Corfu, Greece: What to See, Do, and Eat Beyond Old Town

Corfu is one of those places that seems to promise everything at once: a beautiful old town, clear blue water, great food, and enough variety to keep a longer trip interesting. But what surprised us most was that the best parts of Corfu weren't always the ones people talk about first.

Yes, Corfu Old Town is lovely. It's full of pretty streets, flowers, charming little shops, and plenty of places to stop for coffee or gelato. But once we got beyond the center and started exploring more of the island, Corfu really opened up. The beaches got less crowded, the towns felt more local, and some of our favorite meals were far from the most touristic areas.

If you're planning a trip, here's how we spent our time in Corfu, from Old Town and iconic beaches to village restaurants, sunset drinks, and some of our favorite food on the island.

Getting to Corfu with a dog

Because we were traveling with Bindi, we took the ferry from Igoumenitsa to Corfu. It's an easy crossing of about 90 minutes, and it turned out to be a really pleasant way to arrive. The views along the way were beautiful, and it felt like the right start to an island trip.

For anyone traveling with a dog, this was a smooth and simple option. You can board the ferry with or without a car.

Start with coffee and brunch in Corfu Old Town

As always, our first stop was coffee.

We headed to Cafetierra in Corfu Old Town, which quickly became one of our favorite early stops. Greece really knows what it's doing when it comes to coffee, and a cappuccino freddo is still one of my favorite things to order anywhere in the country. Rich, cold, creamy, and strong, it will instantly wake you up!

From there, we stopped for brunch at Silo, tucked away from the more tourist-heavy restaurant areas in Old Town. It was quieter, calmer, and exactly the kind of place we're always hoping to find. The food felt fresh and thoughtful without being fussy. We had eggs, good bread, turkey, avocado, pesto, and lots of bright, herby, lemony flavors. It was one of those meals that was both beautiful and actually delicious, which is not always guaranteed.

Corfu Old Town is beautiful, but definitely touristy

Once we were fueled up, we spent time walking through Corfu Old Town. It's undeniably beautiful. The streets are lined with flowers, there are little shops and restaurants everywhere, and the whole area feels made for strolling.

The most striking sights are around the perimeter, where you'll find the Old Fortress, the Liston Promenade, and Spianada Square. This part of town feels grander and more open, with big views, elegant gardens, and some of the most scenic walks in the city.

In the summer heat, a gelato stop is basically mandatory, so we went to Papagiorgis, a historic gelato shop that has been around for more than a century. We tried the pistachio and baklava flavors, and both were excellent.

That said, Corfu Old Town also felt very tourist-oriented to us, and noticeably more expensive than many of the other places we visited in Greece. At that point in the trip, we weren't sure whether that was just Old Town pricing or Corfu in general, but it definitely stood out.

Step outside the center for a more local meal

For dinner that first day, we walked about 20 minutes away from the center of Old Town to eat somewhere more local, and it absolutely paid off.

We found Μπρίκι and our meal started with one of the best things we ate on the island: a large piece of feta wrapped in phyllo and covered in warm honey. It was salty, sweet, creamy, and crunchy all at once, and exactly the kind of dish that disappears too fast.

We also shared a Corfiot chicken dish cooked with peppers and fresh herbs, plus a crunchy cabbage and carrot salad. Since we ordered wine, we were also brought a small plate of extra bites to enjoy alongside it, which made the whole meal feel even more generous and special.

It was a great reminder that in Corfu, just as in so many destinations, walking a little farther can make a big difference.

Once you leave Old Town, Corfu gets even better

As pretty as Old Town is, the island really started to shine once we got beyond it.

One of our first coastal stops was Paleokastritsa Beach. It was calm, clear, and beautifully blue, the kind of place that makes it very easy to settle in for a while and do absolutely nothing. Corfu has no shortage of famous beaches, but this was one of the first places where we really started to feel the island's more relaxed side.

Later, we headed to Agios Gordios for dinner at Skal, a beachfront restaurant with a setting that felt elegant but still comfortable and relaxed. We started with fried zucchini, one of our favorite things to eat in Greece, and they were perfectly crisp. Then I had blackened salmon with delicious crispy skin, while Mehmet ordered chicken souvlaki with excellent roasted potatoes. It was one of those classic holiday dinners where the setting is just as memorable as the meal.

