Corfu with Grown-up Kids

Family holidays are to be treasured especially when our children have become adults and moved away from home.  A frequent traveller to Greece, I initially booked this trip for my daughter who wanted a lazy week in the sun.

At 22 years old, she had three requests: a large pool; a location close to or on a sandy beach, and an all-inclusive hotel.  “If I don’t get up for breakfast, I can eat later by the snack bar!” she said.  In addition,  good Wi-Fi goes without saying as a must for twenty somethings!  

When my two sons heard that I had booked flights to Corfu and an all-inclusive beach hotel, they were quick to ask, ‘Can we come too?’  

It was a huge success with so many memories! So we’re sharing our tips and ideas so you can plan an amazing week (or longer) in Corfu with grown-up kids.

Why Corfu?

I decided upon the island of Corfu as a starting point.   However, a lot of beaches in Greece are pebbly or shingle so it took a bit more research to find a destination that matched the beach criteria asked for.

Initially, I looked at the area of Paleokastritsa which is famous for its beautiful golden shores but struggled with the all-inclusive part.

Just round the coast from there, right at the north of the island, I found another sandy beach called Agios Spiridon.  Minutes walk away from that, was an all-inclusive hotel which had large pools!  I had found our holiday home   – the Mareblue Beach Resort.

Tips For Choosing an All-inclusive Hotel in Corfu

All-inclusive hotels are often large complexes spread over a wide area with several restaurant options and daily entertainment programs.

There are so many available these days and prices do vary hugely between them. This doesn’t appeal to everyone but there is a place for them especially on family holidays.

I’ve booked several over the years when I’ve taken my children on a trip and they’ve always been a hit.  Because they can eat and drink what they like when they like, and join in activities if they want to,  I can work to a budget.

Any additional expense is very small – just trips out. However, like any hotel, you do need to research them. 

Getting to Corfu

From my local UK airport, Stansted, the flight is under three hours. Our afternoon flight was with Jet2 who allowed a generous 10KG luggage allowance as cabin baggage plus a rucksack. This meant there was plenty of room for a beach summer wardrobe.  

In addition, we ordered toiletries airside from Boots – See our Tips on Packing Hand Baggage Only – 10KG allowance.  For a list of countries and airlines that fly into Corfu follow this Flights into Corfu site. 

Arrivals and Transfers from Corfu Airport

Passport control took around half an hour.  It’s a fairly small airport but I found staff efficient at getting passengers through entry checks. 

Like any airport, it could be slower if several flights were arriving at the same time. I had pre-booked taxi transfers directly with a very efficient company in Corfu called Fulvia Travel who undercut private airline transfers significantly.

Our driver, who was waiting in arrivals, led us to a very luxurious minivan. An hour later, we arrived at our accommodation. The return taxi fare for 4 of us was €135. This was well worth it as the airline transfer coach alternative was estimated to take 2 hours with many other drop-offs.  

Of course, if you are on a budget then the bus will get you there but research the costs of booking a taxi. Often it is not as expensive as you think. I would recommend Fulvia Travel Kassiopi Transfers. 

The company also offers car rental, tours, and a range of activities.  Natalie, our contact there, was excellent at providing information to me in advance about the island. 

Where to Stay in Corfu

That first glimpse of your accommodation is always a bit nerve-racking.  You’ve read the reviews;  seen the images and hope it will live up to your expectations.  The MareBlue resort turned out to be a great choice. It is a well-planned complex with 15 two-storey blocks leading down to the main pool area. 

 I paid a little extra for superior rooms which was money well spent as we ended up in lovely rooms in the ‘Goldfinger’ block with sea views of the Albanian mountains. Blocks are named after James Bond characters as the 1981 movie ‘For Your Eyes Only’ was filmed in Corfu.  

Images on the hotel website show representative room types well. I feel it is worthwhile emailing the hotel in advance with any special requests or questions.  Maria (Guest Relations) was super helpful.

For instance, she made bookings in advance for the two a la carte restaurants namely the Pizzaria and ‘Olives’.  The adult-only pool was wonderful – quiet and chilled. Perfect to read that book you’ve been meaning to for ages and cooling off with a quick dip when needed.  

All-inclusive Food – Why It Matters

Food is a big topic of conversation on holiday. With an all-inclusive, you are somewhat tied into the food in the hotel unless you want to pay again for meals outside the complex.  We found the choice in this hotel varied, fresh, and with plenty of options.  Fish, chicken, pork, pasta, salads etc were all on offer for dinner.  

Breakfast menus included fresh fruit, an egg station, the usual cooked breakfast, and continental sections accompanied by lots of delicious breads.  With a large all-inclusive hotel, dining is not going to be a quiet intimate experience. 

Some moan that they feel like it is a ‘canteen’.  My tip is to find out the quieter times for eating and choose those. 

Lunch at the hotel was available either within the main restaurant or at the pool bar area.  There were salads, pasta, pizza, chicken, chips, ice-creams, fruits, cakes etc.  The pool bar opened at 10:30 and closed for all-inclusive by 23:00.

You could buy drinks after this till 1 am at low prices e.g. €11 for a bottle of prosecco.  I had no complaints about food – there was definitely something for all grown-up kids! 

A Few More ‘Good to Know’ Tips

Pool towels were supplied with a deposit of €10 per towel.  You could change the towels every other day or as needed.  A safety deposit box was free of charge for use in rooms and wi-fi was generally fine. 

Courtesy rooms are available if you have a late flight but book in advance the day before.  Rooms were cleaned well and shampoo/body wash was provided.  Hairdryers were attached to the bathroom wall.  

