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Road Trip in South Corsica : 1 week Itinerary

Road Trip in South Corsica : 1 week itinerary  

For our road trip in Corsica , we focused on Southern Corsica for 7 days . If you have the same time, we strongly recommend that you travel to only one part of the island. Indeed, the island of beauty is still quite vast and the winding roads make it sometimes long to arrive from point A to point B. The landscapes of Corsica have reminded us a lot of those of the Reunion Island (with much more beautiful beaches). Moreover, to discover our two-week itinerary in Reunion, click here . ?

In short: you will not be able to visit everything in a week in Corsica , so take the time to quietly discover the stages that we are going to offer you and to enjoy them.

Practical information for your road trip in Corsica

How to get to corsica.

Two options are available to you for traveling to Corsica :

• ✈️  Plane : the fastest way. There are three main airports in Corsica: Bastia, Ajaccio and Figari. To visit Southern Corsica, we advise you to land in Ajaccio or Figari. Find the best airline ticket prices here .
• ? Ferry : Corsica Ferries are available from Nice and Toulon. By booking in advance, you may find tickets at a good price. Depending on the fare, the ferry may be more economical than the plane as it does not require renting a car in Corsica if you are crossing with your own vehicle. Reservation here

Rent a car for your road trip in Corsica

We booked our car rental through the Skyscanner comparator . He found us an offer with the car rental company Sixt at Ajaccio airport. Everything went very well.

Rent a boat to visit Corsica in a different way:

Discover the magic of Corsica in an exceptional way by renting a boat with Click and Boat . Soak up the wild beauty of the island, giving you total freedom to explore almost inaccessible sites.

What budget for a week of road trip in Corsica?

Corsica is quite expensive. Prices are on average 20% higher than on the mainland. Here is the budget detail for our trip to Corsica :

• Flights Lyon – Ajaccio : 75€ per person
• Car Rental : 200€ for the week
• Gasoline fees : 100€ for around 700 km traveled
• Hotels : 100€ per night on average in high season
• Restaurants : 50€ per day per person for 2 meals

Total = 1 850€ for a 7-night stay =  925€ per person , excluding activities.

Note: this budget can obviously vary according to the price of car rentals and planes, but also according to the standard of the hotels / restaurants you choose. We are only talking about our experience here.

When to go to Corsica?

As with many European destinations, the best time to travel to Corsica is from May to June , then September to October . During these 4 months, the temperatures are mild and you avoid school holidays. This has two advantages: lower prices and fewer tourists.

? However, Corsica is beautiful all year round! In winter you can even ski with a sea view.

Road Trip in South Corsica: one week itinerary

Days 1 to 2: propriano.

For the start of your road trip in Corsica , we recommend that you book your first two nights in Propriano . This base is ideal for exploring the surroundings.

Where to sleep in Propriano?

At  Casa Mare E Vista , a guest house with elegantly decorated sea view rooms and a beautiful outdoor swimming pool. Very good value for money for Corsica!

What to do in Propriano and its surroundings?

We have spread this program over 2 days so that you can enjoy each place with confidence, without rushing.

Roccapina Beach

Unmissable during your weekly trip in Corsica , Roccapina beach is one of our favorites in southern Corsica. The sand is white and the water is translucent. We recommend that you take the short hike that leads to the Genoese tower of Roccapina . You will see that the landscape is even more beautiful when you gain height. ? The more courageous will continue the path to the famous Lion of Roccapina rock , for an even more panoramic view.

⏱   Duration: allow about 40 minutes round trip to the Genoese tower or 2 hours round trip to the lion rock

? How to get to  Roccapina Beach 

To access it, you don’t even have to walk! Lots of people park in the parking lot near the main road and walk 7 km round trip. However, two large car parks are free at Roccapina beach . The path to get there is bumpy but still passable. Don’t be afraid and go (slow).

Once you get to the end, you will have an intersection with two possibilities: keep to the right to be as close as possible to the start of the short hike!

Lunch at the Acciola sheepfold

The hike to Roccapina will probably have made you hungry. That’s good, because we’ve found a great place to eat nearby.

Meet at Acciola’s sheepfold to taste Corsican specialties and with a magnificent view, please! We tasted the burger and the aubergines Bonifacienne: to die for ? The products are local, fresh and cooked with passion.

? Our advice: call ahead to book a table.

Visit of the Village of Sartène

Sartène is a typical Corsican village , highly recommended by tourist guides. Well, without wanting to offend anyone, we found him a bit on the side. Yes, the few stone streets have their charm, but the tourist shops are not typical.

You can still take a walk for an hour in Sartène to digest, on the way back to Propriano, in order to form your own opinion.

? You can also opt for an even more enjoyable ride by renting an electric bike.

Aperitif and dinner at Charlot

A sunset with a view of Propriano bay , accompanied by traditional Corsican cuisine ? If that makes you want as much as we do, go to the restaurant Chez Charlot in Viggianello!

? Reservation strongly recommended to have the best table on the terrace.

  Voir cette publication sur Instagram   Une publication partagée par Chez Charlot (@chez_charlot) le 12 Juil. 2019 à 4 :50 PDT

Swimming in the Baraci river

With these rocks in red / orange tones, it feels like another country! For a quiet swim in (a little) cool water, it’s here. The access is quite steep but without great difficulty. See GPS coordinates

Kayaking excursion in Campomoro Bay

Campomoro Bay is 15 km from Propriano . During this sea kayaking trip , the guide will explain all about the marine fauna! You can also swim in a wild cove on the edge of an island. A little bonus that is pleasant: the effort will be rewarded with a tasting of Corsican sweets ?.

? This activity is accessible to young and old. For info and to book: click here!

Surf Lesson

Surfing in Corsica? Yes! When we tell you that we can do anything on the Island of Beauty, we are not lying to you!

If you want to take a surf lesson in Corsica for the first time or even for experienced beginners, you can contact the WaterPlay organization. The team is super nice! It also takes place in the bay of Campomoro.

? Small precision: this activity is only possible on days when there are waves of course ?.

Dinner « Chez Antoine »

To recover from this second sporting day of road trip in Corsica , nothing better than a good dinner! Chez Antoine , you will find a nice decoration, a superb view and very good dishes. The restaurant is best known for its fish and shellfish dishes. Apparently the cocktails at the downstairs bar are delicious! ? They also serve tapas, for those who wish.

Days 3 to 5 : Bonifacio, let’s continue the road trip in Corsica

Bonifacio was our favorite stop on this road trip in Southern Corsica . This little town has a lot of charm, but its surroundings have so much more! The beaches in Bonifacio, wilder than elsewhere , are not to be missed.

Where to sleep in Bonifacio ?

We stayed in a villa at Residence Terra Marina . The accommodations are very well equipped and comfortable, with a real barbecue for the evening meal! The swimming pool at Residence Terra Marina offers an incredible view of the sea, the cliffs and the beautiful town of Bonifacio. Having breakfast with this view is the best way to start a day of road trip in Corsica … ?

Here are 2 other recommendations if you have a smaller budget :

• Right in the center of Bonifacio, on the port, the Best Western Hotel du Roy d’Aragon is top notch.
• More out of the way but with an incredible view of the mountains, A Santa Trinita offers comfortable accommodation at good prices.

What to do in Bonifacio?

The beach and the trou saint-antoine.

Located in Cap de Pertusatu , Saint-Antoine beach enjoys a privileged location, in the heart of the Bonifacian cliffs . About a hundred meters away is the Trou Saint-Antoine , which houses a small cove accessible by the sea. If you have the motivation, you can swim there from the beach.

? Our advice: go in the late morning so that the sun is straight and there is no shade in the hole! Do not forget your bottle of water, there is no trade on site. Access : 15 minutes by foot from the car park (free). Simply put “plage Saint-Antoine” in your GPS app.

?  Our Secret Spot

We have found a dream location for you, at the foot of the cliffs, not far from Saint-Antoine beach . Here, no sand, but magnificent blue water. You can swim without any problem, the descent into the sea is via the rocks, where it is very easy to climb back up .

? Access : allow 10 minutes to descend from this parking spot . The path is on the bend, there is only one path to the sea. Don’t forget your masks and snorkels!

Petit Sperone & Grand Sperone Beaches

Very well known in Bonifacio , the beaches of Petit and Grand Sperone have the allure of the Caribbean . The water is crystal clear for tens of meters. ?

We went to  Petit Sperone Beach , very easily accessible in a 15-hour walk from the parking lot (free). Our feeling: we did not like this beach, which is too crowded with a lot of families with children. Outside of school holidays, we might have liked it more!

? We have been told that the Grand Sperone beach is less crowded with people because it is still a little further away.

Paddle in Piantarella Beach

Paddle boarding is an activity accessible to the greatest number! It allows you to explore places differently and to discover secret spots. ? Meet in the lagoon of Piantarella for a heavenly paddle session.

The beaches of Paraguan and Fazio

Another small disappointment for us who couldn’t wait to discover Paraguan beach . Once there, a large layer of Posidonia (marine plants which attest to the quality of the water) spread over the entire surface of the sand. Note: Please don’t misinterpret our words – it’s great that these plants are there and the water quality is excellent.

So we decided to walk 20 minutes to Fazio beach , but people on the way told us that it was full of people. U-turn then…

? You can still try to see Paraguan Beach because access is easily done by car. A gust of wind may have driven the plants away! The water is crystal clear, as you can see:

Take an excursion to the Lavezzi islands

The archipel of the Lavezzi Islands , classified as a nature reserve, is unique in the world. Not only will you be able to bathe in crystal clear waters bordered by huge granite rocks, but the return boat trip will also allow you to admire Bonifacio and its cliffs from the sea!

?  How to visit Lavezzi Islands?

To get to the Lavezzi Islands , you have the choice between two options :

• Take a shuttle from the port of Bonifacio. The boat will drop you off in 30 minutes on Lavezzu Island (the main one). The return trip lasts 1 hour to enjoy the landscapes. This solution is more economical but it will only allow you to stop. You can of course stay on site as long as you want. Just don’t miss the last boat! Here are the prices: Adult: € 37, Student: € 32.50, 13 to 17 years old: 28.50 €, 4 to 12 years old: 18.50 €. No reservation necessary: ​​departures and returns every hour. To park, the boat company has 2 free parking spaces for their customers, ask their port office.
• Book a day trip . The cruise includes 2 stops: a stop in a cove on Lavezzu Island and a swim in the lagoon of Sperone. This option is more expensive than the previous one, because it includes: a breakfast, a lunch with lobster pasta, and drinks. On the return trip, the captain will also take you to observe the beautiful landscapes of Bonifacio. Price: € 95 per adult with the service provider L’Autre Croisière.

  Voir cette publication sur Instagram   Une publication partagée par Best of Corsica (@bestofcorsica) le 5 Juin 2020 à 1 :27 PDT

Visit Downtown Bonifacio

Bonifacio , nicknamed “ the City of the Cliffs ”, is a place full of charm. The city is in two parts: on the one hand, the marina with its restaurants, shops and bars; on the other hand, the upper town, which is full of local addresses, small alleys and pretty viewpoints.

What to do in the center of Bonifacio?

• Take the King of Aragon stairs: for the modest sum of € 3.50, we invite you to discover the famous King of Aragon stairs, carved by man in the cliff. The landscapes are breathtaking (the same goes for the 187 steps ?).
• Getting lost in the alleys: this is the best way to discover the upper town! Take the opportunity to taste delicious ice cream from Rocca Serra.
• Go up to the Saint-Roch Chapel: on the way, you can admire beautiful panoramas of the cliffs, the sea and in particular Sardinia. We warn you: it climbs a little! ? You can access it by car if necessary, but it is difficult to park.
• Take a hike: for the more motivated, the hiking trails of Campu Rumanilu and Pertusato allow you to reach the center of Bonifacio. Ideal place for a running or a walk on the cliffs (in complete safety)!

? One last tip: the difference in height and the heat do not mix well in Bonifacio. Get up early to enjoy the city without dying of heat and especially to be more peaceful.

Sunset with a view : Bonifacio and its cliffs

Ahhh that makes you want, eh? Well Named! As you can see in the following photos, we have found the perfect place to watch the sun set behind the cliffs and landforms of Bonifacio. Here are the GPS coordinates.

⚠️ Be careful when you approach the cliffs, we don’t want an accident.

  Voir cette publication sur Instagram   Une publication partagée par Yann ♡ Aurélie – Blog Voyage (@amoureuxdumonde) le 16 Juil. 2020 à 3 :43 PDT

Dinner on the port of Bonifacio at Del Ferro Restaurant  ?

After admiring the sunset, head to the port of Bonifacio for dinner. There are several reasons to eat at Del Ferro :

• The food is absolutely delicious, with local products
• Everything is fresh and homemade
• The price / quality ratio is excellent with good quantities
• The restaurant is quiet, on the port of Bonifacio
• The address is brand new, with a bohemian decoration

And our best argument for the end: Restaurant Del Ferro was created by a lovely couple. You will therefore be very well received. We wish them the success they deserve!

?Address : 3 quai Banda del Ferro, Bonifacio.

Days 6 à 7 : Porto Vecchio, last stop of the road trip in Corsica

Porto Vecchio  was the last stop on our 1 week Corsica road trip . Time has passed at breakneck speed! We leave this island with the promise of coming back soon … In our opinion, you will do the same! ?

Where to sleep in Porto Vecchio?

We stayed at the Santa Giulia Palace residence. Apart from the beauty of the place, the geographical location is ideal: 7 minutes on foot from Santa Giulia beach !

If your budget allows it, let yourself be tempted by a premium apartment . You can enjoy your own jacuzzi in a small tree-lined garden and a Balinese-style outdoor shower ? Otherwise, they also offer cheaper accommodation . Within the residence, there are also 3 outdoor swimming pools, including a swimming lane overlooking the bay of Santa Giulia. Rates & reservation

Other recommendations for accommodation in Porto Vecchio :

• The Alcyon hotel residence , located 200m from the center of Porto Vecchio. Good value for money.
• The  B&B Auberge Belle Terre , located in Lecci 10 km north of Porto Vecchio. Good for small budgets.

What to do in Porto Vecchio ?

Purcaraccia waterfalls.

The Purcaraccia waterfalls are undoubtedly our favorite spot on this itinerary in southern Corsica . They are located a little over 50 km from Porto Vecchio, or 1h10 by road. This place will amaze you, in addition to refreshing you! If you want to fully enjoy it like we did, it is best to get there for 9am maximum. Around 10 a.m., the spot begins to fill up and loses its charm. Also, don’t forget to take water with you to last for several hours. You can go tobogganing and bathe in super clear water ? However, it does not exceed 15 ° C.

⏱  Access to Purcaraccia Waterfalls : Paradise has to be earned. Allow around 1 hour of walking to reach the pools (if you are not on the wrong path ?). Indeed, the trail is not very well marked and contains several intersections. We’ll help orient you to try to get to the top in 35 minutes like us ?.

How to get to Purcaraccia Waterfalls?

? Here is the exact location where you can park easily. To be at the waterfalls at 9 a.m., you must be parked at 8 a.m.

We warn you: if you decide to go there in the late morning or during the day, cars will be parked in single file for hundreds of meters (in high season, of course). So not only will you not be alone up there, but in addition you will add to the walk by trying as best you can to park somewhere.

Hike to the waterfalls of Purcaraccia:

The first part is quite simple: you will walk for ten minutes on a false rising flat, well signposted Take the opportunity to take pictures of the magnificent needles of Bavella, it is at the beginning that they can be admired at best.

⚠️ Then, in order not to get lost, you must stay as high as possible and never go down to the bed of the river . After about 30 minutes of walking, you will have no choice but to cross the stream. Don’t panic, there are plenty of rocks to cross. But if you can come up with sneakers that can take on water, better. At this point, there is a first small swimming spot to cool off a bit before the final stage: much steeper!

Once you’ve crossed the river, the golden rule remains the same: climb as high as possible ! It’s frustrating because it climbs sharply and you move away from the sound of the waterfalls, but that’s how you’ll get there the fastest.

Is it dangerous?

Although there is a bit of elevation at the end, the hike does not present any major difficulty , but it is not accessible to very fragile or elderly people either. We have seen families with children (5/6 years old) go up without a problem. There is no climbing to do on this hike contrary to what you can read on the internet. What people call “rock climbing” is just that you have to step over a few large rocks or logs at a few moments.

Once you get to the waterfalls, be careful, it’s slippery!

Canyoning in Corsica

If you want to explore the Purcaraccia waterfalls in a different way, a canyoning trip may be a good idea! It’s a safe way to toboggan and enjoy the canyons. Personally, we wish we did because it sounded super fun. To book, click here!

There are many canyons in Corsica . For those who just want to learn about canyoning, the Pulischellu Canyon is ideal and more suitable for families . Info & booking

Other swimming spots near Porto Vecchio

• Very close to the waterfalls of Purcaraccia, the waterfalls of Pulischellu are sublime but less impressive. They are accessible in 10 minutes on foot, therefore more frequented.
• Natural pools of Cavu : just 40 minutes from Porto Vecchio, they are even more crowded than Purcaraccia. As always, we recommend that you get there very early. They are reachable in 10 minutes by foot.

Porto Vecchio and its beaches

The major interest of Porto Vecchio is the beauty of the surrounding beaches. Indeed, the city itself did not convince us. It’s nice to go for a walk in the harbor, have an ice cream or have a drink with a view of the boats… but it is clearly not worth the surroundings. Porto Vecchio is the stage we least enjoyed during this road trip in Corsica . Why ? Because in high season, the beaches are taken by storm !

Let’s start with the most beautiful of all to our liking:

? Santa-Giulia Beach

We couldn’t wait to see her and were not disappointed. The water is crystal clear for tens of meters and its rocks reminded us of a famous Seychelles beach. On the other hand, it is very popular! If you don’t like being glued to your neighbors – especially during this Covid time – we recommend going early in the morning, or in the evening .

For lovers of sport and sensations, the beach has a nautical center with many activities.

? Palombaggia Beach

Palombaggia beach is also heavenly. Like its neighbor, the water is translucent and you have a foot for several meters. Many umbrella pines line the beach and give it a lot of charm.

? Palombaggia free parking : Be careful, the beach is very popular and the parking complicated (or expensive)! We advise you to park here for free as soon as possible. Around 11 am we found it without problem.

? Tamaricciu Beach

Right next to Palombaggia beach, this a little wilder and equally beautiful cove. We didn’t have time to go but it is very photogenic with its beautiful rocks and large pine tree by the sea. Free parking is located on the main road which runs along the beach. Otherwise, there is a paid parking lot with easy access to the west of the beach.

? Sea Kayaking in Pinarello Bay

To discover one of the most beautiful bays of Porto Vecchio in an original way, nothing better than a kayaking trip ! This activity is accessible to all and lasts half a day. You will discover landscapes worthy of a postcard and you will be able to swim. At the end, a tasting of Corsican specialties is offered to reward the effort. ?

Information & booking ?

? Rondinara Beach

Rondinara beach is located in a bay with calm and beautiful water. Again, this beach is very busy … so much so that we turned around when we saw the people and the crowded parking lot around 4pm. Official beach parking will cost you € 7.

? Free parking Rondinara : go here .

? Pinarello Beach

Even near Porto-Vecchio it is possible to find quiet and unspoiled places. To do this, all you have to do is go to Pinarello and explore its bay, which belongs to the coastal conservatory. It takes about 20 minutes from the center of Porto-Vecchio and the activity can be found here .

? Where to eat in Porto Vecchio?

Here are some good restaurant addresses in and around Porto Vecchio:

• The U Santa Marina, A Festa and Le Fort restaurants, located near Santa Giulia beach, enjoy a magnificent setting with a sea view. We tested the last two, they are good value for money.
• Overlooking Palombaggia beach, the Italian restaurant Costa Marina is an institution. The view is amazing!
• On the port of Porto Vecchio, Casa Corsa offers delicious dishes based on Corsican specialties.
• If you want to eat on Palombaggia beach, the Da Mare by Sea Lounge hut serves very good food and its decoration is stunning. Be careful, the prices go with the beauty of the setting.

BONUS : Visit the Corsican countryside (Zonza)

What we liked the most during our road trip in Corsica was the diversity of the landscapes! A few minutes from the beaches, you can find yourself in the heart of the mountains with freshness.

On the return trip to Ajaccio airport from Porto-Vecchio, we decided to go inland. The roads are winding and the landscapes evolve from turn to turn. We take full eyes! Here are the few stops we made on the way:

Ospedale lake

We accidentally discovered this pretty lake just below Zonza. This place is really peaceful and you can smell the fresh mountain air.

