Day Trips Around Corfu Itself
Not every good day means leaving the island. Two guided tours cover Corfu on land — a 5-hour run built for cruise passengers and an 8.5-hour tour of the north. Both go to Paleokastritsa; only one is timed around a ship.
A day trip around Corfu means a guided land tour of the island rather than a boat to somewhere else. Two are sold. The 5-hour shore excursion leaves the cruise port for Paleokastritsa and the UNESCO Old Town, from $44, and is the most-reviewed land tour on the island with 1,211 verified reviews. The 8.5-hour north Corfu tour costs $75 and adds the Paleokastritsa monastery, the west-coast viewpoints and the harbour village of Kassiopi. Both go to Paleokastritsa, because everything on this island eventually does.
| Tour | Length | Leaves from | Rating | From | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paleokastritsa Beach & Old TownSights of Athens — Gray Line · Built for cruise callsRead our full guide | 5 hours | Cruise port | 4.21,211 | $44 | Check dates |
| Paleokastritsa & KassiopiLocal operator · Covers the northRead our full guide | 8.5 hours | Corfu Town | 4.725 | $75 | Check dates |
What these numbers actually say
- The higher rating sits on a much smaller sample. 4.7 from 25 reviews and 4.2 from 1,211 are not the same kind of number. The 4.2 has been earned across more than a thousand cruise passengers on a tight schedule — a harder audience than a small-group day tour.
- One of them is not really for land-based visitors. The 5-hour tour leaves the cruise port and is timed around a ship call. If you are staying in a hotel, the 8.5-hour tour is the one built for you.
- Both go to Paleokastritsa. If you have already been, neither tour has much left to show you — look at the boat days instead.
- The Old Town does not need a tour. It is compact, walkable and free. Paying for a guided island day makes sense for the parts of Corfu you cannot reach on foot.
Prices, ratings and review counts read from GetYourGuide on 5 August 2026.
Paleokastritsa
Six coves under wooded cliffs on the north-west coast, with a 13th-century monastery on the headland above. It is the postcard image of Corfu and it is on both tours. About 45 minutes from Corfu Town by road, and busy from mid-morning in July and August.
Kassiopi
A harbour village on the north-east coast, facing the Albanian mountains across a narrow strait — a Byzantine castle above the bay, fishing boats below and tavernas along the water. Only the longer tour goes there, and it is the part that makes the extra hours worth it.
Corfu Old Town
UNESCO-listed, Venetian in layout, with two fortresses, the arcaded Liston and the Spianada green between them. The 5-hour excursion includes it; the longer tour spends its time outside town. You can also simply walk it yourself — it is small and everything is close.
What is the best day trip on Corfu itself?
It depends on how much time you have and whether you are on a ship. The 5-hour Paleokastritsa and Old Town excursion is built around a cruise call — it leaves the cruise port, gives you beach time and the UNESCO Old Town, and gets you back. The 8.5-hour north Corfu tour covers more ground: the Paleokastritsa monastery, the west-coast viewpoints and the harbour at Kassiopi.
Is Paleokastritsa worth visiting?
It is the single most photographed part of Corfu — a set of coves under wooded cliffs on the north-west coast, with a 13th-century monastery on the headland. Both island tours go there. In July and August the coves are busy by mid-morning, which is an argument for the earlier, longer tour.
Which tour is right for a cruise passenger?
The 5-hour shore excursion. It is the only tour on the island explicitly timed around a ship call — it departs from the cruise port, not from town, and it is rated 4.2 across 1,211 reviews, more than any other Corfu land tour. From $44.
Can I see Corfu Town on my own?
Easily. The Old Town is UNESCO-listed, compact and walkable — the two fortresses, the Liston arcade and the Spianada are all within twenty minutes of each other. You do not need a tour for it. What you do need a tour or a car for is the rest of the island, which is bigger and slower to drive than it looks.
How long does it take to drive around Corfu?
Longer than the map suggests. Corfu is about 64 km end to end, but the roads are narrow and winding, especially in the north-west. Corfu Town to Paleokastritsa is roughly 45 minutes; Corfu Town to Kassiopi about an hour. That is why the full north-island tour runs 8.5 hours.
Do these tours include entrance fees or lunch?
Check the listing for the date you want — inclusions vary by operator and by option. Neither tour is sold as a lunch-inclusive day, so budget for a meal either way.
Is there a boat trip around Corfu itself?
The island tours here are by coach. If you want a boat day, the options sail away from Corfu — to Paxos and Antipaxos, to the Blue Lagoon on the mainland coast, or to Albania.
Paleokastritsa Shore Excursion
Five hours from the cruise port — beach time and the UNESCO Old Town. The most-reviewed land tour on the island.
Full guide →
Paleokastritsa & Kassiopi
Eight and a half hours covering the monastery, the west-coast viewpoints and the harbour at Kassiopi.
Full guide →Paxos & Antipaxos
If you have already done Paleokastritsa, the boat days are where the island stops repeating itself.
Compare boats →Ready to See the Rest of Corfu?
Pick the tour that matches how you arrived — the short one from the cruise port, or the long one from town. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.