Corfu is the green one, the Ionian island where Venetian, French, and British rule layered a surprising elegance over the usual Greek sun and sea. The Old Town, a UNESCO site, is the proof: a tangle of tall shuttered lanes and arcaded squares wrapped around two old fortresses, a place where a child happily gets lost and a parent quietly admires the architecture. The beaches keep things easy, with the soft sand and shallow water of Glyfada and Agios Gordios for younger swimmers, and the cliff-framed bays of Paleokastritsa for snorkeling and boat trips to sea caves. It feels lusher and softer than the Aegean islands, all cypress and olive instead of bare rock.

The days fill themselves. Boat trips to tiny Paxos and Antipaxos reach lagoons so clear the water barely registers, Aqualand handles the slide-craving afternoons, and the Achilleion Palace, built for an Austrian empress, hands over mythological statues and gardens that double as a history lesson nobody resents. Gentler outings suit smaller children: the donkey rescue center in the hills, flamingo-spotting at Lake Korission, and easy stretches of the Mount Pantokrator trails. The food is uncomplicated and good, souvlaki and moussaka eaten with a sea view. The hotels run from beachfront resorts with pools and kids' clubs to boutique stays in the Old Town and self-catering villas with room to spread out, so a family can lean toward resort ease or island independence and find a base that suits. It is one of the most forgiving Greek islands to bring children to.