Piscia di Ghjaddu Waterfall

A nice walk to do in 1h30 round trip to see the waterfall of Piscia di Ghjaddu. The end of the route is a bit steep, but the walk is relatively easy. A hot spring with a small waterfall is 10 minutes from the start. See the route on VisoRando

  Voir cette publication sur Instagram   Une publication partagée par ??????? ???????? ? (@songes.bohemes) le 14 Juil. 2020 à 9 :15 PDT

This pretty village, perched in the middle of the mountains, is located an hour’s drive from Porto-Vecchio. We strongly recommend that you stop for lunch at the Eternisula restaurant . This is one of the best restaurants we have tried. The setting is cute, the service at the top, the menu is well prepared with delicious fresh products. Different small dishes are available, take several to share. The value for money is very good, it changes the huts on the beaches of Porto-Vecchio. ?

To digest, take a stroll in Zonza!

Col de Bavella

10 minutes by car from Zonza is the Col de Bavella (1218m). The spot is ideal for having a beautiful view of the needles of the same name and the neighboring massifs. It is also the starting point for many walks and hikes for young and old.

? Where to sleep in Zonza ?

For those who wish to stay a night in Zonza to enjoy the Corsican mountains, you can sleep in this accommodation which has a swimming pool and jacuzzi with views of the mountains. Excellent value!

We hope to have helped you with this weeklong itinerary in Corsica ! Please feel free to comment on your questions and share the article if you enjoyed it. ?

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Corsica Lovers

To awaken your senses in Corsica - Claire et Manu’s Blog

10 days in Corsica: our 3 itineraries (inspiring!)

by Claire ROBINSON , Region Lovers | 29 April 2023 | no intrusive ads, no sponsored content, just some affiliate links - if you use them, we get a small commission (read more)

With 10 days in Corsica , you have time to discover splendid landscapes in different corners of the island: charming villages, dream beaches, impressive mountains, breathtaking cliffs and historical citadels. Here are our 3 tour options with the best of Corsica, the north and the south. Our itineraries allow you to plan everything to visit Corsica in 10 days with map, photos , places to see, where to sleep…

This guide is completely independent , based on our experiences. We visited the area anonymously, making our own choices and paying all our bills in full.

10 days in Corsica: where to go + general advice

Is it possible to visit corsica in 10 days.

With 10 days, it’s still a little short to see absolutely all of Corsica. We recommend 3 approaches:

• A 10-day road trip, to see a bit of each region – but you’ll have to do a lot of driving, and not let yourself get lost in trying to see too many places in each region
• Visit the southern half of Corsica
• Visit the northern half of Corsica
• Settle down in one place and alternate beach and some excursions.

In this article, we propose our itineraries for the first 3.

Here’s an idea of the road times, for context:

• How to get to Corsica

Corsica is accessible by ferry from several cities in France and Italy. But be careful, ferry crossings are quite long, and for a trip of only 10 days, the interest of the ferry depends on your point of departure.

See available ferry schedules and book.

Otherwise, there are 4 airports where you can arrive in Corsica: Bastia, Calvi, Ajaccio, Figari. You can locate them all on the map below. Compare the destinations and flights available from your departure city .

For the 10-day loop, we start it in Bastia, but you can start it in any city of arrival on the island.

How to get around

It is possible to explore certain regions without a car: There are guided tours that can take you to the most famous places: villages, desert, islands… But this limits you enormously. There is a lot to see! We really think that renting/renting a car is the best way to discover the island. See our tips for driving in Corsica .

Beware, in the middle of summer, the parking lots fill up completely, so it’s better to start your day early to enjoy it more.

OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Corsica

• Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
• Choose a car that is powerful enough (the roads are steep) but compact (some passages are narrow).
• Think of the complete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
• There is a lot of demand, book it early .

Day 1 – Tour of Cap Corse

Driving time = 3h30

The main excursion is of course the tour of the Cap Corsea wild region with only a few villages and impressive mountains plunging into the sea.

With only one day, you must limit your visits. But we recommend that you stop at all the viewpoints along the way.

Erbalunga , Port Centuri and Nonza are worth a visit. And it is the only place to find black beaches in Corsica. However, the color is not due to volcanic ash (as in other countries) but to an old abandoned asbestos mine on the coast. It is a wild jewel not to be missed!

Spend the night in Saint-Florent by the sea, or in Patrimonio next door in the vineyards. We recommend you:

• Hotel in downtown – good value for money The Flor Hotel is centrally located, but be aware that it does not have a large enough parking lot for all guests! see pictures and availability
• Hotel Tetolla Ideal to see the sunsets see pictures and availability
• In the vineyards At the Lustincone Inn in Patrimonio we loved the charm of the rooms, the delicious breakfast and the fantastic views from the terrace and pool! see photos and availability
• Store, in the mountains Hotel Dimora is located in the mountains above St. Florent, for peace, tranquility and beautiful views. See photos and availability

See the best hotel and rental offers

Day 2 – Saint-Florent, Agriates Desert, Ile Rousse

Driving time = 1h or 1h30

Today enjoy the bay of Saint-Florent to the west. Start by taking the boat to the Lotu beach and the Agriates desert. Either you enjoy the beach with the beautiful views of the mountains of Cap Corseor you can walk to discover the beach of Saleccia (1h walk in one direction). The place is magical and the views from the boat are superb. The Agriates desert is one of our favorite places in Corsica .

And on your return, explore the town of Saint-Florent with its citadel, its ice merchants and its marina. Admire the views of the bay with the mountains of Cap Corse.

Take the road to the Balagne. Enjoy a short stop above the Ostriconi beach, one of our favorite views in Corsica (and one of our favorite beaches , for that matter).

And finish the day in L’Île-Rousse. It was founded by the most famous leader of the Corsican people Pasquale Paoli in 1758 (although the place has been inhabited since antiquity). He wanted a port that was not controlled by the Genoese. The main thing to do in Ile-Rousse is to enjoy the island walk to the top of the lighthouse. See our guide to visit Ile-Rousse .

Either you sleep in L’Île-Rousse, or you sleep in Calvi (to have 2 nights in a row in the same hotel), there is only a half hour drive between the 2.

We recommend:

• Quietly located in the heart of the city, the Rocabella Hotel is ideal for relaxation. see prices, pictures and availability
• Just steps away from the beach, Hotel Liberata & Spa offers a colorful and fun, yet cozy experience. see prices, pictures and availability
• For a good value, the Casa Rossa hotel, a little further from the center, is an excellent option. see prices, pictures and availability

Where to see the best rated accommodations in L’Île-Rousse

Day 3 – Calvi and the Balagne

Driving time = 2h

Go up into the hills of the Balagne, to discover one or two typical villages of the region. For example we recommend:

• Pigna and its blue shutters (35min drive from Calvi)
• Sant’Antonino , one of the oldest villages in Corsica (30min drive from Calvi)
• Speloncato , less touristic, with its houses surrounded by rocks (50min drive from Calvi)

Then go back down along the coast of Balagne. At the beach level, we recommend:

• the beach of Bodri with its very fine white sand
• Punta di Spanu , one of our favorite places in the region, with its rocks, its Genoese tower and its view on the bay of Calvi

End the day in Calvi, start by admiring the citadel from the beach! Then go explore it.

Inside, you will discover a labyrinth of alleys, stairs, fortifications, and beautiful views in all directions. Among the monuments note:

• the church of St. John the Baptist
• the oratory of Saint-Antoine.
• MUDACC – the art museum of the citadel of Calvi with works of the Contemporary Art Fund

See our article dedicated to the citadel or our complete guide to Calvi .

• Around the port Casa Bianca hotel with its modern decor and beautiful views See photos and availability
• Along the beach Hotel Onda where you will sleep almost with your feet in the water… See prices, pictures and availability
• On the heights A dreamy and luxurious stay in the hotel La Villa Calvi. See prices, pictures and availability

Or see all the best rated accommodations in Calvi .

Day 4 – calanques de Piana and Scandola Reserve

Today, continue your descent along the West Coast. We are going to one of the most famous places in Corsica!

With the calanques de Piana the Scandola nature reserve is a Unesco World Heritage Site. It is protected and access is limited. The cliffs and their geological formations are unique. The boat tours allow you to get up close and personal. The cliffs and colored rock formations are exceptional. Attention, reserve your place on the boat!

Night in Piana. We recommend 2 options:

Sleep in the village of Piana, in the heart of the Calanques on a higher ground. Many hotels have incredible views of the Gulf. For example the Scandola hotel – see prices, pictures and availability

Sleep in Porto Ota, the village located in the center of the gulf. It is convenient for boat tours. For example, at the Residence Hoteliere Capu Seninu with its breathtaking views. – see prices, pictures and availability

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Day 5 – Ajaccio

Driving time = 1h30

Drive to Ajaccio. Take time to explore the old town, walk around the fort, see the market and visit the churches. In terms of visits, we recommend

• The Palais Fesch with the fine arts museum inside. The collection of paintings is impressive with great Italian artists. One of the most beautiful in France – schedules and rates on the official website
• The National Museum of Bonaparte House – where Napoleon was born in 1769, and where he spent part of his childhood – schedules and prices on the official website
• But if you prefer nature, take the boat to the îles sanguinaires! See options and availability

Night in Ajaccio – our suggestions:

• Luxury – Hotel Le Week-End, by the sea See photos and availability
• Hotel central – Hotel San Carlu Citadelle Ajaccio, well located See photos and availability
• Out of town – Hotel Les Mouettes with its pool on the waterfront See photos and availability

or See the best hotel and rental offers

Day 6 – Filitosa and Sartene

Take the road to the South.

Your first stop is in Filitosa, one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in Corsica. We really enjoyed the walking tour that loops around the various points of interest. It leads you to several structures and megaliths and offers breathtaking views of the area. It is especially known for its status-menhirs which make it one of the most impressive sites of statuary art in the Mediterranean. The artifacts found on the site are displayed in the museum.

Then direction Sartene, the most Corsican of the Corsican cities. Enjoy its charming center and its church. It is a good place to have lunch. You can also visit the museum of prehistory, to learn more about the region.

Continue your journey to the south. Our favorite stops, if you prefer to see beaches at the archaeological site, are:

• The view on the beach of Roccapina and the lion of rocks – possibility of hiking
• Saint-Jean beach and its beautiful grey rocks
• The beach of La Tonnara with its pink sand and colored rocks

Night in Bonifacio (1/2) – we recommend:

• Above the rest At the Santateresa Hotel, you can enjoy a superb view of the citadel and the cliffs from above! See photos and availability
• Near the marina The Centre Nautique hotel is located on the waterfront and the marina. See photos and availability
• Old town Another option inside the old town is the Hotel Genovese with a cliff top location and lots of charm. See photos and availability
• Luxury For a 5-star stay not far from the marina, check out the spacious and beautiful design of the Version Maquis Citadelle hotel. See photos and availability

Day 7 – Bonifacio and Cap Pertusato

Travel time = 0

Today take the time to discover all the facets of one of the most beautiful cities of Corsica: Bonifacio. The citadel was built on a small peninsula with cliffs over 70m high. Among our favorite activities:

• Admire the views from all the ramparts
• Descend the staircase of the King of Aragon dug in the cliff
• Visit the marine cemetery
• Have a drink (or an ice cream!) at the marina
• Take a boat trip to admire the cliffs and caves from the sea
• See our article on all the things to do in Bonifacio .

And if you are feeling a bit sporty, you can walk to Cape Pertusato to have exceptional views of the city. And for a unique beach, once at the lighthouse, you can go down to the beach of Saint-Antoine, completely different from all the Corsican beaches, with its giant cave. See our article .

Night in Bonifacio (2/2)

Day 8 – Beaches of Santa Giulia, Palombaggia…

Driving time = 1h30 (or more, if activities)

In South Corsica, you will find several of the most famous beaches of Corsica. They are between Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio. Let us quote:

• Palombaggia with its red rocks
• Tamaricciu and its postcard bay
• The bay of Rondinara with its perfect shape (often listed as one of the most beautiful bays in Europe)
• The beach of Santa Giulia and its long strip of sand

And if you don’t want to spend the day at the beach, think about the outdoor activities in the area:

• Canyoning initiation in Pulischellu – see pictures, details and availability
• Complete canyoning experience in Pulischellu – see details and availability
• Or sport canyoning in Purcaraccia – see details and availability
• Via Ferrata near Porto_Vecchio – see photos, details and availability
• Sea kayaking near Propriano (west coast) – see pictures, details and availability
• Sea kayaking under the cliffs of Bonifacio – see pictures, details and availability

Night in Porto-Vecchio (or a 3rd night in Bonifacio (30min drive)). We recommend:

• Luxury Grand Hotel de la Cala Rossa & Spa Nucca, right on the beach see pictures and availability
• 4 stars on the sea Hotel-Restaurant Casa Santini x Roc Seven, right on the water see pictures and availability
• Residence with all services At the Residence U Pirellu, we enjoy spacious villas, beautiful views of the maquis and the sea. There is a heated swimming pool and all activities. It is only 10min from Palombaggia and 10min from Porto-Vecchio. see pictures and availability

Day 9 – Bavella, Salenzarra to Corte

Driving time = 3h or 4h

To complete your Corsican experience, after a citadel and beaches, we advise you to take altitude in the mountains. Take the road through the forest of Ospedale and stop at the lake. Continue towards Zonza and the Aiguilles de Bavella. Here you can go for a short hike or continue your journey through the mountains. It is absolutely beautiful and a radical change from the beaches.

Then go back down to the coast, through the gorge of Solenzara. Here, enjoy the views of the river and mountains or find a spot to swim in one of the natural pools.

Continue to the heart of Corsica and the city of Corte. If you like Roman ruins, you can stop in Aleria with its museum and its archaeological site. Otherwise, continue towards the city.

• Stroll in Corte
• Climb to the Belvedere and enjoy the view
• Visit the museum of Corsica and learn more about its history
• Drive in the beautiful Restonica valley (but be careful the road is narrow and winding). To know more about it.

Either you sleep in Corte, or you continue to Bastia (1 hour drive more)

In Corte, we recommend:

• Hotel Dominique Colonna – see prices, pictures and availability
• B&B A Chjusellina – see prices, pictures and availability

In Bastia, we recommend:

• Good value for money Hotel Continental – 3 star hotel in the heart of the city See photos and availability
• Central Hôtel Des Gouverneurs, above the water see pictures and availability
• Hotel de la Corniche, less central but with beautiful views and calm see pictures and availability
• Mister Miot Concept Hotel – Bastia center, with a very pleasant atmosphere see pictures and availability
• Apartment by the sea The Cada del Mare offers splendid views of the sea see pictures and availability

Day 10 – Bastia

Driving time = 0 or 1 hour

After the nature, discover Bastia, the second biggest city of Corsica. One day is enough. We advise you to :

• walk around the citadel,
• stroll in the old port,
• visit the Governor’s Palace and its garden
• discover the many richly decorated churches.

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#2 – 10 days – South Corsica tour

Summary and map.

Here is our suggestion for a 10-day tour in the southern half of Corsica. Beaches, mountains, prehistory, citadels… you will be dazzled! Less road to be expected with this itinerary, except at the end. But, if you want to drive less, you can remove Corte and Piana to spend more time around the southern beaches.

Here is the map of this route:

Day 1 – Ajaccio to Propriano by the coast

From the airport or the port, head south along the coast. There are many beautiful places. Our favorite stops are:

• The peninsula of Isolella with its beautiful beaches. You can stretch your legs a bit by exploring
• The beaches of Mare E Sole and Verghia, with a touch of the Seychelles
• Visit the site of Filitosa – a fascinating prehistoric site with many statue-menhirs!

Night in Propriano – we recommend:

• Luxury Villas At Residence Terra Thea, you can enjoy a resort with several villas overlooking Propriano. see pictures and availability
• Apartment-hotel At Residence & Hotel Aria Marina, you can enjoy convenient apartments not far from the beach see pictures and availability
• Unique Micalona Genoese Tower where you can stay in one of the historical defense towers, not far from Propriano! see pictures and availability
• Seaside in the south of the city U Liventi offers beautiful cabins, under the trees and near the beach. see pictures and availability

Day 2 – From Propriano to Bonifacio, via Sartene

Continue your journey to the south. Our favorite stops are:

• The old center of the city of Sartene, the most Corsican of Corsican cities with its church and its museum of prehistory. It is a nice place to relax and have lunch

Day 3 – Bonifacio and Cap Pertusato

Day 4 – lavezzi islands.

Driving time = 40min

Today, we continue the car break. Board the shuttle that will take you to the Lavezzi Islands. We love this wild and protected place. Only 30 minutes by boat from Bonifacio, you can explore a land full of giant rocks of different colors and shapes. See our complete article .

Road to Porto-Vecchio. Night in Porto-Vecchio (1/3) – we recommend:

Day 5 – Beaches of Santa Giulia, Palombaggia…

Driving time = less than 1 hour.

Night in Porto-Vecchio (2/3)

Day 6 – Bavella and the mountains

Driving time = 3h15

There are many hikes to consider in the area:

• The waterfall of Piscia di Gallu
• The swimming pools of Cavu
• Punta di a Vacca Morta for a panoramic view
• Bavella, U Cumpuleddu hike

Or you can have fun with one of the outdoor activities:

Night in Porto-Vecchio (3/3)

Day 7 – Solenzara and beaches of the east coast

Driving time = 3h

Today, head north of Porto-Vecchio to discover even more beautiful beaches. We begin by the bay of Pinarellu. This bay has 2 km of white sandy beaches with shallow waters in a protected environment. You can choose to settle either at the wild end of the south side of the bay, or near the colorful rocks, on fine sand near the village to enjoy its many restaurants. From everywhere, you have a view of the bay island and its 500 year old tower.

Then explore Fautea with its 3 beautiful white sand beaches, one in the village and 2 that can be reached by short walks. The most fascinating is the beach of the Tower in the middle: a beautiful little cove surrounded by lush nature (with juniper trees). The northern point has an accessible Genoese tower in good condition.

For a change from the beach, why not go and cool off in a river. One of the most visited gorges is the valley of Solenzara. It has several sections where it is easy to access the water and enjoy a refreshing swim. The water is emerald in color, a contrast to the sparkling white rocks of the riverbed. And the river Solenzara is surrounded by dense vegetation and mountains in all directions.

And finish the road to Corte

Day 8 – Corte

Driving time= 2h30 (without the Restonica valley)

Then take the road to the west coast and the famous calanques de Piana. And enjoy the sunset!

Day 9 – Piana

We are going to one of the most famous places in Corsica!

Then take the road to Ajaccio.

Day 10 – Ajaccio

Take time to explore the old town, walk around the fort, see the market and visit the churches. In terms of visits, we recommend

#3 – 10 days in Northern Corsica

Here is our suggestion for a 10-day tour in the northern half of Corsica. Beaches, mountains, citadels, villages… you will be charmed! Less road to foresee with this route.

Day 1 – Cap Corse east coast

We have planned two days to enjoy it. And we start with the East Coast.

Find out more:

• The road to the Corniche
• The village of Erbalunga with its houses stuck on the peninsula and the ruined Genoese tower
• The beach of Pietracorbara
• The many views of the coast
• The view from Tomino
• Once you arrive in Macinaggio, go stretch your legs on a part of the customs path.
• See our complete guide on the visit of the Cap Corse

Spend a night in the North of the Cap Corse. We recommend you:

• Le Tomino – see prices, pictures and availability
• or see the available accommodations

Day 2 – Cap Corse west coast

Today you explore the west coast of Cap Corse with:

• The tiny coastal village of Port Centuri
• Breathtaking views of the mountains falling into the sea
• The village of Nonza with its black sand beach and its views from the top of the cliffs

However, you should know that the color is not due to volcanic ash (as in other countries) but to an old abandoned asbestos mine on the coast.

Spend the night in Saint-Florent by the sea, or in Patrimonio next door in the vineyards (Night 1/2). We recommend you:

Day 3 – Saint-Florent and Agriates Desert

Spend the night in Saint-Florent by the sea, or in Patrimonio next door in the vineyards. Night 2/2.

Day 4 – L’Île-Rousse

Today you drive south. Take the road to the Balagne. Enjoy a stop at the Ostriconi beach, one of our favorite sights in Corsica (and one of our favorite beaches , for that matter).

Make a stop at the park of Saleccia, to discover the wonderful garden and plants of Corsica.

