Port guide: Corfu Town, Greece

Many centuries of foreign influences give this wonderful Greek town a character like no other. Get lost in its winding alleys and enjoy.

Who goes there

Corfu is a popular port stopover for ships operating Adriatic and Greek cruises that often begin or end in Venice, Ravenna or Piraeus (Athens). Some longer cruises that take in the wider Mediterranean also stop there. You won’t be short of choice, with every major cruise line making visits.

Sail on in

If you’re sailing from the north, the Straits of Corfu between the island and Albania leave you with fine views on either side of the ship. Arriving in Corfu Town is just as magnificent, and you’ll see huge Venetian-era fortifications and the charming old town’s terracotta roofs. The ship will, however, dock to the west of the old town in a more ho-hum location.

Berth rites

The cruise pier at New Port is a large L-shaped slab of concrete sticking out into a harbour shared with nearby ferries to Albania, Italy and mainland Greece. A terminal building has a few motley facilities (duty free, car rental desks) that need hardly make you pause when such a pleasant town awaits. You could in theory walk into the centre of the old town in a hot and unexciting 30 minutes, but you’d be better off on the shuttle or hop-on hop-off bus.

Going ashore

Venetian, French, Italian and British colonial history give Corfu Town a very different atmosphere and cultural combination than other Greek towns. You’ll enjoy wandering the streets, visiting icon-filled churches, admiring the fort and medieval sea walls, and enjoying coffee and baklava on the distinctively Parisian-looking esplanade, the Liston. The Byzantine Museum houses beautiful icons. Agios Spiridon Cathedral houses the revered relics of the island’s patron saint, St Spiridon.

Don’t miss

It won’t be everyone’s idea of what to do when visiting a Greek island, and fair enough. However, if Asian culture interests you then the Museum of Asian Art Corfu inside a former Greek royal palace has one of Europe’s best collections of Asian art, with items ranging from Chinese porcelain to samurai swords and Buddhist sculpture from South-East Asia. The palace itself is splendid, with clipped green gardens overlooking a blue bay.

Get active

The waterfront that runs around Garitsa Bay from the old town to Mon Repos Palace is the place to jog or run. If you have children, Aqualand Corfu, 10 kilometres inland from Corfu Town, is one of Europe’s best water parks with 51 slides and numerous pools. Two top beach resorts, Glyfada and Paleokastritsa, offer swimming, jet skiing, paddleboarding and parasailing but, on a short cruise day, are inconveniently located on the far side of the island.

Best bites

Corfiot food is influenced by its Venetian history, especially in its use of spices, while its British occupation bequeathed locals a liking for tarts and puddings. The classic dish for special occasions is pastitsada, a rich beef or rooster stew in tomato sauce served with pasta. Other dishes to try are sofrito (veal in white wine), bourdeto (fish stew) and nouboulo (smoked pork loin). Kumquats are the island’s favourite fruit (unless you count olives) and are a must-try in desserts, jams and liqueurs.

Further afield

Beach getaways, hiking adventures, wine-estate visits and catamaran sailing are among options. Admire gorgeous scenery at seaside village Paleokastritsa, hunkered between lemon and cypress trees, and at Kanoni, where Vlaherna Monastery sits on a tiny island in a beautiful bay. You can also visit Mon Repos, former summer villa of the Greek royal family and birthplace of Prince Philip, and Achilleion Palace, one-time retreat of Empress Elizabeth (Sisi) of Austria.