carriers, so check your plan's rates for Greece before you switch on data.