Finish the day in L’Île-Rousse. It was founded by the most famous leader of the Corsican people Pasquale Paoli in 1758 (although the place has been inhabited since antiquity). He wanted a port that was not controlled by the Genoese. The main thing to do in Ile-Rousse is to enjoy the island walk to the top of the lighthouse. See our guide to visit Ile-Rousse .

Overnight in L’Île-Rousse – don’t miss the sunset!

Day 5 – The villages of the Balagne

Go up into the hills of the Balagne, to discover several typical villages of the region.

For example, we recommend:

And finish the day in Calvi (Night 1/2). We recommend:

• Around the port Casa Bianca hotel with its modern decor and beautiful views – see pictures and availability
• Sir the heights a dreamy and luxurious stay in the hotel La Villa Calvi. See prices, pictures and availability

Day 6 – Calvi and the Balagne coast

Driving time = 30min to 1h

Today, discover the coast of Balagne and the citadel of Calvi. At the beach level, we recommend:

Then in Calvi, start by admiring the citadel from the beach! Then go explore it.

Night in Calvi (2/2)

Day 7 – calanques de Piana and Scandola reserve

Day 8 – corte and the restonica.

Return to Bastia through the heart of Corsica, with the city of Corte.

Night in Corte. We Recommend

Day 9 – Aleria, Mariana and the East Coast

Today you go down to the east coast and up to Bastia.

Your first stop is in Aleria with the Roman ruins, the archaeological museum and the views of the area.

Then as you head up the east coast, consider:

• the Galea Park which presents the secrets of Corsica
• the village of Vescovato and its tunnel under the houses
• the archaeological site of Marina and its modern museum

Then finishes the road to Bastia

Spend the night in Bastia. We suggest:

Day 8 – Bastia

10 days in corsica with your family.

The itineraries, which we propose here, are intense enough to see a maximum of things during your trip. It may be too intense with children. In this case, we recommend you to choose either the North or the South, to go and see our 7 days itineraries and to add rest days: page in the middle.

PLAN YOUR TRIP TO Corsica

Inspiration destinations

• Best things to do in Corsica
• Ajaccio or Bastia?
• North or South Corsica?
• Planning a road trip in Corsica
• Itineraries: 3 days – 4 or 5 days – 1 week – 10 days – 2 weeks

• The most beautiful beaches of Corsica
• The most beautiful villages of Corsica
• The most beautiful cities of Corsica
• The most beautiful destinations in Corsica
• The museums of Corsica
• Hidden gems in Corsica
• The most beautiful natural pools
• What to do in North Corsica
• Best things to do in South Corsica
• Canyoning in Corsica

Where to stay

• Where to sleep in Corsica
• The most beautiful hotels in Corsica
• Best luxury hotels in Corsica
• Best seaside hotels

• Which ferry to Corsica
• Renting a car in Corsica
• Driving in Corsica

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Into Corsica, From Rustic Villages to Stony Cliffs

By Emily Brennan

• July 26, 2016

One reason the French island of Corsica can feel so bracing to a visitor is that — and I mean this in the best way possible — Corsicans don’t much care about you.

Of course, they want to make sure that you’re comfortable and taken care of. But they’re not going to fuss over the details of your itinerary, recommending this sight over that one.

They are secure in the knowledge that their island is wildly beautiful — imagine alpine mountains rising from Mediterranean shores — so they assume that whichever pink granite inlet, mountaintop lake or boulder-strewn valley you do see, even if it’s not the best known, will be among the most wondrous sights of what, you’ve now realized, is your flat and boxed-in life. And they would be correct.

Mostly Corsicans go about their business and leave you to discover their island, which, with about 322,000 inhabitants, is about 105 miles off France’s southern coast. This can be exhilarating, but it also makes getting to know Corsicans themselves somewhat difficult — even for someone like me who was visiting with the Corsican side of my husband’s family.

I had never been to Corsica, and it had been 17 years since my husband, Fabrice, set foot on the island. Growing up on “the continent,” which is what Corsicans still call the French mainland, he’d spent weeks each childhood summer with his grandmother in her birthplace, Corrano, a small inland village.

To him, Corsica was not the Vallée de la Restonica , a trail of gorges and glacial lakes reaching 3,840 feet that is popular with hikers; nor was it the glittering coastal cities of Calvi or Porto-Vecchio , with yachts docked in turquoise waters. The Corsica he knew was not the kind that you sought out, but that happened to you: a wild boar crossing your path in the woods; the butcher truck pulling up to sell the day’s cuts; a fountain’s water breaking the night’s silence. The quotidian sights and sounds of a village that required only time.

We, though, had five days. I feared our short stay wouldn’t give me any real sense of Corsican culture. Fabrice worried we wouldn’t manage to have daily servings of the smoked pork liver sausage figatellu .

Electric street lamps had come to Corrano — that was the first change Fabrice noticed as we rounded a road’s bend, with our 1½-year-old-daughter in the back, to enter the village, clinging, at 1,820 feet, to a mountainside.

It was 6 in the evening, the time of day photographers love for its warm, soft light. But here, high and deep in Corsica’s forested interior, the golden hour is blue. The distant mountains, blanketed with pines and chestnuts, appeared a dark purplish gray.

The second change: The cafe where villagers would play cards each evening was shuttered. The center had no hotels, no restaurants, no markets among its centuries-old granite houses. As we drove on, Fabrice pointed out the field where he and his cousins would play soccer. But where were all the children now?

As with many of Corsica’s inland villages, the story of Corrano, whose population was 87 as of the last census in 2006, has been one of attrition. And it begins with its complicated, fraught relationship with the French state.

Ever since France bought Corsica from the Genoese and invaded it in 1768, quashing the island’s nearly 30-year struggle for independence that followed a line of foreign occupiers stretching back to the Greeks, an outsize number of Corsicans have found employment in the ranks of France’s vast military and imperial bureaucracy.

The most successful, of course, was Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born in the island’s capital, Ajaccio. Though egomania might have compelled him into service, by the 20th century most Corsicans did so as a way to escape the island’s poverty.

During World War I , historians estimate that 10,000 to 12,000 Corsicans, a disproportionately high number considering the island’s small population, died on European battlefields. In Corrano, as in nearly every village we visited, there was a small stone monument to the sons it lost in the war.

In the 1930s, when the island accounted for less than one percent of the French population, Corsicans made up 22 percent of its colonial administration, filling jobs from tribunal presidents to rubber planters throughout North Africa, Southeast Asia and the West Indies.

Fabrice’s great-grandfather was among them. A cobbler in Corrano, he moved his family of seven to Morocco in 1931 to be a government official in charge of prisons there. Fabrice’s grandmother, Marie-Antoinette Malgoyre, who was 3 at the time, said her father had been determined to send his children to secondary school, but in Corsica the closest was 30 miles away in Ajaccio, where rents were beyond his wages. He looked abroad for opportunity.

“It was the time when there were no welfare supplements for children, no reimbursements for health care costs,” Fabrice’s grandmother later told me. “He left for us children.”

The family’s comfortable apartment in Casablanca was a stark contrast to their home in Corrano, which was without electricity and indoor plumbing until the years after World War II.

The academic Robert Aldrich wrote that in the 1930s Corsican dissidents criticized Paris for failing to develop the island’s infrastructure and educational system, giving it “less favorable treatment than many a colony.” (The people of Algeria, Morocco or Cambodia might have disagreed.)

It was no matter to a young Marie-Antoinette, who, during her summer visits to Corsica, saw bathing in the nearby river as an adventure and the lack of electricity as a chance to admire the nighttime sky.

“I had the impression that the stars were going to fall into my hands,” she said.

The morning after our arrival, Fabrice and I set out in search of the Taravo River, where his grandmother used to bathe. Swearing it was this way, he led me down a mountainside, past a granite house and tombs in ruins, to a crumbling stone wall. We followed the path alongside it.

As we emerged from the thick woods onto a meadow of pale grass and cork oaks, I didn’t quite know where to look. My Long Island upbringing had trained my eyes to view nature by cropping out parking lots and people (gaze in the direction of the majestic Atlantic — not at the sunburned bodies on the beach). But this was beauty everywhere at once. My eyes nearly twitched.

After another hour of walking, Fabrice declared the river lost. But on our way back, a boar found us.

Corsica’s lack of development, which had one effect of preserving its nature, and the resettlement of some 15,000 to 17,000 people of French descent from Algeria, after the country gained its independence in 1962, helped stir a resentment that rekindled a nationalist movement on the island.

Since the late 1960s, the National Liberation Front, or F.L.N.C., Corsica’s most active separatist group, and other nationalists have regularly bombed and attacked government buildings and have been implicated in the assassinations of police officers, mayors and, most infamously in 1998, the French prefect , France’s highest-ranking official in Corsica.

In recent years, these violent attacks have become harder to distinguish from those of organized criminals, who have become less interested in drug trafficking than in property development on the island, where the likes of Nicolas Sarkozy reportedly rented a beachfront villa for 34,200 euros a week. Many believe that separatist and criminal networks now intersect.

In Santa-Maria-Siché, a few villages from Corrano, we sat drinking our espressos with a local resident on the terrace of U Cafe di Paleddu, whose sign displayed the enigmatic Moor’s head on Corsica’s flag.

When the conversation turned to tourism, he proposed a solution to keep Corsica from becoming like the built-up, overrun Côte d’Azur: Allow construction only in granite to match traditional architecture.

As for the new stucco houses? “Blow them all up,” he deadpanned, with a wave of his hand. I laughed because it was a joke, but did so a little uncomfortably because, well, it wasn’t a hyperbolic one.

On Dec. 7, 2012, for example, 31 villas owned by non-Corsicans along the coastline were bombed; the F.L.N.C. later claimed responsibility and denied any collusion with organized crime. No one died because all the homeowners were away on the mainland. Since the F.L.N.C. declared an end to its armed resistance against the French state in 2014, an uneasy peace has persisted.

These days, the rhetoric of violent resistance has sometimes been redirected toward the island’s French-Arab minority. On Christmas Day, after an attack that wounded two firefighters and a police officer in a largely North African quarter of Ajaccio, a few hundred people marched through that neighborhood, chanting in the Corsican language “Arabi fora” (Arabs out), reminiscent of the nationalist slogan “Francesi fora” (French out).

A democratic pursuit of nationalism is also taking shape in Corsica. In December’s local elections, nationalist leaders gained power in the Corsican Assembly, with its new president, Jean-Guy Talamoni, making a victory speech in Corsican. French translations were handed out to mainland journalists.

Corsica’s political and criminal troubles, though, have done little to dampen its tourism boom. Three million tourists visited the island in 2015, compared with 1.5 million in 1992, according Corsica’s tourism agency.

Perhaps this is because, aside from bilingual road signs whose French place names have been sprayed with bullets, clashes remain at the periphery. Fighting is targeted; I found no reports of harm to tourists.

Still, all of this history might make your imagination run wild.

For example, if you witness, from your car, the police arresting a man who looks frighteningly like the actor who played the Corsican mobster in the 2009 film “ A Prophet ,” you might find yourself ducking because your husband is yelling that, at any second, an ambush could happen. And you might discover, the next morning, while reading the Corse Matin newspaper that the man was arrested, in fact, for ignoring the police’s signal to stop at a village festival the night before.

That might happen.

To continue our exploration of villages, I had made plans for us to stay at a bed-and-breakfast not far from Corsica’s western coast. Then the owner wrote to me, saying she needed our room for her pregnant daughter who was on bed rest. Slightly disappointed, I reserved the first hotel I found on Booking.com.

But while sipping port over ice at dusk on the terrace of Hôtel Abbartello, built out over Olmeto’s rocky shore, I had to admit that Abbartello’s modern amenities — not to mention its small, stunning private beach on the Propriano Gulf — were a welcome change from hot-plate cooking in Corrano. And I counted the bocce ball tournament, held the next morning in the hotel’s cleared-out parking lot with locals in matching T-shirts, as a village experience.

Our goal was to see Bonifacio’s cliffs by sunset, so we set off from Olmeto on N196, which would take us inland and then to Corsica’s southern coast. This would leave us ample time to stop for swimming and, of course, consuming pork products.

The mountaintop town Sartène met that last objective. The touristy but irresistible Cave Sartenaise sold Corsican specialties like chestnut jams, fig cakes and figatellu. We bought some dried sausages, had them vacuum-sealed to take back to New York and promptly ate them on the road, along with a couple of tarts made with brocciu, a sheep’s- or goat’s-milk cheese.

Heading south along N196, we saw forests that gave way to roadside cemeteries and vineyards, which gave way to maquis, a tangled underbrush of rosemary, shrubs and succulents. Their scent rushed into our car as we climbed the southern coast, and the Mediterranean came into view.

Headlands reached into the sea like gnarled fingers. Pink granite boulders tapered off into delicate, wind-eroded formations. Other parts of Corsica had felt ancient to me, but this coastline was prehistoric.

A hundred feet below we passed Roccapina Beach, an inlet of turquoise water, and continued east until the windswept Tonnara Beach, where we went for a brisk swim. A crumbling stone tower sat next to a little shack serving drinks.

Before sunset we reached Bonifacio. From its windy citadel, we craned our necks to see the undulating white cliffs over the blue straits separating the island from Sardinia, to its south. Below were dark grottoes and yachts sailing into the port.

After a stop at a supermarket for more figatellu and, I insisted, some non-smoked-meat items like grapes, we climbed back into the car and, before dusk, started our three-hour drive back to Corrano.

For nearly 150 miles, I’d driven through Corsicans’ villages, eaten their food and marveled at their landscapes. Though travelogues told me about outdated traditions like vendetta killings, and Fabrice went on about Corsicans being “the last element of proletariat virility” — whatever that meant — I still hadn’t gotten much of a sense of Corsicans today.

My flash of understanding came on our trip’s last day at the least expected moment: while I was frantically picking fleas off my daughter.

We’d been eating an excellent lunch of charcuterie, zucchini beignets and wild boar at the beautifully rustic restaurant U Taravu in Zévaco, a village next to Corrano. My daughter had been fussy, so I’d taken her outside to pet the dog next door. This dog, it turned out, had been put in his cage, away from customers, because it had fleas.

Our waitress, a hearty woman with a booming voice, spotted me swatting away fleas and told us to come inside so she could help wash my child in the restroom.

Mortified, I apologized and kept searching through my daughter’s curls.

“Come,” the waitress ordered with a wave of the hand.

Now I hadn’t heard that tone of authority since I was a child visiting my grandmother, who, from her stoop in Brooklyn, would scold her grandchildren and other people’s alike. If she didn’t know you, she figured she knew someone who did and eventually she’d learn your face, so she may as well take responsibility for you now. Her command was a form of care.

The same principles appeared to be at work in this Corsican village. As the waitress carried my daughter inside, stripped off her clothes and splashed water over her little body in the restroom sink, I felt that same quick assumption of familiarity, that same no-nonsense warmth, that same expectation that you’d be back.

A great resource for bed-and-breakfasts (chambre d’hôtes) or vacation rentals (gîtes) in Corsica’s interior is Chambres-Hotes.fr. A fair number of bed-and-breakfasts also appear on Booking.com and TripAdvisor.com, as do boutique hotels like Hotel Abbartello in Olmeto (33-4-95-74-04-73; hotelabbartello.com).

In other parts of France, as well as in Corsica, I have had luck in calling the tourism bureau of a nearby city and asking for bed-and-breakfast recommendations in the countryside; these employees know the area extremely well and often speak good English.

While Corrano has no advertised lodging, there are a number of nearby, beautiful bed-and-breakfasts, including Châtelet de Campo in Campo (Quartier Canavaggio; 33-4-95-53-74-18;chatelet-de-campo.com); Maison d’Hôtes Zella in Guitera-les-Bains (33-6-80-92-84-46; zella-guitera.com); and Casa Sarrinca in Serra-di-Scopamène (33-6-59-88-12-25; casa-sarrinca.fr).

Excellent traditional Corsican cuisine can be had at U Taravu in Zévaco (Le Village, 33-6-30-93-82-80). La Source in Olmeto (Maggese; 33-4-95-74-61-18) serves delicious wood-fire pizza. For local charcuterie and cheeses, visit La Cave Sartenaise in Sartène (Place Porta;lacavesartenaise.com).

Bear in mind that even among restaurants in touristed cities, a midday rest (la sieste), generally from 2 to 5 p.m., is often respected.

Getting Around

To explore Corsica’s mountainous interior, a car rental is your best option. The Napoleon Bonaparte Airport in Ajaccio has many international companies to choose from, including Hertz, Avis and Europcar. If you need a car with an automatic transmission, be sure to book far in advance, as most companies have a limited supply.

National Geographic’s Corsica Adventure Map is a detailed road map that includes popular hiking trails — essential for exploring the interior, where cellular service can be unreliable.

An article on July 31 about the French island of Corsica misidentified the event that prompted a march through a largely North African quarter of Ajaccio, Corsica, on Christmas Day in 2015. The event was an attack in that neighborhood, not the terrorist attacks in Paris that November.

How we handle corrections

Emily Brennan is a staff editor for the Metro section of The New York Times.

Crossing Corsica on the "little train" is the best way to see its spectacular scenery

Apr 28, 2023 • 5 min read

The U Trinighellu traverses Corsica's beautiful coastline as well as its mountains. © Paolo Picciotto/REDA&CO/Getty Images

Our slow travel series explores how you can take more mindful journeys by train, boat, bus or bike – with tips on how to reach your no-fly destination, and what to see and do along the way. We asked Anna Richards to report on her recent train trip across the rugged mountains of Corsica.

The little train made heavy weather of the climb into the Corsican mountains. I sympathized: my legs were still recovering from covering a similar route on foot, 180km of knee-busting ascents and descents over the last two weeks hiking the GR20 . 

“U Trinighellu” sounds ethereal – yet simply translates to “Little Train.” The main line runs for 158km between Ajaccio , Corsica’s capital, and Bastia , its second city, on the northeastern coast. I was to alight a few stops earlier at Ponte-Leccia then take the coastal line to the medieval port town of Calvi, where my car and a bag full of clean clothes awaited me.

Although the train itself has been modernized since the line first opened in 1879, the railway line feels like a journey through time – or at least back to the days before modern health and safety regulations. Everywhere I looked were vertiginous drops into arid gorges. Hardy, scrubby trees clung at odd angles to the rocky walls.

The railway line was originally planned in 1855 as part of a route to cross both Corsica and Sardinia , with the Corsican section linking Bastia in the north with Bonifacio at the southernmost tip of the island. As with so many railways, colonialism spurred its development: Napoleon III believed it would mean shorter travel times for passengers and cargo traveling between France and Algeria , which was under colonial rule at the time. The train never made it as far as Bonifacio, finishing in Ajaccio instead.

In 1959, the French minister of transport Robert Buron tried to close the railway line, saying that “cars and five buses” would suffice for transport in Corsica. This met with outcry from the islanders, who – while staunchly “not French” – certainly knew how to strike like those on the mainland. The future of the line was uncertain for decades, and even now, hikers and students from Corsica’s sole university make up a large percentage of the passengers. 

Yet it remains one of the best ways to see the island – especially in spring and summer, when Corsica’s landscapes put on a full-color display.

I knew that traveling by road would have shaved at least an hour off my journey, but it would have also skirted around the bony spine of the Corsican mountains. So I boarded the train in Ajaccio, scabby kneed, clad in smelly clothes and carrying an even smellier hiking pack. As we began the laborious climb and I watched the bustling metropolis of Ajaccio disappear (the population is a little over 60,000, but after a fortnight in the wild it seemed like Delhi to me), I remembered the first time I’d heard about the mountain railway, from a family friend who had visited Corsica in the 1980s. Her train had derailed and out they tumbled – tourists, locals and more than a few chickens – to be stranded for several hours in the Corsican wilderness. Fortunately, no such adventure was in store for my journey.

The journey

The periwinkle blue of the Mediterranean fell out of sight, replaced with fang-like peaks silhouetted against an equally blue sky, rising and falling haphazardly as though they’d been scrawled by a toddler. We crossed over precarious-looking iron bridges and passed remote mountain villages with church spires as skinny as toothpicks. The train seemed to roll with the landscape.

After one particularly long tunnel (one of 32 on the Ajaccio–Bastia mainline), the train ground to a halt in Vizzavona. It was a familiar sight, as I’d camped here less than a week earlier. Vizzavona marks the divide between the harsher, northern half of the GR20 and the (comparatively) softer south. It’s also one of the few places on the trek with a grocery store. On foot, I’d paid more attention to the Snickers bars than to the terracotta-roofed station.

