Corfu with child

Fireplace, barbecue shed, shady areas, football field, hammocks: In the honey valley there is everything that small and large holidaymakers love

A bath in orange: When we arrive, the evening sun bathed the honey valley in fluffy light. The garden with the purple oleander and the colorful umbrellas, the olive trees and the broom on the hills around, the raging children in the meadow and the women who weigh in the hammocks.

"Hi!" I hear from all sides as we follow Maren into the office to get our room key. From the first second I feel embraced by this orange-warm world, where the temperature is so perfect that you do not notice it. Already I think about whether I should not extend my vacation.

If you are traveling with children instead of adults, you can hardly expect rest. That's why I only booked Corfu for a week: Maybe Fred (3) and I are so up for grabs - so without breaks from daddy and kindergarten - that we can not stand it any longer? It should be our first vacation as a couple, and toddlers are just unpredictable: At first the cutest dwarfs, in the next the worst annoyances. Fred and me alone? Let's see how it will be!

It will be fine. We make friends quickly with Gudrun and David (3), the two live in the studio next door. Our balconies are connected by a door, so our boys visit spontaneously to play car and shopping. Already on the second day, the two meet in my bed "to cuddle".

Open and closed, open and closed ...

At breakfast I meet Karin, and daughter Alina (5) becomes Fred's biggest "Kriechnland" friend: The two of them heat their bikes in the wagon, open and close umbrellas for hours and collect ants and beetles in their sand buckets. They become inseparable, even go together to the loo or the tree house ("Susanne, I have bad news for you, Fred has made his way back to the tree house ...") - and then the mothers cuddle on their knees and scrub everything again clean.

Fisherman's Tavern in Agios Georgios

And then there's Nina, who also came to Corfu alone with Noah (6). While our children are looking for a pirate treasure in the children's program, we mothers sit in the most beautiful tavern of the bay and tell with white wine and tonic from our lives.

Sure, one always howls - this little sentence is also in the best of holidays. Noah does not complain about the food, Fred is hoarse because he does not get another ice cream. Fred and Alina are digging peacefully in the sand, David screams, because his mother has walked three meters away from him without officially logging off. But shared suffering is half suffering and we are fine. Actually very good.

It is the ideal life: a house full of children, with a fire pit, tree house and many animals, surrounded by green hills, the sea from the balcony within sight and on foot in ten minutes. Breakfast and dinner are served outside at long wooden tables, you do not have to worry about anything, and the food is always nice entertainment, while the children are again in the bushes for turtles or "rock into the clouds".

On the fourth day, I decide to hang on for another week. We are lucky, a studio is still free.

Spectacular: Cape Drastís

Together with Karin and Alina we explore this sun kissed, but miraculously not sun-eroded island in a rental car: We curve through silver-colored olive groves, which are peppered with dark cypresses, turquoise blue coasts almost like in the Caribbean, chalk white rocks much nicer than complaints and eat crunchy Sardines in the shade of a pergola right on the beach. The colors pop in unerring consistency: there are hardly any nuances, hardly gray and brown; here are blue, turquoise, red, yellow, green, white.

Olli in action

Wednesday night is a night walk with biology maniac Olliwith bat detector in hand and headlamp on confused, sun bleached hair giving the crazy professor. 15 children and adults follow him into the sultry darkness to find native species in the olive groves. With what passion Olli lectures on every little insect that he fishes out of the nocturnal grass, how enthusiastic he is about idiot, goat-mermaid and ant-lion raves! The children adore him, hold their flashlights reverently in their hands, and listen with open mouths to the bat calls made by his detector.

The next morning I'm sick, with throat and body aches. I'm lucky, Fred is good, there are also three hours of childcare today, where he assembles a small donkey from self-collected flotsam and paints with blue glitter.After that, he rages around with Alina again and only lets himself look once in a while to see if I'm still there. Thanks, Fred, for letting me lie and read!

At night, Fred gets tangled in the mosquito net, tearing it from the ceiling and a hole in it. I drowsily drench my toiletry bag and glue the hole with a plaster. Just close your eyes and forget the sore throat! It does not work. Although we live in the countryside, it is much louder here than in the middle of Hamburg - as soon as the outline of the hills in the pale sky, the symphony of the animals starts outside: Sparrows and swallows chirps as if it were about their lives, chickens creak intermezzi, dogs, frogs and sheep never miss their mission. Only the Greylag croaks unmotivated in between. The crickets have now no chance, only much later in the day, when people and animals rest the brooding midday heat, you can hear their rhythmic concert.