Things to Do in St Spyridon Corfu

The location of Mareblue is in an area called St Spyridon, right at the top of the island of Corfu.  You are so close to Albania that at times my phone was telling me ‘Welcome to Albania’.

Be aware of this and check roaming costs as on my network calls were free in Greece but chargeable in Albania! 

This is a quiet part of Corfu.  So if you’re looking for a promenade to walk along with lots of cafes, shops, and bars, you won’t find that here.

What you will find, as well as the Mareblue Hotel, are a couple of tavernas, two mini-markets, a travel agent, and a great cocktail bar/restaurant called Pyramid Bar with wonderful views over the sea. 

There are two great beaches – both sandy.  One had amazing waves for body surfing (which my kids loved) and the other was a beautiful, gentle beach with incredibly soft sand. This one had a blue flag award.  Hire two sunbeds with a parasol for the day for only €10.  

Visit The Local Village Of Kassiopi

10 minutes from St Spyridon on the east coast is the pretty fishing village of Kassiopi. Getting There: Google Maps Link to Kassiopi. Our hotel offered a shuttle bus for €5 return which allowed us most of the day there. 

This is a popular destination and the scenic horseshoe harbour is a perfect place to sit and have a drink. We had lunch at Wave Cafe and the food was delicious and coffee fabulous.

I noticed several self-catering accommodation options and a couple of hotels. If you were staying here, you would probably take advantage of the various boat trips on offer from the harbour that can take you around the island.

You can even hire a private boat. Several booking agents are based in  Kassiopi.  In terms of shops, there are lots on the walk down into the centre selling clothes, handicrafts and a range of souvenirs. 

Kassiopi is overlooked by the remains of a Byzantine castle. It’s a very short walk up to the castle from the street below.  Look out for the signpost. 

The path (if you can call it that) however is very uneven so you will need to take care walking up. Wear sturdy shoes or walking sandals. 

I reached the castle entrance within 5 minutes.  Turn right or left from the entrance and take the circular walk around.

Whilst I was glad I made the effort to go up, aside from the view there isn’t a great deal to see but it’s a quick activity to do. 

Beaches in Kassiopi

In terms of beaches at Kassiopi, there is not one directly in the village but there are several within a 10-minute walk. 

The first one we found was by walking around the harbour veering far right and following a small pathway down to a beautiful cove.  

It is pebbly so bring your beach shoes but the water was crystal clear and we spent a couple of hours there.

Back in the harbour, the main beach is 10 minutes the other way.  Follow the road around and you’ll arrive at Bataria Beach reached by a pleasant shaded footpath. This pebble beach has bright turquoise water and is the busiest in the area. You can hire sunbeds and parasols here. 

It is a beautiful spot. However, I found it quite busy and was glad we had quieter beaches in St Spyridon. 

There are several other smaller beaches close by, including Pipitos and Kanoni, as well as rocky platforms and a few romantic tavernas with a view.

How to Spend A Day in Corfu Town

I read that if you are going to Corfu, a trip to the capital, Corfu Town, is a must. The journey from the hotel by coach was only an hour and was very reasonable at euro 15 return.   Most hotels offer trips to the capital by coach or take a local bus. 

This means you don’t have to worry if you take a wrong turn like I did as you can easily find your way back. 

Five hours was plenty of time to wander around the cobbled streets and soak up the atmosphere.  Corfu old town is on the UNESCO World Heritage list and I was not disappointed.  The architecture is wonderful and many buildings have links to the Venetian period.

Stroll around the narrow alleyways and enjoy pottering in the shops. They sell all sorts of souvenirs including beautiful hand-turned products made from olive tree wood.   Old streets here are like labyrinths and each turn leads to something new.

Streets of Corfu Town

Look up and you’ll see washing hanging out and drying in the breeze; pretty shutter style windows and tiny balconies.  Greek tavernas and cafes are abundant.

I enjoyed a delicious salad with warm pitta bread and a perfect glass of crisp white wine at Averto Cafe.  The owner -Sarah – was English and had arrived in Corfu in 1988, married a local and had lived there ever since.  

You might find the Greek Tourist Board Guide – Old Town Corfu – a useful read to find out more about the buildings and architecture. I really enjoyed strolling around the area directly outside the old town.

The ‘Liston’ is an elegant promenade where you can stop for coffee. Lots of people were there and  you can’t miss the impressive ‘Old Fortress’, which is separate from the rest of the city by a canal. 

Visit the site by purchasing a ticket for €6. There is a pretty church – Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Mandrakina a little further on and this leads onto the ‘People’s Garden’ which is really lovely. 

Afterwards walk through the park to reach the incredible pillared Museum of Asian Art and eventually Faliraki Bathing Beach. Getting To The Beach: Google Maps Link to Falkiraki Bathing Beach.

Faliraki Beach

Faliraki Beach was really lovely.  I dipped my feet in the refreshing water and wished I had brought my swimming costume as it looked absolutely wonderful.  

Although this was centrally located, it wasn’t overly busy and the cafe there served a selection of reasonably priced drinks and snacks.  It was popular with the locals too so I would recommend spending some time relaxing here.  

To Sum Up Corfu With Grown Up Kids

Our  holiday to Corfu with grown-up kids was a great success.  My three adult children in their 20s loved the island. As mum I got 10/10 for matching all the criteria. 

If you’re looking for other ideas for trips with older children, check out our Sri Lanka and Maldives itinerary, packed full of ideas and tips.

We also have terrific family itineraries in Florida whether it’s activities like Swimming with Manatees or Relaxing on the Beaches of Sarasota.