A vertiginous downhill stretch took us on to Corte . Many young Corsicans head to the mainland to study, but since the island’s one university still has over 4000 students, several people tumbled in and out here. Two stops later and lower still, we arrived in Ponte-Leccia. A rail crossroads, it was an underwhelming station for Corsica’s answer to Clapham Junction, with no coffee to be found. I got out and stretched my legs before boarding an identical train to the coast. 

The arrival

Just before L’Île-Rousse the sea reappeared and we began to hug the coast. Many beaches that we passed were completely empty, others occupied by a handful of topless sunbathers. The final leg of the journey took just under two hours. A car would have done it in half the time, but I was happy not to have flown past these views.

A tiny sandcastle of a town, Calvi rose among lemon-colored walls and jutted out into the sea on the northwestern fringe of the island. It was time to soak my aching limbs in the Mediterranean. 

Trains between Bastia and Ajaccio run three to six times daily in each direction depending on the season, with the Ponte-Leccia–to–Calvi leg having two to three departures daily. A one-way ticket from Bastia to Ajaccio starts from €21.60; a week-long train pass for the entire island runs €50. Full timetables and fares can be found here . 

Food and drink

There’s no buffet car on board, so we advise packing your own picnic.

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Corsica Travel Guide

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More than three million people visit Corsica each year, drawn by the mild climate and some of the most diverse landscapes in all Europe. Nowhere in the Mediterranean has beaches finer than the island’s perfect half-moon bays of white sand and transparent water, or seascapes more dramatic than the red porphyry Calanches of the west coast. Even though the annual visitor influx now exceeds the island’s population nearly ten times over, tourism hasn’t spoilt the place: there are a few resorts, but overdevelopment is rare and high-rise blocks are confined to the main towns.

Ajaccio (Aiacciu)

The balagne (a balagna), bonifacio (bonifaziu) and around, things to do in bonifacio, central corsica, corte (corti), corsican food and drink, napoleon and corsica, the nebbio (u nebbiu), porto (portu) and around, porto-vecchio, sartène (sartè) and around, the réserve naturel de scandola.

Bastia , capital of the north, was the principal Genoese stronghold, and its fifteenth-century citadelle has survived almost intact. It’s first and foremost a Corsican city, and commerce rather than tourism is its main concern. Also relatively undisturbed, the northern Cap Corse harbours inviting sandy coves and fishing villages such as Macinaggio and Centuri-Port . Within a short distance of Bastia, the fertile region of the Nebbio contains a scattering of churches built by Pisan stoneworkers, the prime example being the Cathédral de Santa Maria Assunta at the appealingly chic little port of St-Florent .

To the west of here, L’Île-Rousse and Calvi , the latter graced with an impressive citadelle and fabulous sandy beach, are major targets for holiday-makers. The spectacular Scandola nature reserve to the southwest of Calvi is most easily visited by boat from the tiny resort of Porto , from where walkers can also strike out into the wild Gorges de Spelunca . Corte , at the heart of Corsica, is the best base for exploring the mountains and gorges of the interior which form part of the Parc Naturel Régional that runs almost the entire length of the island.

Sandy beaches and rocky headlands punctuate the west coast all the way down to Ajaccio , Napoleon’s birthplace and the island’s capital, where pavement cafés and palm-lined boulevards teem with tourists in summer. Slightly fewer make it to nearby Filitosa , greatest of the many prehistoric sites scattered across the south. Propriano , the area’s principal resort, lies close to stern Sartène , former seat of the wild feudal lords who once ruled this region and still the quintessential Corsican town.

More megalithic sites lie south of Sartène on the way to Bonifacio , a comb of ancient buildings perched atop furrowed white cliffs at the southern tip of the island. Equally popular, Porto-Vecchio provides a springboard for excursions to the amazing beaches of the south. The eastern plain has less to boast of, but the Roman site at Aléria is worth a visit for its excellent museum.

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Brief history

Set on the western Mediterranean trade routes, Corsica has always been of strategic and commercial appeal. Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans came in successive waves, driving native Corsicans into the interior. The Romans were ousted by Vandals, and for the following thirteen centuries the island was attacked, abandoned, settled and sold as a nation state, with generations of islanders fighting against foreign government. In 1768 France bought Corsica from Genoa, but nearly two-and-half centuries of French rule have had a limited effect and the island’s Baroque churches, Genoese fortresses, fervent Catholic rituals and a Tuscan-influenced indigenous language and cuisine show a more profound affinity with Italy.

Corsica’s uneasy relationship with the mainland has worsened in recent decades. Economic neglect and the French government’s reluctance to encourage Corsican language and culture spawned a nationalist movement in the early 1970s, whose clandestine armed wing – the FLNC (Fronte di Liberazione Nazionale di a Corsica) – and its various offshoots were until recently engaged in a bloody conflict with the state.

Relations between the island’s hardline nationalists and Paris may be perennially fraught, but there’s little support among ordinary islanders for total independence. Bankrolled by Paris and Brussels, Corsica is the most heavily subsidized region of France. Moreover, Corsicans are exempt from social security contributions and the island as a whole enjoys preferential tax status, with one-third of the permanent population employed in the public sector.

Opinion, however, remains divided on the best way forward for the island. While centre-right parties push for an all-out promotion of tourism as a socio-economic cure-all, local nationalist groups resist large-scale development, claiming it will irrevocably damage the pristine environment visitors come to enjoy. Meanwhile, bombings of second homes – a feature of island life since the 1980s – has given way to a marked increase in assassinations and counter killings, most of them linked to organized crime and corruption rather than feuds between nationalist factions, as in the past. Corsica now suffers the highest per capita murder rate of any European region – a statistic attributed by locals to the failure of the French government to address ingrained social and economic problems, but which has roots deep in the island’s cultural DNA.

The extent to which violence is nowadays a symptom of mob influence rather than part of the liberation struggle was dramatically underlined in June 2014, when the FLNC announced a definitive end to its armed conflict with the French state. The announcement came in the wake of a particularly bloody period for the island, during which several prominent figures, including politicians, lawyers and civil servants, were gunned down.

Corsica’s troubled underbelly, however, is largely invisible to visitors. Political graffiti and bullet-scarred signposts, which used to be ubiquitous, are fast becoming a thing of the past, while the drive-by shootings and mafia assassinations which dominate the local press tend to occur well away from the resorts.

Edward Lear claimed that on a wet day it would be hard to find so dull a place as Ajaccio , a harsh judgement with an element of justice. The town has none of Bastia’s sense of purpose and can seem to lack a definitive identity of its own, but it is a relaxed and good-looking place, with an exceptionally mild climate, and a wealth of smart cafés, restaurants and shops.

Although it’s an attractive idea that Ajax, hero of the Trojan War, once stopped here, the name of Ajaccio actually derives from the Roman Adjaccium (place of rest), a winter stop-off point for shepherds descending from the mountains to stock up on goods and sell their produce. This first settlement was destroyed by the Saracens in the tenth century, and modern Ajaccio grew up around the citadelle founded in 1492. Napoleon gave the town international fame, but though the self-designated Cité Impériale is littered with statues and street names related to the Bonaparte family, you’ll find that the Napoleonic cult has a less dedicated following here than you might imagine: the emperor is still considered by many Ajacciens as a self-serving Frenchman rather than as a Corsican.

Since the early 1980s, Ajaccio has gained an unwelcome reputation for nationalist violence. The most infamous terrorist atrocity of recent decades was the murder, in February 1998, of the French government’s most senior official on the island, Claude Erignac, who was gunned down as he left the opera. However, separatist violence rarely (if ever) affects tourists here, and for visitors Ajaccio remains memorable for the things that have long made it attractive – its battered old town, relaxing cafés and the encompassing view of its glorious bay.

The core of the old town – a cluster of ancient streets spreading north and south of place Foch , which opens out to the seafront by the port and the marina – holds the most interest. Nearby, to the west, place de Gaulle forms the modern centre and is the source of the main thoroughfare, cours Napoléon , which extends parallel to the sea almost 2km to the northeast. West of place de Gaulle stretches the modern part of town fronted by the beach , overlooked at its eastern end by the citadelle.

Built on the estuary at the mouth of the River Tavignano on the island’s east coast, 40km southeast of Corte along the N200, Aléria was first settled in 564 BC by a colony of Greek Phocaeans as a trading port for copper and lead, as well as wheat, olives and grapes. After an interlude of Carthaginian rule, the Romans arrived in 259 BC, built a naval base and re-established its importance in the Mediterranean. Aléria remained the east coast’s principal port right up until the eighteenth century. Little is left of the historic town except Roman ruins and a thirteenth-century Genoese fortress, which stands high against a background of chequered fields and green vineyards. To the south, a strip of modern buildings straddling the main road makes up the modern town, known as Cateraggio , but it’s the village set on the hilltop just west of here that’s the principal focus for visitors.

The Balagne , the region stretching west from the Ostriconi valley as far as the red-cliffed wilderness of Scandola, has been renowned since Roman times as “Le Pays de l’Huile et Froment” (Land of Oil and Wheat). Backed by a wall of imposing, pale grey mountains, the characteristic outcrops of orange granite punctuating its spectacular coastline shelter a string of idyllic beaches, many of them sporting ritzy marinas and holiday complexes. These, along with the region’s two honeypot towns, L’Île Rousse and Calvi , get swamped in summer, but the scenery more than compensates. In any case, Calvi, with its cream-coloured citadelle, breathtaking white-sand bay and mountainous backdrop, should not be missed.

Seen from the water, Calvi is a beautiful spectacle, with its three immense bastions topped by a crest of ochre buildings, sharply defined against a hazy backdrop of mountains. Located twenty kilometres west along the coast from L’Île Rousse, the town began as a fishing port on the site of the present-day ville basse below the citadelle, and remained just a cluster of houses and fishing shacks until the Pisans conquered the island in the tenth century. Not until the arrival of the Genoese, however, did the town become a stronghold when, in 1268, Giovaninello de Loreto, a Corsican nobleman, built a huge citadelle on the windswept rock overlooking the port and named it Calvi. A fleet commanded by Nelson launched a brutal two-month attack on the town in 1794; he left saying he hoped never to see the place again, and very nearly didn’t see anywhere else again, having sustained the wound that cost him his sight in one eye.

The French concentrated on developing Ajaccio and Bastia during the nineteenth century, and Calvi became primarily a military base. A hangout for European glitterati in the 1950s, the town these days has the ambience of a slightly kitsch Côte d’Azur resort, whose glamorous marina, souvenir shops and fussy boutiques jar with the down-to-earth villages of its rural hinterland. It’s also an important base for the French Foreign Legion’s parachute regiment, the 2e REP, and immaculately uniformed legionnaires are a common sight around the bars lining avenue de la République.

Social life in Calvi focuses on the restaurants and cafés of the quai Landry , a spacious seafront walkway linking the marina and the port. This is the best place to get the feel of the town, but the majority of Calvi’s sights are found within the walls of the citadelle.

Calvi beach

Calvi’s beach sweeps round the bay from the end of quai Landry, but most of the first kilometre or so is owned by bars which rent out sunloungers for a hefty price. To avoid these, follow the track behind the sand, which will bring you to the start of a more secluded stretch. The sea might not be as sparklingly clear as at many other Corsican beaches, but it’s warm, shallow and free of rocks.

The citadelle

“Civitas Calvis Semper Fidelis” – always faithful – reads the inscription of the town’s motto, carved over the ancient gateway into the fortress. The best way of seeing the citadelle is to follow the ramparts connecting the three immense bastions, the views from which extend out to sea and inland to Monte Cinto. Within the walls the houses are tightly packed along tortuous stairways and narrow passages that converge on the place d’Armes. Dominating the square is the Cathédrale St-Jean-Baptiste , set at the highest point of the promontory. This chunky ochre edifice was founded in the thirteenth century, but was partly destroyed during the Turkish siege of 1553 and then suffered extensive damage twelve years later, when the powder magazine in the governor’s palace exploded. It was rebuilt in the form of a Greek cross. The church’s great treasure is the Christ des Miracles , which is housed in the chapel on the right of the choir; this crucifix was brandished at marauding Turks during the 1553 siege, an act which reputedly saved the day.

L’Île Rousse

Developed by Pascal Paoli in the 1760s as a “gallows to hang Calvi”, the port of L’Île Rousse (Isula Rossa) simply doesn’t convince as a Corsican town, its palm trees, smart shops, neat flower gardens and colossal pink seafront hotel creating an atmosphere that has more in common with the French Riviera. Pascal Paoli had great plans for his new town on the Haute-Balagne coast, which was laid out from scratch in 1758 as a port to export the olive oil produced in the region. A large part of it was built on a grid system, quite at odds with the higgledy-piggledy nature of most Corsican villages and towns. Thanks to the busy trading of wine and oil, it soon began to prosper and, two and a half centuries later, still thrives as a successful port. These days, however, the main traffic consists of holiday-makers, lured here by brochure shots of the nearby beaches. This is officially the hottest corner of the island, and the town is deluged by sun-worshippers in July and August. Given the proximity of Calvi, and so much unspoilt countryside, it’s hard to see why you should want to stop here for longer than it takes to have lunch or a coffee on the square.

The dominant tone of Corsica’s most successful commercial town, Bastia , is one of charismatic dereliction, as the city’s industrial zone is spread onto the lowlands to the south, leaving the centre of town with plenty of aged charm. The old quarter, known as the Terra Vecchia, comprises a tightly packed network of haphazard streets, flamboyant Baroque churches and lofty tenements, their crumbling golden-grey walls set against a backdrop of maquis-covered hills.

The city dates from Roman times, when a base was set up at Biguglia to the south, beside a freshwater lagoon. Little remains of the former colony, but the site merits a day-trip for the well-preserved pair of Pisan churches at Mariana, rising from the southern fringes of Poretta airport. Bastia began to thrive under the Genoese, when wine was exported to the Italian mainland from Porto Cardo, forerunner of Bastia’s Vieux Port, or Terra Vecchia. Despite the fact that in 1811 Napoleon appointed Ajaccio capital of the island, initiating a rivalry between the two towns which exists to this day, Bastia soon established a stronger trading position with mainland France. The Nouveau Port, created in 1862 to cope with the increasing traffic with France and Italy, became the mainstay of the local economy, exporting chiefly agricultural products from Cap Corse, Balagne and the eastern plain.

The centre of Bastia is not especially large, and all its sights can easily be seen in a day without the use of a car. The spacious place St-Nicolas is the obvious place to get your bearings: open to the sea and lined with shady trees and cafés, it’s the main focus of town life. Running parallel to it on the landward side are boulevard Paoli and rue César-Campinchi, the two main shopping streets, but all Bastia’s historic sights lie within Terra Vecchia , the old quarter immediately south of place St-Nicolas, and Terra Nova , the area surrounding the citadelle. Tucked away below the imposing, honey-coloured bastion is the much-photographed Vieux Port , with its boat-choked marina encircled by crumbling eighteenth-century tenement buildings.

Bonifacio enjoys a superbly isolated location at Corsica’s southernmost point, a narrow peninsula of dazzling white limestone creating a townsite unlike any other. The much-photographed haute ville , a maze of narrow streets flanked by tall Genoese tenements, rises seamlessly out of sheer cliffs that have been hollowed and striated by the wind and waves, while on the landward side the deep cleft between the peninsula and the mainland forms a perfect natural harbour.

A haven for boats for centuries, this inlet is nowadays a chic marina that attracts yachts from around the Med. Its geography has long enabled Bonifacio to maintain a certain temperamental detachment from the rest of Corsica, and the town today remains distinctly more Italian than French in the atmosphere. It retains Renaissance features found only here, and its inhabitants have their own dialect based on Ligurian, a legacy of the days when this was practically an independent Genoese colony.

Bonifacio port and old town © Pawel Kazmierczak / Shutterstock

Bonifacio's charming marina and beautiful waters make it no surprise that the best things to do in the area involve boats and beaches. However, the old town forms one of the most arresting spectacles in the Mediterranean, and warrants at least a day-trip. If you plan to come in peak season, try to get here early in the day before the bus parties arrive at around 10 am.

Although Bonifacio has its inevitable drawbacks; exorbitant prices, overwhelming crowds in July and August and a commercial cynicism that’s atypical of Corsica as a whole, it has an unexpected charm that is well worth exploring.

There are impressive views of the citadel from the cliffs at the head of the Montée Rastello (reached via the pathway running left from the top of the steps), but they’re not a patch on the spectacular panorama from the sea. Throughout the day, a flotilla of excursion boats ferries visitors out to the best vantage points, taking in a string of caves and other landmarks only accessible by water en route, including the Îles Lavezzi , the scattering of small islets where the troopship Sémillante was shipwrecked in 1855, now designated as a nature reserve.

The whole experience of bobbing around to an amplified running commentary is about as touristy as Bonifacio gets, but it’s well worth enduring just to round the mouth of the harbour and see the vieille ville , perched atop the famous chalk cliffs. The Lavezzi islets themselves are surrounded by wonderfully clear sea water, offering Corsica’s best snorkelling. On your way back, you skirt the famous Île Cavallo , or “millionaire’s island”, where the likes of Princess Caroline of Monaco and other French and Italian glitterati have luxury hideaways.

The beaches within walking distance of Bonifacio are generally smaller and less appealing than most in southern Corsica. For a dazzling splash of turquoise, you’ll have to follow the narrow, twisting lane east of town in the direction of Pertusatu lighthouse, turning left when you see signs for Piantarella , Corsica’s kitesurfing hotspot. A twenty-minute walk south around the shore from there takes you past the remains of a superbly situated Roman villa to a pair of divine little coves, Grand Sperone and Petit Sperone – both shallow and perfect for kids.

Another superb beach in the area is Rondinara , a perfect shell-shaped cove of turquoise water enclosed by dunes and a pair of twin headlands. Located 10km north (east of N198), it’s sufficiently off the beaten track to remain relatively peaceful (outside school holidays). Facilities are minimal, limited to a smart wooden beach restaurant, paying car park and campsite. Shade is at a premium, so come armed with a parasol.

Aerial of Bonifacio © LuckyViks / iStock

Top Image: Bonifacio (Bonifaziu) © Andrea Sirri / Shutterstock

Boat trips from Bonifacio

From the moment you arrive in Bonifacio, you’ll be pestered by touts from the many boat companies running excursions out of the harbour. There are more than a dozen of these, but they all offer more or less the same routes, at the same prices.

Lasting between thirty and forty-five minutes, the shorter trips take you out along the cliffs to the grottes marines (sea caves) and calanches (inlets) below the old town.

Longer excursions head out to the Îles Lavezzi , part of the archipelago to the east of the straits of Bonifacio. Most companies offer a shuttle ( navette ) service, allowing you to spend as much time as you like on the islands before returning. Boats go out past the Grain de Sable and Phare du Pertusato and then moor at the main island of Lavezzi , beside the cimetière Achiarino . Buried in two walled cemeteries are the victims of the Sémillante shipwreck of 1855, in which 773 crew members and soldiers bound for the Crimean War were drowned after their vessel was blown onto the rocks.

Classified as a nature reserve since 1982, the islets are home to several rare species of wild flower , and offer fabulous snorkelling and some exquisite shell-sand beaches . A network of footpaths runs between them, well waymarked, as you’re not permitted to wander off into the fragile vegetation.

Until Napoléon III had a coach road built around Cap Corse in the nineteenth century, the promontory was effectively cut off from the rest of the island, and relied on Italian maritime traffic for its income – hence its distinctive Tuscan dialect. Many Capicursini later left to seek their fortunes in the colonies of the Caribbean, which explains the distinctly ostentatious mansions, or palazzi , built by the successful émigrés (nicknamed “les Américains”) on their return. For all the changes brought by the modern world, Cap Corse still feels like a separate country, with wild flowers in profusion, vineyards and quiet, traditional fishing villages.

Forty kilometres long and only fifteen across, the peninsula is divided by a spine of mountains called the Serra, which peaks at Cima di e Folicce , 1324m above sea level. The coast on the east side of this divide is characterized by tiny ports, or marines , tucked into gently sloping river-mouths, alongside coves which become sandier as you go further north. The villages of the western coast are sited on rugged cliffs, high above the rough sea and tiny rocky inlets that can be glimpsed from the corniche road.

Centuri-Port

When Dr Johnson’s biographer, James Boswell, arrived here from England in 1765, the former Roman settlement of Centuri-Port was a tiny fishing village, recommended to him for its peaceful detachment from the dangerous turmoil of the rest of Corsica. Not much has changed since Boswell’s time: Centuri-Port exudes tranquillity despite a serious influx of summer residents, many of them artists who come to paint the fishing boats in the slightly prettified harbour, where the grey-stone wall is highlighted by the green serpentine roofs of the encircling cottages, restaurants and bars. The only drawback is the beach, which is disappointingly muddy and not ideal for sunbathing.

