(Re)discover Corsica
Corsica, unique and plural, will allow you to experience all your senses, and to enjoy original experiences.
This list of must-see places is by no means exhaustive; it's just a brief snapshot, the "tip of the iceberg" of riches whose mere mention makes the eyes light up.
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1. Ajaccio & Les Sanguinaires
The Imperial City is a perfect match for the majestic Gulf of Ajaccio. A town to live in and discover, terraces with tables as cheerful as summer suns, a traditional fishing port with pointed blue boats, a marina with a pronounced Corsican accent, a picture-postcard resort with charming squares and dancing evenings. Stroll the streets of Ajaccio and cultivate the Empire spirit of the Bonaparte house, palaces and galleries, and the richly-collected Fesch museum. The Sanguinaires islands, a Natura 2000 site, and the lighthouse recounted by Daudet. Twilight blazes here, and endemic species flourish on the Parata peninsula with its 16th-century Genoese tower.
Discover the Imperial City on our motorcycle tour, taking on the mythical roads!
2. Southern beaches
Head due south to Porto-Vecchio, the Cité du Sel, bastions and Genoese gateway with its rich history, from where the view extends over the port and salt marshes. The legendary beaches, Palombaggia of red rocks under the shade of pine trees, Santa Giulia and Rondinara dazzling crystal-clear waters, shades of navy and turquoise, surrounded by dense, fragrant scrub, and a few blocks of granite serving as a perch for cormorants... Here you'll come across dazzled tourists, sports enthusiasts catching a wave, chic partygoers or lovers dining eye-to-eye barefoot on the blond sand.
Corsicatours invites you to discover the little nuggets of the south of the island of beauty. Discover our 10 secret spots in southern Corsica!
3. Pozzi & lakes
41 natural lakes illuminate the Corsican mountains with the beauty of a seasonal kaleidoscope... a mother-of-pearl of ice in winter or a reflection of the sky in summer. The Cascade des Anglais, the Oriente, Crenu, Melo and Capitello lakes, among others, and Lake Nino, famous for its pozzine (from "pozzi": wells) with their soft, cool sensations: water holes surrounded by mossy lawns. Walkers dazzled by the purity of this green and fertile spectacle will share it with the many free-roaming horses, wild cows and pigs, and dragonflies that call it home. A hiker's Garden of Eden!
Come and visit Corsica's inland areas to discover to discover these lakes, which are well worth a visit.
4. The Aiguilles de Bavella
The majestic massifs of the Alta Rocca, the deep forests of Laricio pines, the climbing and hiking sites of the Aiguilles de Bavellasharp peaks watched over by Notre-Dame des Neiges. The rich history told at the Levie museum, the megalithic site of Cucuruzzu, Zonza land of Lords with its granite houses, typical villages, the singular church of Carbini with its nave split by a bell tower, mills still active... a whole heritage enhanced by a grandiose natural environment.
5. The Cliffs of Bonifacio
The chalk cliffs of BonifacioThe town of Bonifacio, enclosed within its ramparts, has an epic past, as witnessed by the Escaliers du Roi d'Aragon (King of Aragon's stairs) carved into the cliffs, and the Montée St Roch (St. Roch's ascent). A village-town with a mischievous dialect, it entices visitors with its chic shop windows and seafaring restaurants. It also knows how to captivate them during a skilful manoeuvre by a Captain, under the stalactite relief of its caves with strange names. The tip of Corsica peers over the horizon, and the Lavezzi archipelago, granite blocks on an exceptional seabed, just a few miles from Sardinia.
6. Cap Est & Bastia
Bastia, steeped in art and historyBastia is a city of southern charm and spirit. Baroque churches, the Governors' Palace, the 19th-century theater... The Jardin Romieu like a thread linking the Citadel to the Old Port, still laden with memories of the day's fishing. The heart of the town, with its haunting terraces, cobbled streets and porte cochères, and Place St Nicolas, open to the wind of encounters. Everything invites you to stroll... Cap Corse's Genoese towers wind their way along seafronts with the charm of yesteryear, palaces and Maisons de Maître sit happily alongside fishermen's restaurants.
7. Cap Ouest & Saint Florent
Centuri, a typical port where myrtle rods are still made by hand, Nonza, with its anthracite beach and square tower defying the sea... St Florent, nestled between the Cape and the Agriate Desert, a Genoese town built on the water's edge, now attracts strollers and hikers. A charming marina, ancient streets and the unforgettable Saleccia beach nearby. Coves of blue stone and crystal-clear water can only be reached by sea, the Sentier des Douaniers through the maquis. A gourmet detour through the vineyards and valley of Patrimonio, a stop to taste exceptional vintages, a whole region of irresistible attractions.
8. Côte de Scandola to Piana
Hold your breath for one of the most beautiful panoramas, the glowing "Calanche de Piana"The Calanche de Piana, so rightly classified by Unesco, follows closely on the heels of the Golfe de Porto and the Réserve de Scandola. Narrow cliffs and blue seas contrast in color. Small harbors, pebble beaches, exceptional seabeds. Surveying them by sea or on the ridges makes you dizzy.
9. Calvi & the villages of Balagne
The Balagne region exudes a charm all its own, with its gentle fragrance of hills, mountains and crystal-clear shores. Busy, popular festivals, lively crafts and hilltop villages are all part of a gentle, poetic way of life. Calvi, the Genoese town, imposes its proud citadel above its bustling navy and golden sands, in the shade of palm trees and umbrella pines. Wine lovers will find the best vintages of a renowned vineyard to delight their taste buds. Santa Reparata di Balagna, surrounded by centuries-old olive trees. Corbara, the ancient cobbled capital of Balagna, with its Dominican convent and Baroque church, can be explored through steep, arched streets. As if clinging to a rocky outcrop, San Antonino is one of Corsica's most beautiful villages. The village of Pigna has attracted a number of Corsican artists to its ochre houses decorated with bougainvillea...
10. Roccapina & Sartène
The bay of Roccapina, watched over by a stone Lion and its watchtower, attracts the eye and the sailboats that like to rest there. Sartène l'orgueilleuse with its granite streetsSartène, the land of the Lords, will charm you with its vaulted, flower-filled streets. Its square, where locals and travellers meet, will welcome you for a refreshing drink to the sound of church bells. Its prehistory museum will tell you all about the major megalithic sites in Corsica, Cauria and Filitosa, 8,000 years of history at your fingertips.