Exploring the North: Canal d'Amour, Sidari, Agni, and Kassiopi

The next day we headed north to see another side of Corfu.

First up was Canal d'Amour, one of the island's most iconic coastal spots. It really is beautiful: a narrow stretch of vivid blue water framed by rocky cliffs, with little beaches and sunbathing spots nearby. It was easy to see why it's so well known.

We stopped in Sidari at Coffee Plus for iced coffees and smoothies, and this ended up being another especially memorable stop because the people there were huge dog lovers. Bindi got lots of attention, which always makes a place memorable for us.

From there, we drove to Agni Beach. We had read that it was a great place to spot yachts and enjoy a more upscale atmosphere, and driving down we could absolutely see the appeal, with impressive villas on the hills and beautiful views all around. But when we arrived, it was actually very quiet and there wasn't much going on at the beach itself.

So we moved on to Kassiopi for lunch, and that felt much more our speed. Kassiopi is a lovely fishing village with a harbor lined with restaurants and a path along the edge of town that's perfect for a post-lunch walk. It had that easygoing seaside atmosphere that makes you want to linger a little longer than planned.

Benitses made a great home base

For the rest of our stay, we based ourselves in Benitses, and it ended up being one of the best decisions of the trip.

Benitses is a small village, but it has a lot going on, especially when it comes to food. We chose it partly because there were so many good places to eat within a short distance, and that absolutely held true.

Paxinos was a standout for fresh seafood and grilled meats. We also loved the gyros from The Kebab House which had a line day and night for its sandwiches. And one place we kept returning to, sometimes more than once a day, was Mery's Food and Coffee. It's a colorful little coffee window with excellent drinks and an especially friendly atmosphere. We also loved that they clearly care deeply about the local stray cats, which you could often spot lounging nearby.

Benitses also had plenty of places to enjoy the view. One evening, based on a recommendation from a local who grew up there, we went to Infinity Bar for sunset drinks. It was exactly the kind of end-of-day stop that makes a trip stick in your memory.

Our favorite beach in Corfu

Corfu has plenty of beautiful beaches, but our favorite was Marathias Beach.

It's long, sandy, calm, and the kind of place where you can actually settle in and relax for the day. Some beaches are beautiful but busy or chaotic. Marathias felt easy.

Lunch at Fish Eye, just above the beach, made the day even better. We shared crispy calamari, fried zucchini balls, and a classic Greek salad, and it was exactly what we wanted after a morning by the water.

If I were returning to Corfu and only had time for one full beach day, this is probably where I'd go.

Renting a boat was the best thing we did

On our last day, we rented a boat and it ended up being the best experience of the trip.

Seeing Corfu from the sea gave us a completely different perspective on the island, and it was both fun and deeply relaxing. For us, it was one of those travel experiences that felt completely worth it.

The rental cost about 160 euros for four hours including gas, which felt reasonable for how much we enjoyed it. Out of everything we did in Corfu, this was probably the most memorable single activity.

How to get around

There is some public transportation on the island, but if you really want to get out and explore the less crowded areas, I recommend having a car. Just be sure to sort out parking ahead of time, because it can be hard to find in high season.

Is Corfu dog-friendly?

We had heard mixed things before visiting Corfu. We knew there were a lot of stray animals on the island, and we weren't sure how welcoming restaurants and cafés would be with a dog.

In reality, we found Corfu to be very dog-friendly.

Bindi was welcomed almost everywhere we went, often given water, and generally treated very warmly. We did see a few stray dogs, but they never caused any problems for us. As a destination, Corfu ended up feeling much easier with a dog than we had expected.

Is Corfu worth visiting?

Definitely, but I think Corfu is best when you really commit to exploring it.

The Old Town is beautiful and worth seeing, but the island becomes much more interesting once you go beyond it. That's where Corfu felt more relaxed, more local, and in many cases, more memorable. Between the beaches, the villages, the food, the boat day, and how dog-friendly it turned out to be, Corfu ended up being one of those destinations with a lot more range than we expected.

If you go, spend time in Old Town, but don't stop there.