A port since Roman times, well-sheltered Macinaggio , 20km north of Erbalunga, was developed by the Genoese in 1620 for the export of olive oil and wine to the Italian peninsula. The Corsican independence leader, Pascal Paoli, landed here in 1790 after his exile in England, whereupon he kissed the ground and uttered the words “ O ma patrie, je t’ai quitté esclave, je te retrouve libre ” (“Oh my country, I left you as a slave, I rediscover you a free man”). There’s not much of a historic patina to the place nowadays, but with its packed marina and line of colourful seafront awnings, Macinaggio has a certain appeal, made all the stronger by its proximity to some of the wildest landscape on the Corsican coast.

Another reason to linger is to sample the superb Clos Nicrosi wines, grown in the terraces above the village, which you can taste at the domaine’s little shop on the north side of the Rogliano road, opposite the U Ricordu hotel.

North of the town lie some beautiful stretches of sand and clear sea – an area demarcated as the Site Naturel de la Capandula . A marked footpath, known as Le Sentier des Douaniers because it used to be patrolled by customs officials, threads its way across the hills and coves of the reserve, giving access to an area that cannot by reached by road.

Central Corsica is a nonstop parade of stupendous scenery, and the best way to immerse yourself in it is to get onto the region’s ever-expanding network of trails and forest tracks. The ridge of granite mountains forming the spine of the island is closely followed by the epic GR20 footpath, which can be picked up from various villages and is scattered with refuge huts, most of them offering no facilities except shelter. For the less active there are also plenty of roads penetrating deep into the forests of Vizzavona, La Restonica and Rospa Sorba, crossing lofty passes that provide exceptional views across the island. The most popular attractions in the centre, though, are the magnificent gorges of La Restonica and Tavignano , both within easy reach of Corte.

Stacked up the side of a wedge-shaped crag against a spectacular backdrop of granite mountains, Corte epitomizes l’âme corse , or “Corsican soul” – a small town marooned amid a grandiose landscape, where a spirit of dogged patriotism is never far from the surface. Corte has been the home of Corsican nationalism since the first National Constitution was drawn up here in 1731, and was also where Pascal Paoli , “U Babbu di u Patria” (“Father of the Nation”), formed the island’s first democratic government later in the eighteenth century. Self-consciously insular and grimly proud, it can seem an inhospitable place at times, although the presence of the island’s only university lightens the atmosphere noticeably during termtime, when the bars and cafés lining its long main street fill with students. For the outsider, Corte’s charm is concentrated in the tranquil haute ville , where the forbidding citadelle – site of a modern museum – presides over a warren of narrow, cobbled streets.

It’s the herbs – thyme, marjoram, basil, fennel and rosemary – of the maquis (the dense, scented scrub covering lowland Corsica) that lend the island’s cuisine its distinctive aromas.

You’ll find the best charcuterie in the hills of the interior, where pork is smoked and cured in the cold cellars of village houses – it’s particularly delicious in Castagniccia, where wild pigs feed on the chestnuts which were once the staple diet of the locals. Here you can also taste chestnut fritters ( fritelli a gaju frescu ) and chestnut porridge ( pulenta ) sprinkled with sugar or eau de vie. Brocciu , a soft mozzarella-like cheese made with ewe’s milk, is found everywhere on the island, forming the basis for many dishes, including omelettes and cannelloni. Fromage corse is also very good – a hard cheese made in the sheep- and goat-rearing central regions, where cabrettu à l’istrettu (kid stew) is a speciality.

Game – mainly stews of hare and wild boar but also roast woodcock, partridge and wood pigeon – features throughout the island’s mountain and forested regions. Here blackbirds ( merles ) are made into a fragrant pâté, and eel and trout are fished from the unpolluted rivers. Sea fish like red mullet ( rouget ), bream ( loup de mer ) and a great variety of shellfish is eaten along the coast – the best crayfish ( langouste ) comes from around the Golfe de St-Florent, whereas oysters ( huîtres ) and mussels ( moules ) are a speciality of the eastern plain.

Corsica produces some excellent, and still little-known, wines , mostly from indigenous vine stocks that yield distinctive, herb-tinged aromas. Names to look out for include: Domaine Torraccia (Porto-Vecchio); Domaine Fiumicicoli (Sartène); Domaine Saparale (Sartène); Domaine Gentille (Patrimonio); Domaine Leccia (Patrimomio); and Venturi-Pieretti (Cap Corse). In addition to the usual whites, reds and rosés, the last of these makes the sweet muscat for which Cap Corse was renowned in previous centuries. Another popular aperitif is the drink known as Cap Corse, a fortified wine flavoured with quinine and herbs. Note that tap water is particularly good quality in Corsica, coming from the fresh mountain streams.

Winding some 170km from Calenzana (12km from Calvi) to Conca (22km from Porto-Vecchio), the GR20 is Corsica’s most demanding long-distance footpath. Only one-third of the 18,000 to 20,000 hikers who start it each season complete all sixteen stages, which can be covered in ten to twelve days if you’re in good physical shape – if you’re not, don’t even think about attempting this route. Marked with red-and-white splashes of paint, it comprises a series of harsh ascents and descents, sections of which exceed 2000m and become more of a scramble than a walk, with stanchions, cables and ladders driven into the rock as essential aids. The going is made tougher by the necessity of carrying a sleeping bag, all-weather kit and two or three days’ food with you. That said, the rewards more than compensate. The GR20 takes in the most spectacular mountain terrain in Corsica and along the way you can spot the elusive mouflon (mountain sheep), glimpse lammergeier (a rare vulture) wheeling around the crags, and swim in ice-cold torrents and waterfalls.

The first thing you need to do before setting off is get hold of the Parc Régional’s indispensable Topo-guide , published by the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre, which gives a detailed description of the route, along with relevant sections of IGN contour maps, lists of refuges and other essential information. Most good bookshops in Corsica stock them, or call at the park office in Ajaccio.

The route can be undertaken in either direction , but most hikers start in the north at Calenzana, tackling the most demanding étapes early on. The hardship is alleviated by extraordinary mountainscapes as you round the Cinto massif, skirt the Asco, Niolo, Tavignano and Restonica valleys, and scale the sides of Monte d’Oro and Rotondo. At Vizzavona on the main Bastia–Corte–Ajaccio road, roughly the halfway mark, you can call it a day and catch a bus or train back to the coast, or press on south across two more ranges to the needle peaks of Bavella.

Accommodation along the route is provided by refuges , where, for around €13–17, you can take a hot shower, use an equipped kitchen and bunk down on mattresses. Usually converted bergeries , these places are staffed by wardens during the peak period (June–Sept). Advance reservations can be made online via the national park (PNRC) website, parc-corse.org, for an advance payment of €5 per bed; any un-booked places are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, so be prepared to bivouac if you arrive late. Another reason to be on the trail soon after dawn is that it allows you to break the back of the étape before 2pm, when clouds tend to bubble over the mountains and obscure the views.

The weather in the high mountains is notoriously fickle. A sunny morning doesn’t necessarily mean a sunny day, and during July and August violent storms can envelop the route without warning. It’s therefore essential to take good wet-weather gear with you, as well as a hat, sunblock and shades. In addition, make sure you set off on each stage with adequate food and water . At the height of the season, most refuges sell basic supplies ( alimentation or ravitaillement ), but you shouldn’t rely on this service; ask hikers coming from the opposite direction where their last supply stop was and plan accordingly (basic provisions are always available at the main passes of Col de Vergio, Col de Vizzavona, Col de Bavella and Col de Verde). The refuge wardens ( gardiens ) will be able to advise you on how much water to carry at each stage.

Finally, a word of warning : each year, injured hikers have to be air-lifted to safety off remote sections of the GR20, normally because they strayed from the marked route and got lost. Occasionally, fatal accidents also occur for the same reason, so always keep the paint splashes in sight, especially if the weather closes in – don’t rely purely on the many cairns that punctuate the route, as these sometimes mark more hazardous paths to high peaks.

In June 2015, a landslide caused by a violent storm in the notorious Cirque de la Solitude, between Asco Stagnu and the Tighjettu refuge, killed five trekkers and forced the closure of this part of the route. At the time of writing, minibuses were being used to shuttle walkers between the valleys instead, while the PNRC were equipping an alternative high-level “variant” route to bypass the cirque, which is expected to remain closed for the foreseeable future. Full details on the new variant are posted on the PNRC website.

Le Golfe de Valinco

From Ajaccio, the vista of whitewashed villas and sandy beaches lining the opposite side of the gulf may tempt you out of town when you first arrive. On closer inspection, however, Porticcio turns out to be a faceless string of leisure settlements for Ajaccio’s smart set, complete with tennis courts, malls and flotillas of jet-skis. Better to skip this stretch and press on south along the route nationale (RN194) which, after scaling the Col de Celaccia , winds down to the stunning Golfe de Valinco . A vast blue inlet bounded by rolling, scrub-covered hills, the gulf presents the first dramatic scenery along the coastal highway. It also marks the start of militant and Mafia-ridden south Corsica, more closely associated with vendetta, banditry and separatism than any other part of the island. Many of the mountain villages glimpsed from the roads hereabouts are riven with age-old divisions, exacerbated in recent years by the spread of organized crime and nationalist violence. But the island’s seamier side is rarely discernible to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who pass through each summer, most of whom stay around the small port of Propriano , at the eastern end of the gulf. In addition to offering most of the area’s tourist amenities, this busy resort town lies within easy reach of the menhirs at Filitosa , one of the western Mediterranean’s most important prehistoric sites.

Set deep in the countryside of the fertile Vallée du Taravo, the extraordinary Station Préhistorique de Filitosa , 17km north of Propriano, comprises a wonderful array of statue-menhirs and prehistoric structures encapsulating some eight thousand years of history. There’s no public transport to the site; vehicles should be parked in the small car park five-minutes’ walk from the entrance in the village.

Filitosa was settled by Neolithic farming people who lived here in rock shelters until the arrival of navigators from the east in about 3500 BC. These invaders were the creators of the menhirs, the earliest of which were possibly phallic symbols worshipped by an ancient fertility cult. When the seafaring people known as the Torréens (after the towers they built on Corsica) conquered Filitosa around 1300 BC, they destroyed most of the menhirs, incorporating the broken stones into the area of dry-stone walling surrounding the site’s two torri , or towers, examples of which can be found all over the south of Corsica. The site remained undiscovered until a farmer stumbled across the ruins on his land in the late 1940s.

Propriano (Pruprià)

Tucked into the narrowest part of the Golfe de Valinco, the small port of Propriano , 57km southeast of Ajaccio, centres on a fine natural harbour that was exploited by the ancient Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans, but became a prime target for Saracen pirate raids in the sixteenth century, when it was largely destroyed. Redeveloped in the 1900s, it now boasts a thriving marina, and handles ferries to Toulon, Marseille and Sardinia.

During the summer, tourists come here in droves for the area’s beaches . The nearest of these, plage de Lido , lies 1km west, just beyond the Port de Commerce, but it’s nowhere near as pretty as the coves strung along the northern shore of the gulf around Olmeto plage . You can reach Olmeto on the three daily buses from Propriano to Porto.

Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio in 1769, a year after the French took over the island from the Genoese. They made a thorough job of it, crushing the Corsican leader Paoli’s troops at Ponte Nuovo and driving him into exile. Napoleon’s father Carlo, a close associate of Paoli, fled the scene of the battle with his pregnant wife in order to escape the victorious French army. But Carlo’s subsequent behaviour was quite different from that of his former leader – he came to terms with the French, becoming a representative of the newly styled Corsican nobility in the National Assembly, and using his contacts with the French governor to get a free education for his children.

At the age of 9, Napoleon was awarded a scholarship to the Brienne military academy , an institution specially founded to teach the sons of the French nobility the responsibilities of their status, and the young son of a Corsican Italian-speaking household used his time well, leaving Brienne to enter the exclusive École Militaire in Paris. At the age of 16 he was commissioned into the artillery. When he was 20 the Revolution broke out in Paris and the scene was set for a remarkable career.

Always an ambitious opportunist, Napolean obtained leave from his regiment, returned to Ajaccio, joined the local Jacobin club and – with his eye on a colonelship in the Corsican militia – promoted enthusiastically the interests of the Revolution. However, things did not quite work out as he had planned, for Pascal Paoli had also returned to Corsica.

Carlo Bonaparte had died some years before, and Napoleon was head of a family that had formerly given Paoli strong support. Having spent the last twenty years in London, Paoli was pro-English and had developed a profound distaste for revolutionary excesses. Napoleon’s French allegiance and his Jacobin views antagonized the older man, and his military conduct didn’t enhance his standing at all. Elected second-in-command of the volunteer militia, Napoleon was involved in an unsuccessful attempt to wrest control of the citadelle from royalist sympathizers. He thus took much of the blame when, in reprisal for the killing of one of the militiamen, several people were gunned down in Ajaccio, an incident which engendered eight days of civil war. In June 1793, Napoleon and his family were chased back to the mainland by the Paolists.

Napoleon promptly renounced any special allegiance he had ever felt for Corsica. He Gallicized the spelling of his name, preferring Napoléon to his baptismal Napoleone. And, although he was later to speak with nostalgia about the scents of the Corsican countryside, he put the city of his birth fourth on the list of places he would like to be buried.

Taking its name from the thick mists that sweep over the region in winter, the Nebbio has for centuries been one of the most fertile parts of the island, producing honey, chestnuts and some of the island’s finest wine. An amphitheatre of rippled chalk hills, vineyards and cultivated valleys surrounds the area’s main town, St-Florent , half an hour’s drive west over the mountain from Bastia at the base of Cap Corse. Aside from EU subsidies, the major money earner here is viticulture: the village of Patrimonio is the wine-growing hub, with caves offering dégustations lined up along its main street.

St-Florent is the obvious base for day-trips to the beautifully preserved Pisan church of Santa Maria Assunta, just outside the town, and the Désert des Agriates , a wilderness of parched maquis-covered hills across the bay whose rugged coastline harbours one of Corsica’s least accessible, but most picturesque, beaches.

Patrimonio (Patrimoniu)

Some 6km from St-Florent lies PATRIMONIO , centre of the first Corsican wine region to gain appellation contrôlée status. Apart from the renowned local muscat, which can be sampled in the village or at one of the caves along the route from St-Florent, Patrimonio’s chief asset is the sixteenth-century church of St-Martin , occupying its own little hillock and visible for kilometres around. The colour of burnt sienna, it stands out vividly against the rich green vineyards and chalk hills. In a garden 200m south of the church stands a limestone statue-menhir known as U Nativu, a late megalithic piece dating from 900–800 BC. A carved T-shape on its front represents a breastbone, and two eyebrows and a chin can also be made out.

The U Nativu menhir takes pride of place next to the stage at Patrimonio’s annual open-air guitar festival , held in the last week of July next to the church, when performers and music aficionados from all over Europe converge on the village.

Viewed from across the bay, St-Florent (San Fiurenzu) appears as a bright line against the black tidal wave of the Tenda hills, the pale stone houses seeming to rise straight out of the sea, overlooked by a squat circular citadelle. It’s a relaxing town, with a decent beach and a good number of restaurants, but the key to its success is the marina , which is jammed with expensive boats throughout the summer. Neither the tourists, however, nor indeed St-Florent’s proximity to Bastia, entirely eclipse the air of isolation conferred on the town by its brooding backdrop of mountains and scrubby desert.

In Roman times, a settlement called Cersunam – referred to as Nebbium by chroniclers from the ninth century onwards – existed a kilometre east of the present village. The ancient port was eclipsed by the harbour that developed around the new Genoese citadelle in the fifteenth century, which prospered as one of Genoa’s strongholds, and it was from here that Paoli set off for London in 1796, never to return.

The Désert des Agriates

Extending westwards from the Golfe de St-Florent to the mouth of the Ostriconi River, the Désert des Agriates is a vast area of uninhabited land, dotted with clumps of cacti and scrub-covered hills. It may appear inhospitable now, but during the time of the Genoese this rocky moonscape was, as its name implies, a veritable breadbasket ( agriates means “cultivated fields”). In fact, so much wheat was grown here that the Italian overlords levied a special tax on grain to prevent any build-up of funds that might have financed an insurrection. Fires and soil erosion eventually took their toll, however, and by the 1970s the area had become a total wilderness.

Numerous crackpot schemes to redevelop the Désert have been mooted over the years – from atomic weapon test zones to concrete Club-Med-style resorts – but during the past few decades the government has gradually bought up the land from its various owners (among them the Rothschild family) and designated it as a protected nature reserve.

A couple of rough pistes wind into the desert, but without some kind of 4WD vehicle the only feasible way to explore the area and its rugged coastline, which includes two of the island’s most beautiful beaches , is on foot. From St-Florent, a pathway winds northwest to plage de Perajola , just off the main Calvi highway (N1197), in three easy stages. The first takes around 5hr 30min, and leads past the famous Martello tower and much-photographed plage de Loto to plage de Saleccia , a huge sweep of soft white sand and turquoise sea that was used as a location for the invasion sequences in the film The Longest Day .

The overwhelming proximity of the mountains, combined with the pervasive eucalyptus and spicy scent of the maquis, give Porto , 30km south of Calvi, a uniquely intense atmosphere that makes it one of the most interesting places to stay on the west coast. Except for a watchtower erected here by the Genoese in the second half of the sixteenth century, the site was only built upon with the onset of tourism since the 1950s; today the village is still so small that it can become claustrophobic in July and August, when overcrowding is no joke. Off season, the place becomes eerily deserted, so you’d do well to choose your times carefully; the best months are May, June and September.

The crowds and traffic jams tend to be most oppressive passing the famous Calanches , a huge mass of weirdly eroded pink rock just southwest of Porto, but you can easily sidestep the tourist deluge in picturesque Piana , which overlooks the gulf from its southern shore, or by heading inland from Porto through the Gorges de Spelunca . Forming a ravine running from the sea to the watershed of the island, this spectacular gorge gives access to the equally grandiose Forêt d’Aïtone , site of Corsica’s most ancient Laricio pine trees and a deservedly popular hiking area. Throughout the forest, the river and its tributaries are punctuated by strings of piscines naturelles (natural swimming pools) – a refreshing alternative to the beaches hereabouts. If you’re travelling between Porto and Ajaccio, a worthwhile place to break the journey is the clifftop village of Cargèse where the two main attractions are the Greek church and spectacular beach.

Competition between hotels is more cut-throat in Porto than in any other resort on the island. During slack periods towards the beginning and end of the season, most places engage in a full-on price war, pasting up cheaper tariffs than their neighbours – all of which is great for punters. In late July and August, however, the normal high rates prevail.

The Calanches

The UNESCO-protected site of the Calanches , 5km southwest of Porto, takes its name from calanca , the Corsican word for creek or inlet, but the outstanding characteristics here are the vivid orange and pink rock masses and pinnacles which crumble into the dark blue sea. Liable to unusual patterns of erosion, these tormented rock formations and porphyry needles, some of which soar 300m above the waves, have long been associated with different animals and figures, of which the most famous is the Tête de Chien (Dog’s Head) at the north end of the stretch of cliffs. Other figures and creatures conjured up include a Moor’s head, a monocled bishop, a bear and a tortoise.

One way to see the fantastic cliffs of the Calanches is by boat from Porto. Alternatively, you could drive along the corniche road that weaves through the granite archways on its way to Piana. Eight kilometres along the road from Porto, the Roches Bleues café is a convenient landmark for walkers .

Picturesque Piana occupies a prime location overlooking the Calanches, but for some reason does not suffer the deluge of tourists that Porto endures. Retaining a sleepy feel, the village comprises a cluster of pink houses ranged around an eighteenth-century church and square, from the edge of which the panoramic views over the Golfe de Porto are sublime.

Calanches walks

The rock formations visible from the road are not a patch on what you can see from the waymarked trails winding through the Calanches, which vary from easy ambles to strenuous stepped ascents. An excellent leaflet highlighting the pick of the routes is available free from tourist offices. Whichever one you choose, leave early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the heat in summer, and take plenty of water.

Walk one: The most popular walk is to the Château Fort (1hr), which begins at a sharp hairpin in the D81, 700m north of the Café Roches Rouges (look for the car park and signboard at the roadside). Passing the famous Tête de Chien, it snakes along a ridge lined by dramatic porphyry forms to a huge square chunk of granite resembling a ruined castle. Just before reaching it there’s an open platform from where the views of the gulf and Paglia Orba, Corsica’s third-highest mountain, are superb – one of the best sunset spots on the island – but bring a torch to help find the path back.