Donkey Paul and the cart

And then there's the hoarse "I-aaa!" from donkey Paul, the darling of all children here. Fred stubbornly calls him "Powell," as if he's dealing with the former US Secretary of State. With a donkey patience, the animal endures the children, who prick it with their fingers, hold dried-up flowers under their nostrils or stretch them in front of the wagon. Noah and Fred loop the rope around Powell's legs so often that he can barely move, even if he wants to. The boys give up in frustration as Paul refuses to drag the car with the two tormentors, despite a martial roar.

Dimitri and Fred feed the sheep

Because I'm still tired in the morning, we do not go to the beach. Fred and I roam the garden, and when we look through Dimitris chicken fence, he invites us into his animal kingdom. We can not communicate with words, compensate with helpless, polite gestures. Dimitri lives with his wife down in the house, in the evening he grills chickens for the guests or bakes moussaka in the wood oven. He opens the garden gate and shows us his freshly hatched chicks, picks leaves from the mulberry tree and gives them an encouraging hand to Fred to give to the sheep. The old man grabs a ladder and climbs on every single tree that bears fruit, and gives Fred delicious pickings in his hand: plums, mulberries, oranges, cherries, apricots and finally two eggs from the chicken coop. This will be our lunch: I cook the eggs hard and snip the fruit. We do not need more in the heat.

Lonely bay at Agios Georgios

On the last day we drive with a few families in a motorboat to a lonely bay with crystal clear water and barbecue sheep's cheese and sausages on the beach, which greedily eagerly feeds Fred with water wings on the arms. The white rock wall, which towers behind us, provides shade until 2 pm - after which we chug back into the cooling studios.

And then it's time to pack again. Too bad. The three books that I have read in the two weeks, I leave here for the next guests. I have not been able to do so much in such a short time since Fred's birth. It was a real holiday - even with a child.

Travel Info Corfu with child

The trip Adventure nature - in the honey valley on Corfu is offered by ReNatour. The "Honey Valley" is located in the bay of Agios Georgios in northwest Corfu. Three houses are available to the guests, 350 to 500 meters from the beach: House Dimitri (my favorite!) Right next to the garden and the pavilions, where you can eat; House Maria stands next to it, the sun house a bit closer to the sea.

In the childcare (11 hours / week), the little ones collect natural materials and make artwork from them or look for a pirate treasure; Parents and families can participate in guided hikes and boat tours.

The Nuremberg organizer attaches importance to the environmental his travels. So there is no pool in the honey valley, air conditioning only for a fee, processed mainly local organic food.

Prices

Twin studio from 330 Euro / adult and week incl. Half board, children up to 4 years cost 70 Euro / week incl. Half board, children from 4 years 200 Euro / week incl. Half board; For single occupancy one pays 70 Euro surcharge / week.

Getting there

Either by plane (Air Berlin or German Wings) to Corfu town (taxi transfer to Honigtal 50 Euro) or by car ferry from Venice.

go forth

Fisherman's CabinThe Tavern "Fisherman's Cabin" is the southernmost house in the bay of Agios Georgios. Here you sit in absolute silence over the sea and enjoy - what else? - Fish.

Afiónas: The traditional village is located one kilometer north of Agios Georgios on a ridge. There are still old, very pretty little houses in a quiet location, a German couple runs the small shop Olives and Mee (h) r, where there are, among other things, delicious olive paste to buy. The view from the top into the bays of Arillas and Agios Georgios is amazing (for going out of the village). A path leads down to the twin bay where you can swim and snorkel.

twin bay: The secluded twin bay can be reached from Agios Georgios in 5 to 10 minutes by motorboat. Those hungry for exercise can hike in one and a half hours or ride the pedalboat.

Mirtiotissa (Midwest Coast): The beach with the bizarre rocks can be reached from Vatos on a steep, unpaved road. Down there are no houses, just a tavern with a wonderful view over the bay. Tip: Before you go down to the beach, there is a guarded parking lot (3 euros). Ignore that and drive on. Children can not make the steep return on foot, and you can park for free at the bottom.

Cape Drastís (northwestern tip): The cape with its bizarre rocks can be reached from Perouládes (signposted). The unpaved road down to the sea offers fantastic views, skilled swimmers can jump from the flat rocks into the turquoise waters.

Longas Beach (northwestern tip): Also from Perouládes it goes to the cliffs on Longas Beach, also called Sunset Beach, because you meet there for sunset. There is a nice tavern with stunning views, hammocks and quiet lounge music.

Kassiópi (Northeast): The port of Kassiópi is still pretty to look at despite the many tourists. Directly behind the tavern "Three Brothers" on the harbor road hides a romantic white church from 1590. On top of the hillside are the remains of a fortress.

Astrákeri Beach (North Coast): At the rather sober Astrákeri Beach is the tavern "Three Brothers", where you can relax under the wine pergola eating delicious fish (about 6 km from Roda).