Family Holidays: Corsica family holidays and breaks

Take the Family holiday rating 4 stars out of 5

Why

It's a perfect mixed holiday destination; adventurous, yet with plenty of opportunity for your family to relax on its wonderful beaches or over a Mediterranean feast. Corisica has only been French for 200 of its 4000 year history, so it offers something rather special; its a wild, mountainous, beautiful place, but with the sophistication of any French resort. Take the kids sailing, diving, rafting, riding and hiking or if that sounds all too exhausting, put your feet up on the balcony of a seaside hotel with a glass of the local red.

Top left: Corsica Dolphins at Boni Facio
Top middle: Corsica Handstands on the Beach
Top right: Corsica Biking at Alta Rocco

Bottom left: Corsica Ferry at Port d'Ajaccio
Bottom right: Corsica Countryside

When

The best time to go to Corsica is from May to early July, and between September and October. Late July and the whole of August are very busy, particularly with Italian and French holiday makers.

Daytime temperatures, May to Oct, usually exceed 21 Celsius (70F), but can exceed 35 Celsius (95F), during the hottest months of July and August.

How

You can now fly from lots of UK airports direct to Bastia which is located on the north east of the island. Direct scheduled flights have recently become more frequent, and prices very competitive, try Expedia Flights who will search a number of airlines. Excel Airways is our preferred airline and flys from Gatwick.

Alternative methods include flying to Nice, Marseilles, Toulon or Genoa and then taking a mediterranean ferry to Corsica. Check deals with British Airways.

Stay

A huge selection of accomomodation is available in Corsica, from luxury hotels to villas to secluded hillside apartments. Thomson Holidays currently offer holidays to 43 resorts on the island or Simply Travel offer a selection of luxury hand picked private villas.

Do

Corsica excels as a destination for extreme sports, although these can be easily modified for children. The best ideas for little ones are to take them sailing from any number of beaches, also try riding up into the hills or along the coast. There is white-water rafting for the older children, as well as excellent fishing and diving. Corsica is a place for physical pursuits rather than cultural, but many of the towns are fascinating and it has a style and history very much its own. For children, the beaches arond L'lle-Rousse and Calvi are recommended as they are not only some of the most beautiful in Corsica, but also have the best facilities. Be warned though, they get packed in the height of summer when you should go a little further a field, so it may be worth hiring a car or people carrier- Try Campomoro for example or La Liscia, where the watersports are superb and there are good cafes. A visit to Les Calanques de Piana is also recommended - a spectacular landscape of red granite cliffs carved into bizarre shapes by nature, spiralling 300 metres over the sea.

Eat

Corsican cuisine is fabulous; influenced as it is by French and Italian cooking. There are enough familiar dishes to satisfy fussy children, but often with a unique Corsican twist. It's a fertile and lush island with wonderful local ingredients and some acclaimed wines. The chestnut is described as the most important ingredient in Corsican cuisine, used in delicious sauces and stews. Locally produced cheeses and meats are superb and as an island, fresh fish dishes are, of course, the highlight.

Cost

Pick up a bargain package in a self catering apartment from as little as £115 per person from Thomson or really splash out on a luxury secluded villa from Simply Travel .