Walk two: For a more challenging extension to Walk one, begin instead at the Roches Rouges Café . On the opposite side of the road, two paths strike up the hill: follow the one on your left (nearest the stream, as you face away from the café), which zigzags steeply up the rocks, over a pass and down the other side to rejoin the D81 in around 1hr 15min. About 150m west of the spot where you meet the road is the trailhead for the Château Fort walk, with more superb views.

Walk three: A small oratory niche in the cliff by the roadside, 500m south of Café Roches Rouges , contains a Madonna statue, Santa Maria, from where the wonderful sentier muletier (1hr) climbs into the rocks above. Before the road was blasted through the Calanches in 1850, this old paved path, an extraordinary feat of workmanship supported in places by dry-stone banks and walls, formed the main artery between the villages of Piana and Ota. After a very steep start, the route contours through the rocks and pine woods above the restored mill at Pont de Gavallaghiu, emerging after one hour back on the D81, roughly 1.5km south of the starting point. Return by the same path.

Cargèse (Carghjese)

Sitting high above a deep blue bay on a cliff scattered with olive trees, Cargèse , 20km southwest of Porto, exudes a lazy charm that attracts hundreds of well-heeled summer residents to its pretty white houses and hotels. The full-time locals, half of whom are descendants of Greek refugees who fled the Turkish occupation of the Peloponnese in the seventeenth century, seem to accept with nonchalance this inundation – and the proximity of a large Club Med complex – but the best times to visit are May and late September, when Cargèse is all but empty.

Eating and drinking

A fair number of restaurants are scattered about the village, as well as the standard crop of basic pizzerias, but the most tempting places to eat are down in the harbour.

The overall standard of restaurants in Porto is poor, with overpriced food and indifferent service the norm, particularly during high season. There are, however, three noteworthy exceptions:

The Gorges de Spelunca

Spanning the 2km between the villages of Ota and Évisa , a few kilometres inland from Porto, the Gorges de Spelunca are a formidable sight, with bare orange granite walls, 1km deep in places, plunging into the foaming green torrent created by the confluence of the rivers Porto, Tavulella, Onca, Campi and Aïtone. The sunlight, ricocheting across the rock walls, creates a sinister effect that’s heightened by the dark jagged needles of the encircling peaks. The most dramatic part of the gorge can be seen from the road, which hugs the edge for much of its length.

Set on a hillock overlooking a beautiful deep blue bay, Porto-Vecchio , 25km north of Bonifacio, was rated by James Boswell as one of “the most distinguished harbours in Europe”. It was founded in 1539 as a second Genoese stronghold on the east coast, Bastia being well established in the north. The site was perfect: close to the unexploited and fertile plain, it benefited from secure high land and a sheltered harbour, although the mosquito population spread malaria and wiped out the first Ligurian settlers within months. Things began to take off mainly thanks to the cork industry, which still thrived well into the twentieth century. Today most revenue comes from tourists, the vast majority of them well-heeled Italians who flock here for the fine outlying beaches . To the northwest, the little town of Zonza makes a good base for exploring the dramatic forest that surrounds one of Corsica’s most awesome road trips, the route de Bavella .

Around the centre of town there’s not much to see, apart from the well-preserved fortress and the small grid of ancient streets backing onto the main place de la République. East of the square you can’t miss the Porte Génoise , which frames a delightful expanse of sea and saltpans and through which you’ll find the quickest route down to the modern marina, which is lined with cafés and restaurants.

Prosper Mérimée famously dubbed Sartène “la plus corse des villes corses” (“the most Corsican of Corsican towns”), but the nineteenth-century German chronicler Gregorovius put a less complimentary spin on it when he described it as a “town peopled by demons”. Sartène hasn’t shaken off its hostile image, despite being a smart, better-groomed place than many small Corsican towns. The main square, place Porta, doesn’t offer many diversions once you’ve explored the enclosed vielle ville , and the only time of year Sartène teems with tourists is at Easter for U Catenacciu , a Good Friday procession that packs the main square with onlookers.

Close to Sartène are some of the island’s best-known prehistoric sites , most notably Filitosa , the megaliths of Cauria and the Alignement de Palaggiu – Corsica’s largest array of prehistoric standing stones – monuments from which are displayed in the town’s excellent museum.

The megalithic sites

Sparsely populated today, the rolling hills of the southwestern corner of Corsica are rich in prehistoric sites. The megaliths of Cauria , standing in ghostly isolation 10km southwest from Sartène, comprise the Dolmen de Fontanaccia, the best-preserved monument of its kind on Corsica, while the nearby alignments of Stantari and Renaggiu have an impressive congregation of statue-menhirs.

More than 250 menhirs can be seen northwest of Cauria at Palaggiu , another rewardingly remote site. Equally wild is the coast hereabouts, with deep clefts and coves providing some excellent spots for diving and secluded swimming.

As you snake your way through the maquis, the Dolmen de Fontanaccia eventually comes into view on the horizon, crowning the crest of a low hill amid a sea of vegetation. A blue sign at the parking space indicates the track to the dolmen, a fifteen-minute walk away. Known to the locals as the Stazzona del Diavolu (Devil’s Forge), a name that does justice to its enigmatic power, the Dolmen de Fontanaccia is in fact a burial chamber from around 2000 BC. This period was marked by a change in burial customs – whereas bodies had previously been buried in stone coffins in the ground, they were now placed above, in a mound of earth enclosed in a stone chamber. What you see today is a great stone table, comprising six huge granite blocks nearly 2m high, topped by a stone slab that remained after the earth eroded away.

The twenty “standing men” of the Alignement de Stantari , 200m to the east of the dolmen, date from the same period. All are featureless, except two which have roughly sculpted eyes and noses, with diagonal swords on their fronts and sockets in their heads where horns would probably have been attached.

Across a couple of fields to the south is the Alignement de Renaggiu , a gathering of forty menhirs standing in rows amid a small shadowy copse, set against the enormous granite outcrop of Punta di Cauria. Some of the menhirs have fallen, but all face north to south, a fact that seems to rule out any connection with a sun-related cult.

The extraordinary Réserve Naturel de Scandola takes up the promontory dividing the Balagne from the Golfe de Porto. Composed of striking red porphyry granite, its sheer cliffs and gnarled claw-like outcrops were formed by Monte Cinto’s volcanic eruptions 250 million years ago, and subsequent erosion has fashioned shadowy caves, grottoes and gashes in the rock. Scandola’s colours are as remarkable as the shapes, the hues varying from the charcoal grey of granite to incandescent rusty purple.

The headland and its surrounding water were declared a nature reserve in 1975 and now support significant colonies of seabirds, dolphins and seals, as well as 450 types of seaweed and some remarkable fish such as the grouper, a species more commonly found in the Caribbean. In addition, nests belonging to the rare Audouin’s gull are visible on the cliffs, and you might see the odd fish eagle ( Balbuzard pêcheur ) – there used to be only a handful of nesting pairs at one time, but careful conservation has increased their numbers considerably over the past two decades.

Connected by a mere mule track to the rest of the island (1hr 30min on foot from the nearest road), the tiny fishing haven of Girolata , immediately east of Scandola, has a dreamlike quality that’s highlighted by the vivid red of the surrounding rocks. A short stretch of stony beach and a few houses are dominated by a stately watchtower, built by the Genoese in the seventeenth century in the form of a small castle on a bluff overlooking the cove. For most of the year, this is one of the most idyllic spots on the island, with only the odd yacht and party of hikers to threaten the settlement’s tranquillity. From June to September, though, daily boat trips from Porto and Calvi ensure the village is swamped during the middle of the day, so if you want to make the most of the scenery and peace and quiet, walk here and stay a night in one of the gîtes .

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In Corsica, on a quest for beautiful harmony

Here’s how to surround yourself with the sounds of this timeless Mediterranean island.

A beautiful singing voice is alchemic—you pull a lungful of air through the human machine and it leaves, like magic, as music on the exhale. I’m a singer, so probably biased, but I don’t believe we’ve managed to design an instrument that rivals the reed we’ve got built in.

I was first introduced to the vocal group A Filetta by a listener at one of my own concerts, a poorly attended show in Germany . To distract the crowd from its own size, my bandmate Aby and I crammed everyone into a stairwell, then sang Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” in harmony, a cappella.

Afterward I received an email from a man named Christian: In a very, very quiet moment, please watch this . A link led to a video in which a man wearing a gold chain and a black dress shirt, open at the collar, held a tuning fork to his right ear before dropping it into his breast pocket. Gray-haired and trim, he moved with a relaxed, animal athleticism.

When his mouth opened, his eyes shut, as if wired on a shared circuit. The sound he emitted matched his physical aspect—it was a boxer’s voice, abraded by time or suffering or both. The melody was both mournful and urgent, like a funeral song for someone not quite dead. It featured the tense, fast vocal trills of tragic Portuguese fado or a muezzin’s call to prayer.

After the first phrase, half a dozen other male voices joined in; the camera panned across their faces, dark lashes edging their closed eyes. Some sang in close harmony, some sang long vowels, like a bed of strings.

I couldn’t understand the words, couldn’t even identify the language. But I knew I’d never seen such undisguised passion in the faces of singers making such a religious sound. This was not a church pew prayer. This was a bathroom floor prayer. I played it again and again.

Googling, I learned A Filetta is from Corsica, a Mediterranean island territory of France . The group’s charismatic leader is Jean-Claude Acquaviva.

I’d never seen such undisguised passion in the faces of singers making such a religious sound. This was not a church pew prayer. This was a bathroom floor prayer.

I checked the band website , hoping to find U.S. tour dates. Nothing. I checked again the next summer—no luck. Five years later, I was still checking, and then found that, to celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary, a concert would be performed in the Corsican capital of Ajaccio. I bought a plane ticket.

Maps can’t tell the truth about Corsica. From above, it looks like any other island: a patch of green against the blue. But Corsica is first and foremost a mountain—sheer cliffs rise from the surface of the Mediterranean as if it’s just cut its way out of the sea. The truth of the place is visible only in profile.

I arrive in Ajaccio a few days before the show with plans to meet a Corsican filmmaker named Nico de Susini—the friend of a cousin of a friend who graciously agreed to orient me to the island.

Nico is tall and lean with silver curls, a French accent, and almost always a cigarette—lit or unlit—in his right hand. (“We are like an old place: Everybody smoke here.”) Over beers in a little bar, Nico introduces me to the culture: “Respect. It is the first and most important word in our parents’ mouths.” As in Sicily, Nico says, traditional family values prevail. Toddling Corsicans are instructed to respect mothers, fathers, siblings, neighbors, the elderly. “When we cross the road with old people in the street, we take the bags.”

He stresses that Corsicans cannot be understood as islanders or fisherfolk: “We come—all of us—from the mountain.” The cigarette gestures inland. They may work on the coasts, but all have ties to a family village in the interior. Historically the mountain also provided a strategic position from which to defend against invasion; the island’s geographical position made it a tempting conquest. Although it’s been a region of France for more than 200 years, most residents seem to consider it more like an occupied territory—misunderstood and mistreated by federal powers. Corsican pride is untamable; Corsicans’ allegiance is to their own flag, their own traditions, their own mountain. You can leash a wolf to a stake in the yard, but it’s nobody’s pet.

The proprietor sets down a plate of bread and meat. Corsicans are uncompromising about food—cheese and meat in particular. Earlier that day, at restaurant Le Don Quichotte, I’d marveled at ribbons of pancetta shaved so fine I could read the newspaper through them. The medallion of warm chèvre on my toast was so flavorful and so yielding, I wasn’t even sure it was cheese. The restaurant’s chalkboard menu listed the name of the shepherdess who’d supplied it, and I spent a few minutes admiring online photos of Johanna, goat kid in her arms.

Fishing and pleasure boats fill the harbor of Tiuccia, a seaside resort town on Corsica’s west coast that curves around a half-moon bay.

Two men enter the bar and join the conversation, one a Corsican language teacher, the other a professor of philosophy. In fast French, Nico explains the American is a writer and musician, here to see A Filetta. Both seem surprised a traveler from so far would be familiar with Corsican music. I get a round of approving nods.

The Corsican teacher asks if I know what A Filetta means. I do not. The Fern, he says. There is a story, but the details escape him and the conversation proves difficult to translate. I nod, pretending to understand more than I do, and make a note to look it up.

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In the days before the concert, I do what tourists do. I walk through Plaza Foch, the open-air food market where vendors sell hanging sausages, nuts, and small jars of candied fruit that shine like oiled gemstones. Corsican fare relies on simple combinations of local, fresh ingredients—citrus pulled from trees in the garden; olive oil pressed from local groves; and brocciu , a soft white cheese made from the milk of goats or sheep.

But if the Corsican dinner table had a protagonist, it would be the chestnut. It’s ground into flour for sweet canistrelli biscuits, turned into paste to spread on fresh bread, made into liqueur, baked into a savory polenta-like pudding, and enthusiastically consumed not only by the human residents of the island, but also by sangliers , semiwild boars, whose meat is flavored by their predilection for the nut.

I buy two jars of honey. Tapping one of the lids, the vendor says, “Strong.” When I sample it, I let out an involuntary “Whoa,” surprised by a completely un-honeylike bite. Instead of a round sweetness, this honey came armed with a sharp, astringent note of ... Marmite? Makeup remover? Even before I can properly decide if I like it or not, I help myself to a generous second serving. I take a late afternoon bus to Pointe de la Parata to see Îles Sanguinaires, the “bloody islands” of red rock just off the coast. Gravel crunches beneath my work boots on the path up. The view at the top is a postcard in every direction: The clouds are sun roasted, the islands stark against the pastel wash of sea and sky. The pink light doesn’t seem to hit the rock, but feels attached to the air itself somehow, like vaporized rosé.

I visit the little resort town of Porticcio, a 20-minute ferry ride away, to meet a cutler who has agreed to show me his workshop and explain the tradition of Corsican knives. Simon Ceccaldi is sinewy and handsome with a quick laugh that he uses like mortar to fill holes in conversation. Standing in his one-room storefront, he explains that the Corsican knife began as a shepherd’s tool; a herdsman would bring a horn from one of his animals to be fashioned into a handle and fitted with a blade. More recently, however, the vendetta knife has captured the imaginations of Corsica’s visitors—a dagger purportedly used to settle feuds on the island (though that account might have more marketing appeal than historical veracity).

Related: Explore the Mediterranean

The knives are displayed like jewelry, propped up in flattering postures. Some blades feature fine stripes of alternating black and silver, in liquid patterns. “Damascus steel,” Simon explains, has been heated and folded many times, forming hundreds of tight layers. I watch his hands as he gestures; the right palm is traversed with a thin white line across the meat of his thumb. When I ask about it, he traces a finger down the scar and confirms it’s the product of a rare careless moment with one of his own blades.

We enter the workshop behind the store, walking past sanding belts, blade templates, and a machine that cuts steel with a jet of water. Blocks of ebony, oak, boxwood, and walnut sit on shelves, waiting to become handles. We follow the sound of metal clanging to the forge where a man, backlit by fire, is battering a knife into existence.

The night of the concert I trudge uphill in the dark toward the venue printed on my ticket: L’Aghja. I’m eager to see what sort of Corsican will be in attendance—old people who remember the band as a soundtrack to their youth? Young families? Hipsters?

The big sign for L’Aghja comes into view, and my heart seizes. The windows are dark, the parking lot empty. A poster of A Filetta, elegant in their concert blacks, has been plastered over with a piece of printer paper and French words I don’t know. I check the time: 30 minutes until the concert begins. And this sign, I’d wager, announces a change of venue. I’ve been waiting to see this band for seven years, I’ve traveled around the world—and the thought of missing it makes me sick with panic. Across the street, I see a man and three women, walking briskly. In manic, awful French, I shout, “HELLO! I’M SORRY! DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH!” The man turns. As I sprint toward him, backpack bouncing, I think, I would never talk to a stranger behaving the way that I am right now.

Luckily, the man is more generous with agitated strangers than I am. His name is Matthew Bertrand-Venturini. Within a minute, I’m in the back seat of a little red car, all of us heading to see A Filetta. Had the concert been moved to a larger venue? Was the ticket just misleading? It’s unclear, but relief snuffs out my curiosity, as we drive away, as all Corsicans do, very fast.

We find our seats beside one another in the darkness of the new venue, a black box with a stage elevated a few feet off the floor and folding chairs aligned in tight rows. Haze wafts through the ray of the spotlight. Jean-Claude takes the stage and welcomes the crowd, which eagerly responds.

When the music begins, the basses resonate in such low registers, it seems impossible such sounds could issue from the body of a man built to normal scale. Jean-Claude delivers the melody in his fighter’s timbre, flanked by tenors who sing harmonies so clear and sweet they almost hurt to hear. Just as in the video, the singers cup a hand around one ear to better discern their own voices in the tidal swell; they stagger their breathing so that long notes hold unbroken. I find it hard to imagine someone writing these songs, in the same way it is difficult to imagine someone inventing the bowl or the door—they seem so elemental, more a feature of the natural world than the designed.

Between songs, Jean-Claude talks about freedom and recent political events. When the group formed in the late ’70s, it was born out of a movement for social and political resistance; Matthew leans over to translate when he can. But even without the exposition, the melodies are decipherable: There is love and loss and inextinguishable longing. Matthew and I agree that the best are the a cappella songs. When I hear Matthew sniffling beside me, I don’t bother drying my own cheeks. I let the song dissolve the ceiling and turn the square black room into a vaulted cathedral. Jean-Claude and his men take hold of one another’s forearms to raise their voices together, lifting and darting like birds, then diving in a sudden decrescendo that ends the song by guillotine.

I leave Corsica the way that everyone does—be it visitor, resident, or rebuffed invader. With plans to return.

When I look it up back at home, I learn A Filetta is named for a Corsican fern. The root structures grow horizontally, making the plant exceedingly difficult to pull or displace. No matter what army might roll in or whose flag they unfurl, the fern is resolute. It will not be moved.

I realize how fitting it is that the songs of Corsica—anthems of a robust, defiant cultural identity—should be performed by the human voice. It is the only instrument inseparable from its player, rooted firmly in the body from which it cannot be removed without a fight.

Where to stay

Hotel Napoleon is a clean and modest spot centrally located in Ajaccio. Look for the metal container labeled “Ambra Nera” by the front desk and help yourself to a honey-colored nugget of fragrant amber.

Where to eat and drink

Corsicans eat local and fresh. Trust the recommendations of your server, and survey neighboring tables to see what the regulars are ordering. Bakeries are plentiful and tempting. Beignets au brocciu are sugared pastries with a bite of soft white cheese at the center; the mild canistrelli biscuits are made from chestnut flour, sometimes flavored with white wine or chocolate.

If you like limoncello, look for homemade fare in unlabeled bottles. The local myrtle and maquis plants are also made into sweet liqueurs.

In Ajaccio, take an evening walk down Roi de Rome, a few blocks lined with eateries, bars, and smoking Corsicans. Celebrated restaurant Le 20123 is named after a village postcode. Next door, at L’8 Dicembri , male singers sometimes gather to sing Corsican songs in masterful harmony, accompanying themselves with a guitar and reading lyrics from iPhones. If you’re indulging with friends, Bar a Vin 1755 is the spot for late-night, high-calorie tapas to be shared by the table.

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A Complete Guide on How to Get to Corsica

• March 18, 2024

Visiting Corsica should be on everyone’s bucket list. The beaches are dreamy, the diverse landscapes are picturesque and the culture is rich. It is an island with much to discover and often not accomplished in just one visit. A trip to Corsica truly means you are visiting a sandy paradise and one of the best vacation hotspots in all of Europe, yet still comparatively underrated. Ready to pack and hit the beaches? The first step to planning your trip is to figure out how to get to Corsica.

Along with the handful of different ways to reach Corse, we’ll also get into some practical information such as the best time to visit and how to get around Corsica.

Where Is Corsica?

Corsica, also known as Corse in French, is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It sits below mainland France and 56 miles (90 km) west of mainland Italy. The popular island of Sardinia is perched below where the 7 mile (11 km) Strait of Bonifacio separates the two islands. Although drenched in heavy Italian influence, the island of Corsica belongs to France.

