Step back in time and discover beautiful beaches and fish feasts on the island of Corfu

WANDERING along the cobbled alleyways, the air is filled with the scent of lemon and pine trees, and the pastel-coloured buildings are dripping with bougainvillea.

Corfu’s pedestrian-only, UNESCO-protected Old Town feels like stepping back in time.

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My last visit to this Ionian island was to go clubbing in Kavos as a teen, but I’m keen to discover the real Corfu this time, with my partner Guy and our four-year-old daughter Blake.

Known as Greece’s greenest island, its interior is lush and mountainous, while the edges are filled with sandy beaches and stony rugged coves, and Lake Korission even boasts a flamboyance of flamingos!

We’re staying on the eastern side of the isle near Benitses, a sleepy little fishing town.

Our home for the week is Villa Icarus, a four-bedroom, four-bathroom pad with open-plan living area and a large balcony with views across the mountains.

There are plenty of shady spots around the private pool to escape the midday sun and a small outdoor kitchen with a barbecue.

It’s great for young families, as you can request everything from cots and high-chairs to kid-friendly cutlery and stair gates.

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It’s also just a 15-minute drive to the Old Town, and we spend one evening exploring the 16th-century Old Fortress and people-watching at Cafe Kohlias, sipping sweet, ice-cold kumquat cream liqueur, from £4 (Facebook.com/cafekohlias).

The best spot to get ice cream has to be the retro Papagiorgis patisserie, which dates back to 1924.

And it would be rude not to try the kourabiethes (little almond biscuits), £4 for 100g, too (Papagiorgis.gr).

The Old Town is full of cool shops, such as Mezzo Mezzo, where you can pick up dresses and sandals from emerging Greek designers, and Patounis’ Soap Factory for olive-oil soaps.

The next day, we pack a picnic and drive 45 minutes to rent a motor boat for the day from Ampelaki Boats on Paleokastritsa beach, from £75 for six hours (Corfurentaboat.com).

We chug around the coast exploring hidden beaches and dropping anchor for swims whenever we spot a patch of turquoise water, before finding a secluded stony bay to eat our sandwiches.

Our boat comes with snorkelling equipment, and there are shoals of tiny fish, with the occasional large tuna and grouper to marvel at.

Sun-baked and salty, we dine that night at the quaint family-run Taverna Elizabeth in Doukádes, filling up on traditional fish dishes – seafood pastitsada, a Corfiot pasta bake stuffed with mussels and prawns, and fresh seabream and octopus salad.

Mains cost from £12 (Facebook.com/tavernaelisabeth).

Craving more beach time, we head to the Blue-Flag-awarded Agios Georgios, an hour’s drive from the villa.

This horseshoe-shaped bay is both sandy and pebbly, with calm, clear waters and jet-skis to rent.

On our final night, we keep it local and dine alfresco on lemony garlic fish stew, Greek salad and saganaki (fried cheese) at Klimataria in Benitses.

Mains cost from £18 (Klimataria-restaurant.gr).

Afterwards, we stroll by the harbour, eyeing up the luxury yachts as the sun sets and a brass band fills the street in a lively procession.

A bystander explains it’s a local fiesta and, after a couple of glasses of tsipouro fruit brandy, we join in. Who needs Kavos anyway?