Our top tips for family holidays to Corsica

FEATURED Updated on Nov 21, 2024 by Stacey Parsons

Blog > Our top tips for family holidays to Corsica

From great beaches to perfect properties, enthralling adventure to intriguing destinations, family holidays to Corsica are as popular as ever.

It’s safe to say that when you visit Corsica it will capture your heart. With its breathtaking scenery, appetising cuisine and thriving culture, a visit to Corsica caters for everyone including families. With 1,000km of coastline boasting close to 200 beaches, and only just over two hours away from the UK, you’re closer than you think to be able to explore all the best bits of the island with your family.

So that’s why we want to share our experiences and fond memories of this remarkable country with you, plus some tips for activities for the kids, so maybe one day you can make some memories of your own.

Suzanne Brown, Commercial Team

"I’ve been to Corsica a few times now with my family, one of the main reasons we keep coming back is the beautiful safe beaches. My favourite is Santa Giulia Beach about 15 minutes from Porto Vecchio. Car parking spaces are somewhat limited to the northern side of the beach so better to approach from one of the southern roads leading off the N19."

Natalie Ford, Yield Manager

"I was in the south this year, villa - Casa di Pruno, and went on a lovely short boat trip around Bonifacio (45 mins) - and then spent the rest of the evening walking around Bonifacio."

Charlotte Eames, Product Manager

"We've stayed in Olmeto, on the west coast in the past, we absolutely loved heading down to Propriano in the late afternoon/early evening. The choice of restaurants are great, and the ice-cream shop was a definite favourite of the kids! Propriano is also home to a great beach, so is ideal for a whole day out, and when staying near Olmeto in villas Kallisté or Bumortu, its only 20 minutes drive.

I have recently stayed at Villa Belen in Lumio in the north of Corsica. This villa is fantastic for families and we all enjoyed the amazing views that surround you. The large pool area is perfect and my two older children loved it. There is ample space in the villa to enjoy family time, with lots of spots for everyone to find their pocket of tranquillity."

Ellen Thompson, Accounts Manager

"I’ve been to Corsica many times, we've stayed in Casa di l'Olivu and Villa Ardoli having a villa was a big plus, self-catering is so much easier with children, and we didn’t have to worry about the noise volume or the splash factor in the swimming pool.

As always, the beaches were the most popular activity, our favourite being Plage de la Folaca, just south of Palombaggia beach close to Porto Vecchio, crystal-clear water and a very gently sloping seabed made it perfect for our pre-schooler to have fun without being out of her depth, add in a few restaurants and an ice-cream stand and it was very easy to spend the whole day here.

When the sun got too much in the middle of the day, we enjoyed visiting the nearby towns - a lot of them had carousels which was lovely (and only €1 a go!) and we enjoyed stopping for a drink and yet more ice cream.

A boat trip from Bonifacio went down well too, it wasn’t too expensive and only lasted an hour which was good for shorter attention spans; there is also a playground right near the dock, so our daughter had fun while we waited to board the boat, much better than standing around in a queue. Just driving around the island is an activity in itself, with roads hugging the coast as you weave up and down mountains, there is never a dull view – no complaints of “I’m bored” from the back seat here! "

Plage de la Folaca

Vicky Eagle, Marketing Manager

"I went on my first family holiday to Calvi this summer and we had the most amazing time. We stayed at Hôtel Cyrnéa, a really great family-friendly hotel just a short stroll from Calvi centre.

The beaches were stunning and there are plenty of beach bars to enjoy throughout the day to get refreshments and snacks. The water is shallow and a beautiful blue colour, perfect for little ones to splash around in. Don't forget to pack a snorkel to spot some of the marine life!

We hired a car during our family holiday and we were so glad we did, we drove the coastal road from Calvi and were greeted with remarkable views. The mountain roads are worth a drive along, albeit slightly scary, but you get to see some lovely spots of the island that you may not see otherwise. We managed to find some great secluded spots to enjoy for ourselves.

Make sure to try out all the delicious food in Calvi too, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from, as well as cafes and bars. The marina and citadel are also great places to walk through and we enjoyed spotting the luxury yachts moored up in the marina."

Hayley Smith, Trade Relations

"Hotel Cyrnea is a lovely family-run property on the outskirts of Calvi, with extremely friendly owners, a gorgeous pool area, and a very delicious breakfast, which, before you ask, we took full advantage of every morning with its freshly baked croissants, choice of meats and cheeses, butter and spreads, and teas, coffees and fruit juices, meaning we came home heavier than we went.

Of an evening, we wandered into Calvi to indulge in even more scrumptious food, huge ice cream sundaes, and plenty of crepes - yes ok, I can now see how we put on weight as opposed to losing it. Downtown Calvi itself is beautiful, with authentic cobbled streets, a towering citadel, quaint shops, and a picturesque marina lined with bars and restaurants. It is safe to say that all three of us fully appreciated why this hidden gem in the Mediterranean is 100% bucket-list worthy – my two-year-old mostly for the ice creams that were almost as big as him."