→ 🏝 Find flights to Corsica island ←

Best Time to Visit Corsica

Before figuring out how you’ll be getting to Corsica, you’ll want to nail down when you plan on visiting. An assuring fact to keep in mind when choosing your travel dates is consistent sun. Corsica’s average of 2,800 hours of sunshine throughout the year is impressive. This clearly means that summers are accordingly warm and enjoyable for beaches, camping and coastal activities such as boat rides. The remainder of the year remains mild near the coastline. The mountainous and inland areas will get appropriately cold with even heavy snowfall.

Unsurprisingly, visitors will most commonly head to Corsica in the summer to enjoy the beautiful beaches , crystal clear water and astonishing coastline. June – August are peak season months for tourists and will be the warmest months with temperatures hitting 27°C / 80°F. It’s highly recommended to book accommodation with plenty of time before your trip as availability begins to diminish. A budget friendly and fun alternative is to camp on Corse at one of the many phenomenal campsites instead.

→ ⛺️ Read More: Camping on Corsica Guide ←

The summer season on Corsica ends later than one may assume. Visiting as late as October means you’ll still be able to enjoy nice sunny weather. You’ll also be rewards with half the number of people visiting Corse. The best aspect of visiting during a shoulder month such as October are the deals you’ll find on hotels and apartments. Experiences and guided tours will also cost less as operators are trying to fill seats during slower times of the year.

Winter & Shoulder Season

A winter holiday in Corse can be enjoyed on the slopes as there are a few ski areas on the island. The mountains are modest but Station de ski de Ghisoni and Station de ski d’Asco are both beautiful and delightful options for enjoying a winter vacation on Corse. If you’re looking for a unique way to spend Christmas , consider staying in Corsica for the holidays. With being on an island, you’ll experience unique traditions different from the ones in mainland France or Italy. The Corsican culture in general can be very distinctive and there’s no better way to discover its magic than by observing Christmas on the island.

Traveling to Corsica in the fall and spring time is ideal for hikers or other outdoor sports such as mountain biking . The weather is not scorching hot and more than half of the month’s days will be dry. November – February is really the only time one would want to steer away from visiting Corse for spending time outdoors. With November being the wettest month of the entire year, the rain does begin to disappear by March and April.

→ 🌞 Find flights to Corsica in the summer ←

Taking a Ferry

The number of ferries to Corsica is abundant. This has resulted in ferry travel to be an incredibly popular way to get to Corse island. You’ll see below that the possibilities of arriving in Corse by ferry are very practical. Routes depart from various locations and arrive in Corsica on all sides of the island.

Taking a ferry to Corse is also feasible not only from France but other European ports . The most frequent and favoured Corsica ferry is operated by Corsica Sardinia Ferries which runs service between Corse, Sardinia and Elba. The vast amount of ferry routes and frequency of them makes taking the ferry to Corse an efficient and flexible option for getting there. We’ve included brief overviews on how to get to Corsica from a few popular departure locations such as mainland France and Italy below.

→ 🚢 Find and book ferries to Corsica ←

Things to Know About Taking a Ferry to Corsica:

• Crossing times will clearly depend on which port you depart from and arrive in. They can range anywhere from 2.5 hours to 12 hours!
• For longer haul rides, private seats and cabins are available for additional fees.
• There are a few different major companies who operate ferry routes to Corsica. They include Corsica Ferries, Corsica Linea, La Meridionale and Moby Lines. Unless you’re loyal to a specific company, there isn’t too much of a difference in terms of quality. Do not worry about choosing the best company as it’ll solely depend on your route and time preferences instead.
• The main ports in Corse for arrivals include Ajaccio, Bastia, Ile-Rousse, Calvi, Propriano and Porto-Vecchio.
• You can take the ferry as a foot passenger, bicyclist or passenger with a vehicle. Variables such as car size and length, pets and age of passengers can affect ticket prices.

📅 Despite the many ferries to Corsica, you’ll want to book your ferry tickets far in advance for travel dates in July and August , especially if you don’t like risking it.

How to Get to Corsica From France by Ferry

Since taking a ferry from mainland France to Corsica is technically a domestic ferry , the departure and arrival locations are plentiful. Given the flexibility of ferry routes, you can precisely plan which exact location you want to arrive in on Corse instead of having to travel from the port to the area on Corse you wish to stay. These are the ports on mainland France from which ferries to Corsica depart:

Marseille Nice Toulon

From these main ports, you can reach all of the following ports and towns on Corse island. The ferries from France to Corsica routes are diverse which is especially beneficial for passengers without vehicles . This is incredibly convenient if you have a specific area in Corsica that you know you want to visit or found a hotel in.

Ajaccio Bastia Ile Rousse Porto Vecchio Propriano (Only accesible from Marseille)

The longest ferry ride from mainland France to Corsica is from Toulon to Porto Vecchio which takes 15.5 hours and only sails once a week. Nice to Ile Rousse is the shortest ferry ride in just under 6 hours. This orderly crossing time makes it convenient for those interested in combining a vacation along the French Riviera with a quick ferry from Nice to Corsica. Additionally, the France to Corsica ferry routes are available all year round and are not just a seasonal way of transportation.

→ 🚢 Find and book ferries to Corsica from France ←

How to Get to Corsica From Italy by Ferry

You may quickly notice the town names in Corsica are more Italian sounding than French. This is because of Corse’s long and interesting history of being part of the Republic of Genoa rule until the mid 1700s. Although most Italians are not visiting Corse for the deeply rooted historic connection to the island, Corse is very accessible from Italy by ferry. Ferries to Corsica from Italy are regularly serviced and depart multiple times per week . This makes Corse a very favourable opportunity for anyone traveling throughout Europe and planning on visiting multiple destinations. The major ports of departure in Italy include:

Livorno Genoa Piombino Savona Santa Teresa di Gallura (Sardinia) Moby Lines and Corsica Ferries operate a majority of the routes between Italy and Corsica. The Piombino to Bastia journey is the quickest and takes just under 3 hours. Piombino is located in the province of Tuscany and is a smaller scale port compared to the other major ones in Italy. Although Piombino is only one hour from the bigger port town of Livorno, it’s nearly a two hour shorter ferry ride to Corsica than if you were to depart from Livorno. The longest ferry route from Italy to Corsica takes 7 hours from Savona to Ile-Rousse on the northern tip of the island.

The Rome to Corsica ferry route is currently not available but has historically departed from Rome’s port of Civitavecchia. If you are visiting Rome and are interested in taking a ferry to Corse, you would need to depart from Piombino. By car or train, Piombino port is 3 hours away from Rome.

→ 🚢 Find and book ferries to Corsica from Italy ←

How to Get From Sardinia to Corse by Ferry

Travel between the two Mediterranean island s is fabulously easy and quick, both for foot passengers and passengers with vehicles. The port in Bonifacio on the southern tip of Corsica serves only one route, the route from south Corse to Santa Teresa Gallura in Sardinia. This route sails multiple times per day and only takes one hour . Even if you are flying to Corsica or Sardinia, taking this short ferry is a great solution to seeing both islands in one trip.

A ferry to Sardinia from Corsica is also possible from other ports on Corse but they do not sail every day. If you plan your itinerary accordingly, it’s achievable to take a ferry from Ajaccio, Porto Vecchio and Bastia to the norther end of Sardinia on select days of the week.

→ 🎟 Find routes and tickets for ferries to Corsica ←

Flights to Corsica

It seems like a lot for a relatively small island, but Corse has four international airports available. There are technically even more airports but the ones that aren’t listed below are small and not used for typical commercial flights. If you are booking a flight from or to a destination with multiple airports, always be extra mindful and aware of the airport you booked. Nothing ruins a vacation like the silly mistake of going to the wrong airport!

Airports on Corsica:

Ajaccio Napoléon Bonaparte Airport (AJA) – located 10 minutes by car to the center of Ajaccio

Bastia Poretta (BIA) – located 30 minutes by car to Bastia town

Calvi Airport (CLY) – located 10 minutes by car to the city of Calvi

Figari Sud-Corse Airport (FSC) – located 25 minutes by car to the nearest major town of Porto-Vecchio

→ ✈️ Find flights to Corsica island ←

→ 🚙 Book a cheap rental car on Corsica island ←

Which Airlines Fly to Corsica?

All four Corsica airports serve flights by some of Europe’s most popular airlines. You’ll find exclusivity with a handful of airlines and specific airports but it really will just come down to your preference on route, ending location and date(s). You’ll find that Air Corsica and Air France have the most coverage and are operational at each airport in Corsica. Here is a full list of airlines which fly to Corsica:

Air Corsica Air France Amélia British Airways Easyjet Eurowings Lubeck Air Lufthansa Luxair Norwegian Air Shuttle Regourd Aviation Transavia France Volotea Vueling

Does Corsica Have Direct Flights?

The island of Corse is actually closer to mainland Italy than it is to France, but you’ll find the most direct flights to be domestic . Nonstop flights from any major French airport to Corsica are available any time of the year.

During the summer, many European cities also begin to offer direct flights to the island of Corse. It’s crucial to double check off season flights versus high season flights as routes are subtracted and added accordingly. Aside from French cities, there are some prominent nonstop flights to Corsica from European cities : Munich to Bastia (1 hr and 20 mins) Rome to Bastia or Ajaccio (1hr) Barcelona to Bastia (1 hr and 15 mins) Zurich to Ajaccio (2 hrs and 30 mins) Oslo to Ajaccio (3 hrs) Copenhagen to Bastia (2 hrs and 15 mins) Rotterdam to Bastia (2 hrs) Berlin to Bastia (2 hrs) Lisbon to Bastia (2 hrs and 30 mins)

→ 🛫 Find flights to Corsica island ←

How to Get to Corsica From The UK

Flights to Corse depart from all of London’s main airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. Nonstop flights from London to Bastia are often operated by easyJet . British Airways also offers direct flights which are typically more expensive and land at Figari Airport instead. Flight time from the UK takes a little over two hours to reach the beautiful island of Corsica.

→ 🚉 Browse routes and book train tickets to France ←

How to Get to Corsica From The U.S.

Unfortunately, you won’t find a direct flight from the U.S. to Corsica but this doesn’t mean it’s a completely inconvenient place to get to from the Unites States. Since France is so well connected to Corsica, you just need to focus on the cheapest and quickest way to get to France. Nonstop flights from cities like Paris (Paris CDG and Paris Orly) are available daily and take less than two hours to reach all four airports Corsica airports. These domestic flights are typically operated by easyJet, Air France and Air Corsica the entire year.

→ 🏝 Find flights to Corsica island from the U.S.←

Getting Around Corsica

There are many places we’ve visited where we end up parking our car for a few days and explore the area on foot instead. These places tend to be super walkable or public transportation is efficient and accessible. Corsica is just not one of these places. If you do not have a rental car as part of your itinerary, we highly recommend considering it if you don’t plan on staying within walking distance of your hotel the entire trip. We understand everyone has their own style of traveling but to not venture far from your home base in Corsica would be a shame. Corse is one of the most spectacular places in Europe and to properly tour what it has to offer, you’ll want a car.

→ 🚗 Book an affordable rental car in Corsica ←

Driving your own car? Corsica island is an ideal destination for overlanding. Bringing an off-road vehicle to the island is a fantastic way to experience Corsica. There are many secluded and difficult to reach areas on Corse, ideal for those looking to do some 4×4 excursions or reach unfrequented beaches.

Travel Resources for Getting to Corsica

Affiliate Disclaimer: Please note that some links found in our posts are affiliate links. Should you choose to purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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Corsica: Mountain Trails to the Sea

• Classic mountain and coastal walking on the French island of Corsica
• Discover Corte, the historic capital surrounded by mountain peaks
• Stunning views over the Calanches de Piana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Hiking the formidable Spelunca Gorge and a section of the classic GR20 trail
• Enjoy time exploring the vibrant city of Ajaccio, Napoleon’s birthplace

Corte is a set against a backdrop of incredible mountain scenery and the historic capital of Corsica.

This small and friendly hotel offers brightly decorated rooms and overlooks a quiet square. It is a peaceful haven in the heart of the town center.

Ideally located in the heart of the city, Hôtel du Nord et de L'Europe is the oldest hotel in Corte. It features renovated and spacious accommodation. The hotel offers modern comforts whilst retaining its original, period charm.

After a short transfer from Corte you’ll be in the heart of the Scala Santa Regina Gorge. Walk along cliffs overlooking the Golo River. This magnificent gorge is carved into the old red granite rock and is a fantastically wild place with many waterfalls flowing down into the valley.

Walk along an old mule path to reach your overnight stop beside Calacuccia Lake

Ascent/Descent : 850m/500m

This rural, charming and very friendly guest house has seven comfortable bedrooms and stunning views of the surrounding countryside. You are sure to enjoy your unique stay in this peaceful place.

Leave the Mare e Mare Nord trail and enjoy a beautiful day of walking through the Verghio Forest of pine, larch and silver birch. Reach the enchanting waterfall of Radule and the shepherd’s hut, where you may like to try the local Corsican cheese. Then follow the world-famous GR20 trail for a while and take the opportunity to bathe in the numerous natural pools, before arriving at the Castel di Verghio.

Although this walk has the most elevation gain all week it is worth the climb as it is a beautiful day of walking. However, there is the option to shorten this walk if you prefer.

Ascent/Descent : 900m/554m

Dinner: Verghio

This property is a combination of dormitories and private rooms. You’ll be staying in a private room with en suite bathrooms. It is a very simple hotel, but with an exceptional location in the middle of the mountains.

After breakfast begin today’s walk by passing the Col Verghio and taking a trail under the shade of Lariccio pine trees which are unique to Corsica. The route overlooks the small Aitone river and here there are stunning natural pools in which you may take a cooling dip. Arrive in the lovely town of Evisa, the chestnut capital of Corsica.

Ascent/Descent:  400m/850m

Dinner: Evisa

Relax in the shade of the garden’s chestnut trees and enjoy the panorama over the Gulf of Porto and the Spelunca Gorge. The 12 rooms are all bright and welcoming and for dinner this evening you can relish their traditional Corsican cooking!

On today’s walk from Evisa to Porto you will be in awe of the surrounding landscapes and their outstanding beauty. Discover the Spelunca Gorges, spanning 2 km and a formidable sight with bare orange granite walls. You’ll also see famous Genoese bridges and later you can pause in the village of Ota for a well-deserved local beer.  Once rested continue on to the superb marina of Porto where you will stay for the next two nights.

Ascent/Descent:  650m/1450m

This hotel has a wonderful swimming pool surrounded by eucalyptus trees and is located only 700m from the beach and 300m from the marina. All the air-conditioned rooms have large terraces.

In a classic, stone building, this simple seaside hotel is a 3-minute walk from Porto's marina, 5 minutes from the Tour de Porto (16th century Genoese tower ruin), and 8 km from the Belle plage de galets (beach) in Bassaglia.

Today’s superb walk takes you firstly along a coastal path and then inland towards the Capu d’Ortu summit. Enjoy fantastic views over the Calanches de Piana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Since there are only 2 buses per day, you can either leave early and take the early afternoon bus back. Or leave later and take the late afternoon bus. Please note that from September 1st there is only one late afternoon bus.  

Ascent/Descent : 869m/689m

Make your way by local bus to Ajaccio.  Napoleon’s birthplace, Ajaccio is a vibrant city just waiting to be explored, with its lovely marina and the many museums, such as the quirky Museé A Bandera which explores Corsican history up to WWII.

This comfortable and conveniently located hotel on a quiet street in the center of the town is also just a 5 minute walk from Beach St Francois. You will receive a warm welcome and thoroughly enjoy your stay here.

This hotel is well-located in the heart of the city of Ajaccio, opposite the Admiralty Marina. All the rooms have a sea view and there is a swimming pool, garden and terrace for you to enjoy. You will receive a warm welcome. 

Make your way to Ajaccio Airport from where you can make your onward journeys.

This trip has a carbon score of 9kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our greenest trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 9kg is equivalent to 5.5 avocados. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips .

Other Information

This moderately rated self-guided tour will suit those who like to walk through contrasting scenery; mountains, river gorges, cliffs, coastlines, lakes and natural pools. You will be walking from the interior of the island to the beautiful coastline and you’ll enjoy warm welcomes in charming hotels and B&B’s en route.

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

Solo Travellers, Families with Teens

The minimum age for this tour is: 16 Years

This walking tour is graded to moderate. The terrain in Corsica tends to be quite rocky and at times challenging to negotiate. Since the walks on this tour have quite significant elevation gains and losses you will also need to have a very good level of physical fitness. Although the distances on most days are not too long the walks will take anywhere between 3 and 7 hours. The average daily walk time is around 4-5 hours. You should be sure-footed, have a great sense of balance and not be scared of heights. Also for the more challenging walks hiking poles are recommended.

7 nights accommodation in a combination of 2 or 3* hotels, and auberges is included. All offer a warm welcome to walkers.

Solo Walkers & Single Rooms

This trip is not available to solo walkers. Single rooms are also available and a single supplement is payable.

7 Breakfasts are provided at your hotels with offerings such as fruit, yoghurt, cereals, pastries, meats, breads, jams, fruit juices, tea and coffee. One picnic lunch is provided and on the other days there will always be the opportunity to buy one from a local shop or market. 2 Dinners are included at the more remote locations, but on the other nights there are restaurants in which to have dinner, or you can eat at your accommodation. 

You will be provided with route notes and IGN 1; 25,000 maps to assist you in finding your way. Some of the trails are way-marked, but others are not, so you will need to have good navigation skills and have the ability to read a map, especially when walking in the mountain areas. The weather can also be somewhat unpredictable in Corsica and so before setting out on walks it always makes sense to check the forecast.

• 7 Nights in a combination of 2* & 3* hotels, and auberges
• 7 Breakfasts
• 1 picnic lunch
• Transfer from Ajaccio Gare to Ajaccio hotel on Day 7
• Luggage transfers
• Detailed route notes, information pack and 1:25,000 IGN maps
• 24/7 support from our local partner and the UK office
• Travel insurance (required)
• Travel to Corte and from Porto
• 6 Lunches & 5 Dinners
• Drinks and Snacks
• Cost of bus from Porto to Ajaccio on Day 7
• Personal equipment
• Mountain rescue/emergency assistance
• Additional nights

This tour can be enjoyed anytime between April and October. The spring is delightful with all the wildflowers in bloom and less people on the trails. September and October are also a great time to be there as it is a quieter than in the height of the summer and the daytime temperatures much more suitable for walking. Just be aware that July and August can be quite hot. 

The best airport to fly into is Ajaccio . This airport is served by Easyjet from the UK and by many other airlines (such as Air Corsica, Air France and Alitalia) for travellers outside of the UK. From Ajaccio Airport take a taxi (payable locally) to Ajaccio Train Station, from where you can board a train taking you to Corte, in the centre of the island (an approximate 2 hour journey). For more information concerning schedules you can visit either the Chemins de Fer de la Corse website or the following unofficial website Corsica Bus which also lists timetables for all public transportation in Corsica. It is also possible to fly into Bastia Airport and then take a train to Corte from there.  

You can take a bus to Ajaccio Airport, however we recommend a taxi which only costs between €10 to €20, depending on what time of day. and traffic. Please note that there are no buses departing on Sundays from Porto to Ajaccio, which is a required part of the itinerary. (Buses depart early morning (around 8:20am) Please check the Corsica Bus website for accurate timetables. Macs Adventure can also offer private transfers from Porto to Ajaccio Airport, but these will need to be booked in advance.  Please ask your Destination & Adventure Specialist for details.

Your bags will be transferred between your accommodation as per your itinerary. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 15kg per person.

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/cycling gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Your detailed information pack will be sent to you after you book. This has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots, warm and waterproof clothes and a day pack.

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.

April and May are great months as the daytime temperatures are cooler. Mid-September to the end of October will also be cooler and quieter on the trails.

We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as the region is popular especially in May/June and September. However, we will always try our best to accommodate your plans.

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 15kg per person.

This video gives you a little overview of the French Island of Corsica. Both the mountains and the sea with the incredible views and scenery that this untamed island has to offer. The cuisine and culture are both slightly different than mainland France and rather unique, which makes the exploration of this island even more appealing.

Provence: Mountains to the Mediterranean

• Walk from the mountains to the French Riviera
• Explore the Calanques National Park
• Soak up the Mediterranean atmosphere in Cassis

Walking the French Riviera

• Coastal cities Menton, Monaco and Nice
• Hilltop villages with views of the Mediterranean
• Choice of walks to go at your own pace

Carcassonne & Cathar Trails

• Explore Cathar country of Languedoc-Roussillon
• Historical, fortified city of Carcassonne
• Delicious French wine and rich cuisine

The Biggest Choice

Around since 2003, 21,000+ customer reviews, positive impact, travel restrictions, follow us on social media.

