Greek Island Excursions on a Cabin Cruise: Corfu, Zante, Rhodes and the Saronic Gulf

A cabin cruise already takes care of the route, the anchorages and the meals. The hours ashore are yours, and on several of our Greek routes you can now add optional excursions chosen for exactly the islands you visit. Here is what each route offers and how to pick.

Corfu ↔ Paxos: olive oil, rivers and Venetian lanes

On the Corfu ↔ Paxos ↔ Corfu cruise the Ionian excursions lean towards food and landscape. Taste the full range at Parga's first mechanical olive oil factory, join a winery and olive estate tour at Theotoky, or walk Corfu Town's narrow kantounia on a private food tour that ends in a family taverna. For scenery there is a guided walk along the Acherodas River to hidden waterfalls, a private tour of Paleokastritsa with its 16th-century monastery, and a village tour ending at Agios Georgios beach. Paxos adds a guided bus tour and a watersports centre near Gaios.

Zante ↔ Ithaca: Navagio, Melissani and Homer

The Zante ↔ Ithaca ↔ Zante route has the widest choice — twelve excursions across Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Lefkada and Ithaca. The highlight is the Land & Sea Zante tour: a swim at sulphur-rich Xygia beach, a boat trip to Navagio (Shipwreck Beach) and the Blue Caves, lunch with a view and an olive oil factory visit. On Kefalonia you can glide across the turquoise water of Melissani cave lake; on Ithaca, visit Kathara Monastery and Stavros or walk to Homer's School, which many believe was the palace of Odysseus. Wine tastings, cooking classes, a mountain trek at Eglouvi and horse riding complete the list.

Rhodes ↔ Symi: dawn fishing and a Greek night

Excursions on the Rhodes ↔ Symi ↔ Rhodes cruise are short and easy to fit around sailing days: shrimp fishing before sunrise with a Halki fisherman, a taverna lunch on Kania beach, a 4-hour private bus tour of Rhodes (Old Town, Lindos or Kallithea Springs), a Greek night with a generous mixed-grill menu, and a 2-hour drive on Symi to Panormitis Monastery. Most include transfers.

Athens and the Saronic Gulf

Guests on our Athens-based cruise can add the Saronic and Argolic excursions: kayaking over the ancient site at Epidavros, a guided day trip from Ermioni to Nafplio, Greece's first capital, the Temple of Aphaia on Aegina, horse riding and a history walk on Hydra, and on Poros a cooking class, a cocktail seminar and the Nemo semi-submarine. An olive oil tasting with a Dakos salad workshop can even be held on board.

How to choose and book

Excursions are optional and come on top of your cabin. One or two per week is usually right — the anchorages are the main event. Availability and prices depend on your dates and group size, so ask our team when you book, and open the Excursions tab on each route page for the full descriptions.