How to do Corfu Town in a day

Antonia Windsor

Antonia Windsor

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007, Corfu Town is compact, atmospheric and ideal for those cruising into port with just a day to spare. By the time your ship moors, the ochre rooftops and shuttered façades of Corfu Town* will already be glowing in the morning sun.

Known locally as Kerkyra, this handsome island capital combines Venetian flair, British order and Greek soul; a rare Mediterranean* mix best experienced on foot at a leisurely pace. Here, our travel writer cruising into port, Antonia Windsor, advises how to spend a few rewarding hours ashore.

Getting there: sail into port with Marella Cruises*, which has affordable itineraries to Corfu Town*, among other destinations in Greece*.

Soak in the Old Town

If you get the local bus into town, you'll arrive at Saroko Square on the eastern edge of the Old Town. From here, it's a short stroll before you hit the narrow lanes, called kantounia, that define Corfu's Old Town.

Venetian-style buildings rise several storeys high with attractive green-painted shutters at the windows, and the ground-floor rooms house excellent independent shops. Despite the high tourist traffic, the wares are surprisingly appealing and not overpriced.

White, turquoise and green linen clothing billow in the breeze, while hand-painted ceramics, olive oil soaps, kumquat liqueurs and sweets are piled high on outdoor tables. Leather bags and sandals in a variety of colours and styles are also in plentiful supply.

Look out for Marksman Coffees on Georgiou Theotoki Street, an old-fashioned sweet store where you can buy candies, coffee, nuts and seeds by the scoop.

For a fun, refreshing treat, head to Chill Box Corfu on Evgenisou Voulgareos Street, where you can buy frozen Greek yoghurt, which you can stack with a variety of toppings, and you pay by the weight of your box.

If you wander westward toward the coast, you will eventually come to the Liston Arcade, a collonaded promenade built by the French, modelled on Paris's Rue de Rivoli. Stop for a coffee or a snack at one of the cafés tucked beneath the arches or lining the grass of Dimarchiou Square and enjoy the cool of the shade.

Alternatively, head to the Spianada, Greece's largest town square and a relic of the Napoleonic era, for a leisurely stroll through the palm trees and fountains; you might even catch an impromptu cricket match, a legacy of British rule.

Enjoy the view from the Old Fortress

A short stroll from the Spianada brings you to the Old Fortress, built by the Venetians in the 15th century atop a Byzantine base. A stone bridge leads across a moat to thick ramparts and panoramic views across to Albania.

Admission is €10 (€5 for concessions) and your ticket will also give you access to Corfu's museums.

These include the Archaeological Museum of Corfu, which houses the Gorgon Pediment, considered the oldest stone temple pediment in Greece* (590 to 580 BCE).

Then there's the Museum of Asian Art, which has a collection of nearly 15,000 objects ranging from Chinese ceramics to Japanese woodblock prints and samurai armour.

Stop for lunch & a swim

Corfu can be hot in summer, and although many cruise passengers will book taxis to one of the island's sandy beaches, you don't have to go far for a cool dip in the Ionian Sea.

Just behind the Old Fortress, you'll find < strong>Faliraki, a tiny but inviting swimming platform where locals sunbathe on warm stone slabs and swim on their lunch breaks.

A steel ladder helps you enter the water, or you can do as the local kids do, and take a running jump. Stay for lunch at the waterside restaurant En Plo, where you can enjoy plates of Greek salad and crisp calamari at shaded tables on the water's edge.

Practical tips

Most cruise ships dock at the Neo Limani (New Port), about 1.2 miles / 2 km from the old town. You can walk it in 20 to 30 minutes, though heat and traffic can make it feel longer, and there's not much of note along the way.

Some cruise lines offer shuttle buses. Otherwise, you can get a local bus for €2 or a taxi for €15, and the journey takes under 10 minutes.

Most shops open by 9 am and close around 6 pm without a siesta. The majority will take card payments, although some of the smaller shops will prefer payment in cash, which can also be particularly useful if you're bargaining for a good price on antiques or leather items.

Allow at least 30 minutes to return to the port on, even if you are travelling back by bus or taxi, as the traffic can be unpredictable.

Climate in Corfu Town

  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C
13°C maximum daytime temperature in January in Corfu Town13
13°C maximum daytime temperature in February in Corfu Town13
16°C maximum daytime temperature in March in Corfu Town16
19°C maximum daytime temperature in April in Corfu Town19
23°C maximum daytime temperature in May in Corfu Town23
28°C maximum daytime temperature in June in Corfu Town28
31°C maximum daytime temperature in July in Corfu Town31
31°C maximum daytime temperature in August in Corfu Town31
27°C maximum daytime temperature in September in Corfu Town27
22°C maximum daytime temperature in October in Corfu Town22
18°C maximum daytime temperature in November in Corfu Town18
14°C maximum daytime temperature in December in Corfu Town14
Hours of sunshine (daily)
Days with some rainfall
14 days with some rainfall in January in Corfu Town14
13 days with some rainfall in February in Corfu Town13
13 days with some rainfall in March in Corfu Town13
12 days with some rainfall in April in Corfu Town12
9 days with some rainfall in May in Corfu Town9
6 days with some rainfall in June in Corfu Town6
4 days with some rainfall in July in Corfu Town4
4 days with some rainfall in August in Corfu Town4
6 days with some rainfall in September in Corfu Town6
10 days with some rainfall in October in Corfu Town10
14 days with some rainfall in November in Corfu Town14
15 days with some rainfall in December in Corfu Town15
Sea temperature °C
15°C sea temperature in January in Corfu Town15
15°C sea temperature in February in Corfu Town15
15°C sea temperature in March in Corfu Town15
16°C sea temperature in April in Corfu Town16
19°C sea temperature in May in Corfu Town19
22°C sea temperature in June in Corfu Town22
24°C sea temperature in July in Corfu Town24
25°C sea temperature in August in Corfu Town25
24°C sea temperature in September in Corfu Town24
22°C sea temperature in October in Corfu Town22
19°C sea temperature in November in Corfu Town19
17°C sea temperature in December in Corfu Town17

The above guide shows the climate in Corfu Town. Find out about conditions across the island in our complete guide to the climate in Corfu.

Ready to explore? Browse the latest itineraries to Greece and the eastern Mediterranean with Marella Cruises today.

More about Corfu Town

Corfu Town by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Antonia Windsor

Antonia Windsor

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