Corsica Travel Guide

24 août 2022

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What are the must-see destinations in Corsica?

In this article, you will (re)discover some sublime places that deserve to be visited.

Corsica is a beautiful green island nicknamed Isle of Beauty. This island is known for its mountainous landscape, its spectacular rock formations and its impressive coastline. The island is perfect for hiking, biking, skiing, canyoning, sailing and also for delving into history…

Below, we made a map of Corsica with its must-see places and a small selection of HomeCamper private campsites.

Table des matières

Bastia, the port city

Bastia is one of the largest cities on the island and one of the gateways to Corsica.

Terra Vecchia, the oldest part of Bastia, has many stores selling local products. You can also admire the Genoese influences in the architecture. If you have time to explore Bastia further, consider visiting Terra Nova, where you’ll find the city’s high-walled citadel and the magnificent Palace of the Governors. Take advantage of your stopover in Bastia to taste the local specialties based on chestnut, clementine, lemon and Brocciu.

To sleep, we advise you this camping in the inhabitant’s home made in HomeCamper, at Pascale’s, at about thirty minutes from Bastia.

Porto-Vecchio, the Corsican Saint-Tropez

Porto-Vecchio is a popular coastal town. The city center is particularly nice, with many good restaurants and all kinds of stores (more or less expensive). It is a small and very touristy place. Overall, half a day or an evening is enough to discover Porto-Vecchio, but to be honest, if you don’t have much time, avoid this town.

Close to Porto-Vecchio, many beaches are worth a visit such as Palombaggia, Santa Giulia and Rondinara. But these are not far from Bonifacio either.

Conclusion: If you are short of time, stay in Bonifacio and visit Porto-Vecchio for a day.

However, if you still want to spend one or more nights in Porto-Vecchio, we can only recommend Fred’s hut or tent for an unusual stay.

Bonifacio, on top of the cliffs

Bonifacio is a city perched on limestone cliffs offering a totally unique setting to travelers. The cemetery overlooking the port is also impressive.

Hiking is ideal in this area. Indeed, there is a coastal path of more than 5 kilometers from the center of Bonifacio to the beach of Saint-Antoine, with different viewpoints each as sublime as the other. You can also admire the cliffs from the sea and discover the sea caves by taking a boat trip. There are also many excursions to the Lavezzi Islands (see destination 4). This is really a must if you spend a few days in Bonifacio!

We recommend you to stay at least 3 days in Bonifacio. For lodging, the ideal is to stay either at Fred’s or Audrey’s.

The Lavezzi islands, a land paradise

From Bonifacio, visit the Lavezzi islands to enjoy its turquoise waters and its magnificent view of the cliffs on which Bonifacio is built.

Most of the Lavezzi islands are private islands, but there is one accessible to the public. Many boats go there from Ajaccio & Bonifacio. On this Lavezzi island, there are beautiful sandy beaches where you can dive to explore the underwater life. As you can probably guess, there are no stores or restaurants on the island.

One day is more than enough to discover it.

Ajaccio, the Corsican capital

Ajaccio is the capital of the island and the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. Many buildings and places refer to the former French emperor.

The must-sees in Ajaccio are Napoleon’s childhood home, the cathedral, the citadel and the pleasant shopping street Rua Bonaparte. If you like to walk, consider the Sentiers des Crêtes and enjoy a breathtaking panorama.

Nearby Ajaccio is Patrick’s garden, ready to welcome you.

The Calanques of Piana, the red limestone cliffs

The Calanques de Piana show us how Corsica can offer very different landscapes.

The red limestone cliffs fall into the Mediterranean Sea and take unique shapes due to erosion. This place is really worth the detour and we advise you to make a hike in order to see more of these rock formations. A nice hike is the one that takes you along the coast from Capo Rosso to the top of the Genoese tower. All along the hike you can admire spectacular landscapes.

After a long day of walking, rest at Françoise’s, which is located a few kilometers from the Calanques.

Corte

Corte is located in the interior of Corsica and is surrounded by mountains and granite hills. The only university in Corsica is located here. It is a real student city which is immediately recognizable by the sight of the nice bars, restaurants and cafes. It is a really pleasant place, animated and full of life.

The highlight of this great city is the ancient citadel, the Citadelle of Corte, which sits delicately on its rock. In Corte, the first constitution of Corsica was written and the first government formed. From the city, various hiking trails lead to the Tavignano Gorges, the Restonica Gorges and the Nino Lake.

As it is unfortunately not possible to sleep anywhere, why not take advantage of camping at Jean-Jacques’ home?

Ile Rousse, the garden of Corsica

Ile Rousse has beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters nestled in the lush vegetation of the surrounding hills. This charming and friendly town is a delightful destination.

Sheltered by the rocky crimson islets of the La Pietra archipelago and backed by the Monte Grosso massif, Ile Rousse spoils itself with a variety of picturesque landscapes.

The Balagne region, otherwise known as the « garden of Corsica », is not only famous for its fertile soils that allow for the production of quality products, but also for the beauty of the perched villages, the richness of the architectural heritage and the legacy of arts and crafts.
You can admire the statue of the Bather, a sculpture by Antoniucci Voltigero in the Place Paoli or explore the charming narrow streets of the old town with its countless stores and lively cafés.

Roselyne will be happy to welcome you during your visit to Ile Rousse.

HomeCamper wishes you a great vacation!