5 Things To Do and See In Corsica

Corsica is a famous island located to the Southeast of France and the West of Italy. Throughout the years it has been under Italian and Swiss rule, but has been a part of France for the last several hundred years. It’s an extremely diverse region, with looming mountains, crystal clear seas, bright red boulders, forests, gorges and stunning islands. It’s definitely a place that’s hard to leave and you certainly wouldn’t be the first person to find yourself before you leave!

Here are our top 5 things to do in Corsica:

Calanche of Piana

Calanche of Piana

Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in the entire world, this UNESCO World Heritage Site features crystal clear turquoise water and magnificent red rocks. If you stay for long enough you can actually witness some of the rocks crumbling into the sea. The best way to see the cliffs is via a boat trip from Porto. The tour lasts an hour and costs €18.

• How
• Where

Located in Piana, between Ajaccio and Calvi, in the gulf of Porto. The best way to get there is by your own car.

Iles Lavezzi

Iles Lavezzi

The Lavezzi islands are a small group of islands located in between Corsica and Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea. The islands themselves are uninhabited and the best way of reaching them is via a boat tour from Corsica. You can expect to spend around €60 for a day’s rental of the boat as well as food and drink. There will also be the opportunity to swim with fishes, so make sure your tour includes snorkelling gear as this will definitely be one of the highlights.

• How
• Where

The best way to get there is renting a boat or joing an excursion from Bonifacio.

Calvi Citadel

Calvi Citadel

Calvi Citadel is one of the most scenic places in Corsica. With mountain roads winding through snow capped peaks and spectacular views over the sea below, you’ll easy be able to spend an entire day here. The citadel offers the best views of the small village of Calvi and has a fantastic menu too. Make sure you stay for dinner, when the place really comes to life and is perfect for enjoying a romantic meal with your other half.

• How
• Where

Located in north-west Corsica. The best way to get there is by your own car.

Gorges de Restonica

Orges de Restonica

If you like more to your holidays than lying on a beach sunbathing then make sure you head over to Gorges de Restonica for some adventure! There are lots of hiking trails all around the area, and you could easily spend a week here exploring the area. There is an ice cold natural swimming pool too for cooling down! Don’t expect much in the way of sunbathing though – there are just boulders to lie on and no sand or particularly flat grassy areas either.

• How
• Where

Located to the south of Corte, the river arises in 1,711m from height in the lake of Melo in the Massif of Rotondo.
The road to reach the gorges is called D623. It’s asphalted. At the top of the Restonica Valley, leave your car in the parking area. A two-hour climb will take you to Lac de Mélo, a trout-filled mountain lake 6,528 feet above sea level. Another hour up is the usually snow-bordered Lac de Capitello.

Route De Bavella

Route De Bavella

If scenic drives is your sort of thing then look no further than the Route De Bavella. If you choose to walk the route then it usually takes around seven hours when you take into account lunch and photo stops, so clear an entire day for this one! There are other ways of exploring the mountains though – by car, motorbike or with a tour group. We recommend the option by car because it’s much safer than motorbike, you’re much more able to do all the things you want to and it’s probably the most comfortable option too!

• How
• Where

It’s located to the south east of Corsica, the best way to get there is by your own car or bike.

[Images credits: pchgorman/Flickr, alsto/Flickr, riot/Flickr, PhotoSophil/Flickr, dudupauline/Flickr]