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Joe Lycett shows us how to get the most out of some of the world's most popular mini-breaks

Shazia Mirza joins Richard Ayoade for a two day detour in the south of France, including blue art, fancy yachts, a glam helicopter ride and a trip to the casino

Jessica Fostekew and Joe enjoy volcanic vino and cactus croquettes on their Canarian caper

Adam Buxton and Joe explore Czech sights, eat sausages from skulls and hop into a beer spa

Desiree Burch joins Joe in Rovaniemi for aurorae-gazing and sleigh-riding shenanigans

Alan Davies and Joe traverse around Trieste and shoot the breeze at the Wind Museum

Joe and Asim Chaudhry visit an underwater museum and a world-famous skatepark

Joe and Roisin Conaty enjoy a culinary horse-carriage tour and a spot of musical cycling

Joe and comedian Mawaan Rizwan spend two days sightseeing, swimming and swigging stout

Sarah Millican joins Joe for hot air ballooning, cepelini dumplings and gira in Vilnius

96 Hours in Rio

Joe and Stephen Mangan visit Christ the Redeemer and cook Christmas dinner Brazilian-style

Joe and Katherine Parkinson sample local beers and explore Antwerp's subterranean tunnels

Joe and Mo Gilligan get hands-on with halloumi and sample a 24-carat gold ice lolly

Aisling Bea joins Joe for some Croatian cooking, paddleboarding and a visit to Froggyland

The Basque Country

Joe and James Acaster bask in Bilbao's art, kalimotxos and foodie capital San Sebastián

96 Hours in Iceland

New host Joe Lycett is off on his debut voyage to Iceland with comedian Bill Bailey

Richard and Ellie Taylor team up for a two-day meander rich in art, history and ham

Richard and Joe Wilkinson whizz round the historic Polish city, with art nouveau and vodka

Richard and Lou Sanders have a blast in Bergen, Norway

A Game of Thrones tour and a trip to a cursed island with Stephen Merchant

Richard Ayoade and Bob Mortimer go for a spin round cosmopolitan Hamburg

Richard and Alice Levine - DJ, broadcaster & podcaster - do Estonia's capital in 48 hours

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Corsica - Getting Around

The car is still the most efficient way to see Corsica, but not always the most fun - think of seeing the sights from a bike, a train or even from the back of a horse or donkey.

For the freedom to explore deep into the island's dramatic scenery, the majority of visitors to Corsica choose to get around by car. The cost of a hire car is included in the majority of our villa-based holidays. More information about car hire .

Main roads (there are no motorways) are generally very good. However, many country roads, especially mountain roads, are likely to be narrow and winding with very little room for manoeuvre.

EU driving licences are valid in France and speed limits are 110km/h (68mph) on two lane highways, 80km/h (56mph) on other roads in non-urban areas (rural two or three-lane roads) and 60km/h (37mph) in towns. The roads are generally fairly slow with 50 kilometres taking at least an hour. Anyone who has seen the Rallye de Corse (the French stages of the WRC) will know the terrain already. Some areas are better than others for ease of local driving - please call us if this will affect your choice of area or the enjoyment of your holiday and we will be advise on the best area for you.

During July and August the roads can be busy but at other times you won't see as much traffic as you do in the UK. In common with other parts of the Mediterranean, you may find the driving of other road users a little unpredictable.

Buses are Corsica's principal form of public transport but you will find that even in the summer season, routes between the larger town centres often only have departures once or twice a day, less frequently in more remote areas. Tourists would be advised to obtain an up-to-date timetable from the local Tourist Office or ask your Corsican Places representative for details.

This may be an alternative option for a planned day out to a town centre or simply if you want to leave your car at your property for the day. Taxis in Corsica have a 'Taxi' sign on the roof - prices given on request. You can obtain more information about your local service from your nearest Tourist Office or ask your Corsican Places representative for details.

Travelling by train in Corsica is a thrilling experience! The island’s diminutive, bone shaking train, the 'U Trinighellu' (little train) operates along a principal line that crosses the mountains from Ajaccio to Bastia via Corte. It is a slower option of travelling around the island but the scenery en route is amazing and a journey along part of the route at least is very much recommended on a visit to Corsica. Visitors can obtain a timetable and more information from the local Tourist Office or ask your Corsican Places representative for details. Please note however, this service may be a little unreliable at times and departures are not always guaranteed.

If you enjoy a challenge, discover the mountainous landscapes of Corsica by mountain bike or road bike. For experienced cyclists this is superb cycling terrain. Bicycle hire is widespread and at a reasonable cost. 

Corsica has many ferry routes to and from the island. Ferries from France, including Marseille, Genoa, Toulon, Nice and Savona cover most of the island. Ferries from Italy depart from the four ports in Italy to Bastia and Ile Rousse with the shortest journey being from Piombino to Bastia.  There is also a car and passenger ferry that connects Corsica to Sardinia. The ferry is between Bonifacio and Santa Teresa di Gallura in Sardinia. This trips take around 50 minutes and is a great way to spend a day out exploring Sardinia.

Many of the popular cruise lines cruise to Corsica. Depending on the itinerary you may visit any one of the ports across Corsica, including, Ajaccio, Calvi, Propriano, Bastia, Bonifacio, L'lle Rousse and Porto Vecchio. The larger cruise ships tend to dock in Ajaccio and Calvi.

Our Man On The Ground Travel and Lifestyle

Global travel and lifestyle magazine, around corsica cruise with croisieurope.

When your wife walks into a door and then apologizes to it, you know she is having a good time on the cruise.

When not long after and still not having found her “cocktail legs”, she stumbles into and completely wipes out the diminutive resident reflexologist and on-board shiatsu specialist, you might have good reason to think that the complimentary all-day “free flow” bar was taking effect.

You learn many things on CroisiEurope’s seven-day Grand Corsica Tour cruise. Not least, to show respect to Filipino pina coladas and sangrias made by a barman from Manila called Joel.

Circumnavigating Corsica is an education.

You also learn that Napoleon was the son of a winemaker. That he was born with teeth, was petrified of cats and that his penis was stolen by his chaplain and smuggled out of St Helena, auctioned off, exhibited and sold on before eventually coming into the hands of a doctor from New Jersey.

A certain Dr Latimer. A privates collector.

You also learn about myrtle and fig liqueurs and Corsican wines like Umannu, Domaine Pieretti Muscat, Lionel Wojcik’s Domaine Pardella Verminto and Christian Imbert’s wonderful Porto Vecchio Domaine de Torracia rouge, rosé and Cuvee Orniu which gets its name from the Corsican for “cache” of valuable things that should be stashed away.

On the only luxury cruise around Corsica, you are also taught invaluable skills like avocado-fileting and towel-folding. As practised and demonstrated by cabin attendant Corazon who can create everything from a peacock to a sloth from some ring spun absorbent 100 percent, soft feel cotton.

She is the Picasso of face flannels and washcloths.

Accommodating 120 passengers and 69 crew members, “La Belle Des Oceans” has a Croatian captain, a happy all-Filipino staff and an exceptional cruise director in Parisian Stefan Loumu. The characterful (not new), seven-deck, 103m long boat has a fitness centre, spa, pool and two bars and two lounges.

It is the epitome of slow travel and the only ‘Around Corsica’ cruise.

The passenger list is 95 percent French, and you soon realize you should have listened more to Mrs Croft or whoever your French teacher was at school.

Because it’s hard to recover from being seen “colouring in” the “Le Figaro” crossword and to be sociable successful over a Pina Colada, house Chardonnay or a Scrabble board when the only words you can remember are “fenetre”, “circumflex” and “merde” And the only phrase you know is “Malheuresment, je suis fatigue.”

There are only so many times reading the restaurant menu, you can get away with saying “Sacre Bleu!” or “zut Alors to give the impression you are a bi-lingual gourmand.

You will find fewer anglophones on this sedate small ship cruise. All excursions, however, come with audio sets which pour the local culture into your ear canals in your native language. If desired. Stefan also speaks fluent tannoy English.

Chef Romeo (from Manila) serves three meals a day with high-quality, speedily and gracefully served lunches and dinners including suckling pig, a superb paella, chicken, tarragon and asparagus, lamb, veal, fish (red mullet and bream), beef, lamb and Spanish and Umannu Corsican wines. You can also try the local myrtle and fig liqueurs. All drinks, except Champagne and for some reason Jack Daniels, are complimentary. So, the bar is bottomless.

Starting and ending in Nice, the short “all-in” transfer taxi ride from and to the French Riviera’s seafront airport down Le Promenade Des Anglais must be the best way to start any cruise in the world.

The first port of call is Ajaccio where Napoleon Bonaparte was born on 15 th August 1769.  You can visit his birthplace museum. There is not much to see apart from a tiny bed, some chairs and some paintings.  The city’s Fesch Museum has one of the largest collections of Italian paintings outside Italy.

You can walk along the lengthy sunny beachfront, watch some pétanque (meaning, “fixed feet”), visit the cathedral where Napoleon was baptized, shop for coral jewellery or indulge in a pastry shop crawl, trying chestnut flour cakes, almond and anise “canistrelli” shortbread biscuits, “fritelli” fritter doughnuts and “fiadone” cheesecake. And try a Napoleon clementine ice cream. Apparently, the recipe came from one of his lovers.

At Pointe de la Parato you can strike a trademark Instagrammable Napoleonic pose with your hand through your shirt buttons. He did it, not because of heartburn but to touch a talisman he always wore.

There are also excursions to the Lavezzi islands, Porto Vecchio, Calvi, Isle Rousse, the old villages of Balagne and the Corsican caliches or calanques (French mini fjords) of Piana.

The entrance through the apricot cliffs into Bonifacio in the south is one of the highlights. The 180-step King of Aragon staircase up from the harbour is a pulmonary challenge. If you fear for your ventricles, there is Le Petit Train. The views are worth it.

The star of all the shore excursions is undoubtedly Cap Corse on the north-eastern coast near Bastia. It will further test your blood pressure, replacement kneecaps or hip bolts. The cruise is popular with the over-55s.

The D80 corniche, carved out of the rock face. takes you along 60 miles of sheer drops into the crashing waves of the Tyrrhenian Sea, past slate-roofs houses, family tombs, villages like Erbalunga, Santa Severera and Pino and the black beaches around Nonza on the Cap Corselt.  Elba, where Napoleon was briefly exiled, sits on the horizon.

A spinach pie, onion tart, brocciu whey cheese and PDO “lonzu” peppered pig strip lunch is taken at the Domaine Upozzu by the beach in Sisco. There is also a tasting at a vineyard on the Corsican wine road in the island’s Patronomie area.

If you don’t book in advance the Cap Corse trip costs €178. It’s unmissable because it showcases the best scenery of “Kalliste” (most beautiful), as the Greeks knew Corsica.

Apart from board games like Quirkle and retro 50’s Stop! on-board entertainment is provided by people watching and resident pianist Joshua, pianist from St Lucia.  One night a local band performs covers of famous Corsican crooners like Tino Rossi and Charles Rocchi. And there is a very good dinner “en plein air” with folk music at the Domaine Pozzo di Mastri Ferme Auberge near Figari.

And there is a hilarious crew cabaret headlined by Corazon and Joel who demonstrates he is more than just a pourer of very generous measures. He also does a double karaoke act singing both male and female parts. He suits half a blonde wig.

The ship’s spa therapist was nursing her cocktail-related bruises elsewhere.

There are daily flights to Nice via www.easyjet.com . CroisiEurope’s seven-night Corsica cruise operates weekly between April and October with prices starting from £2,427 per person. This price includes the cruise with all meals and drinks and port fees. CroisiEurope can also arrange flights and transfers. Call 01756 691 269 or visit  www.croisieurope.co.uk .

Author Bio:

Kevin Pilley is a former professional cricketer and chief staff writer of PUNCH magazine. His humour, travel, food and drink work appears worldwide and he has been published in over 800 titles.

Photographs courtesy of CroisiEurope

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I Bought These $28 Hiking Boots on a Whim 2 Years Ago, and They're Still the Most Reliable Trail Shoes I Own

They’re waterproof, too.

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Travel + Leisure / Daisy Rodriguez

I’ve been hiking through the Catskill Mountains since I was 2-years-old (OK, maybe I was more of a passenger princess back then), when my parents first bought our house in Narrowsburg, New York. There are a dozen trails within a 30 minute drive from our cabin that cut up the sides of steep inclines and take you wading through knee-high water. One summer weekend two years ago, when my husband, pup, and I planned to spend the weekend out in the woods, I realized I didn’t pack a pair of comfortable, reliable shoes . 

In an act of what I thought was desperation, we stopped in a nearby Walmart to check out the selection and find something that would get me through the weekend. At the time, I didn’t have super high hopes for the pair of $28 boots I bought, but after countless miles and trips up and down the mountain later, they’re still my go-to trail shoes. They’ve been so great, in fact, that my husband has since bought a pair for himself, too. 

Bearpaw Corsica Hiking Shoes

The Bearpaw Corsica Hiking Shoes have a sturdy, suede upper that comes up about 3 inches above my ankle, which has proven to be a huge asset for me and my ankles that tend to roll easily. Thanks to the design that weaves the laces up high enough to pull them tightly around that area, everything (aka my wonky joints) stays in place and I’ve avoided injury each time I’ve worn these boots. I grabbed a pair in the gray fog color, but the boots come in four different shades and two widths to suit nearly any style or need. 

These boots have been so good to me, that I’m ashamed to admit that I also didn’t believe that a pair this affordable could be truly waterproof. But, after being caught in several downpours while wearing them, I can say with confidence that they’ve kept my feet largely dry, while the deep, grippy traction on the bottom of each boot prevented me from slipping on slick rocks, too. Plus, this emergency purchase left me with zero time to break them in before hitting the trail for a 4-mile trek, but these shoes are so comfortable that they felt molded to my feet straight out of the box. 

With nearly 3,400 five-star ratings, it’s safe to say that plenty of other hikers agree. One reviewer said they’re so comfortable that while wearing them at home to get a feel for the boots, they forgot they had them on. Another customer added that the inside has ample cushioning to keep your feet comfortable all day long. 

If you’re looking for a sturdy and reliable new pair of hiking boots or find yourself in a pinch like me, don’t overlook the comfortable and high-quality Bearpaw Corsica Hiking Shoes for only $28 at Walmart. 

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US man returns from Europe to $143,000 T-Mobile bill for using phone overseas

Gigantic bill apparently reflected using 9.5 gigabytes of data on a phone that had not been set up for international roaming

A Florida man was stunned to come back from a European trip and – upon checking his phone bill – realize that he had been charged a staggering $143,000 by his phone company for using his device while overseas.

ABC Action News reported that Rene Remund and his wife had toured Switzerland last September and had even gone to a T-Mobile store to share his travel plan with his phone provider before leaving.

But the gigantic bill apparently reflected using some 9.5 gigabytes of data while overseas on a phone that had not been set up for international roaming.

Remund told ABC that he called T-Mobile and waited on hold while the charges were examined and the person he spoke with informed him that the bill was not a mistake and that he was liable for it.

Remund replied: “You’re kidding me?”

He then hired a lawyer, who contacted ABC for help. Shortly after T-Mobile were contacted by ABC, the company offered to credit Remund’s account.

T-Mobile told ABC : “We recommend our customers check the travel features of their plan, such as international data roaming, before departing … if a customer is on an older plan that doesn’t include international roaming for data and calling, they’ll need to make sure they’re using airplane mode and wifi when using data to be certain the device doesn’t connect to an international network.”

• Mobile phones (Technology)
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Man missing in Arizona may have tried to travel through Grand Canyon in homemade raft with small dog

The National Park Service was looking for a man who went missing at Grand Canyon National Park.

Thomas Lee Robison, a 58-year-old resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico, was believed to have been attempted to travel down the Colorado River with his small dog on a wooden raft when he disappeared, the National Park Service said in a news release.

The National Park Service said Robison's vehicle was found abandoned at Lees Ferry within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on Sunday.

Robison is described as a white male with brown hair and hazel eyes. He weighs 160 pounds and is 5 feet 10 inches tall. His dog is an 11-year-old Welsh Corgi.

Officials were conducting a missing person investigation. Anyone with information should contact the Grand Canyon Dispatch at 928-638-7805.

Search ongoing for man who may have taken homemade raft down Colorado River

Authorities are searching for a man and his dog after they disappeared at Grand Canyon National Park, possibly while trying to travel the Colorado River on a homemade wooden raft.

Thomas Lee Robison, 58, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, "may have attempted to go down the Colorado River with his dog, who is a Welsh corgi, on a self made raft,” the National Park Service said in a statement and in a missing person flyer Wednesday .

Robison’s dog was described as a 25-pound corgi that is 11 years old.

The park service included a picture of the raft, which appeared to show three wooden boards crudely held together, as well as a paddle and a life vest.

A champagne-colored 2001 Toyota Tacoma belonging to Robinson was found abandoned Sunday at Lee’s Ferry in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, according to the park service.

Robison, who stands about 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds, has brown hair and hazel eyes, the park service said.

Anyone who may have seen him is urged to contact Grand Canyon Dispatch at 928-638-7805.

Antonio Planas is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

Watch CBS News

Man dies after setting himself on fire near Trump trial courthouse in NYC

By Graham Kates , Pat Milton , Jericka Duncan

Updated on: April 20, 2024 / 8:38 PM EDT / CBS News

A man who set himself on fire outside the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump's hush money trial is underway has died, police said. 

Witnesses said that they saw the man — identified by the New York Police Department as 37-year-old Max Azzarello — pour liquid over his head and set himself on fire at 1:39 p.m. local time on Friday. 

In a briefing immediately after the incident, the NYPD said Azzarello, a Florida resident who had arrived in New York City earlier in the week, walked into Collect Pond Park, opened a book bag, and scattered papers and pamphlets on the ground before setting himself ablaze. Police described the materials as "like a conspiracy-theory type of pamphlet." 

Azzarello then fell on a police barrier. Civilians and court officers used coats and extinguishers to try to put out the fire, the NYPD said, and the New York City Fire Department responded, finally extinguishing the fire. 

The FDNY said that Azzarello was transported to New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, which has a burn center, in critical condition. 

The NYPD confirmed to CBS News overnight that Azzarello had died on Friday night. 

Four officers who responded to the fire suffered minor injuries.

Azzarello had posted a statement on social media, officials said. Although the incident took place close to the court where Trump's trial is taking place, officials said Azzarello did not appear to be targeting any particular person or group and added that he seemed to be a conspiracy theorist.

One witness described pamphlets that Azzarello threw, apparently while making allegations about New York University.

 "I heard this clattering, and it was those papers that he had flung up in the air," the witness said. "That caught our attention and — caught my attention, anyway ... then he pulled out a can and he poured it over himself. And at that point, I thought, 'Oh ... this is gonna be awful." 

"It happened so fast — what do you do?" another witness said. 

Graham Kates is an investigative reporter covering criminal justice, privacy issues and information security for CBS News Digital. Contact Graham at [email protected] or [email protected]

More from CBS News

What it's like to watch Trump's "hush money" trial from inside the courtroom

Supreme Court to weigh Trump immunity claim over 2020 election prosecution

Federal judge denies Trump's bid for new trial in E. Jean Carroll case

In Trump immunity case, Supreme Court seems open to some protection

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How to watch premier league: brighton vs. manchester city, tv channel, free live stream, share this article.

The race for the Premier League title heats up on Thursday night as reigning champions Manchester City travel to the south coast to take on Brighton & Hove Albion at the American Express Stadium. Brighton will look to cause an upset and dent City’s title aspirations with a win today and they have been a tough team on their home turf.

Meanwhile, Man City will be eager to bounce back after their recent stumble against Newcastle United over the weekend as they look to get back to their winning ways on Thursday.

This will be a great match, here is everything you need to know to watch and stream the Premier League on Thursday:

Brighton vs. Manchester City

• When: Saturday, April 13
• Time: 3:00 p .m. ET
• Channel/Stream: USA Network (4K)
• Live Stream: fuboTV ( watch for FREE )

Premier League Lineups

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup: Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Igor; Gross, Baleba; Adingra, Lallana, Pedro; Welbeck

Manchester City possible starting lineup: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Foden, De Bruyne, Doku; Alvarez

Soccer Odds and Betting Lines

Soccer odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Thursday at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Brighton (+650) vs. Manchester City (-275)

Want some action on Soccer? Place your legal sports bets on this game or others in CO and NJ.

We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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