Corsica Holidays: What To Do, Where To Go
Corsica Holidays In The Sun!
Check out these great places to visit on your corsica holidays – stunning beaches, scenic drives, mountain villages and lots more!
You might also like to have a look at this Corsica map to see where all these destinations are.
Feel free to check out our Corsica Hotels page, too, for some ideas on great places to stay.
Bay of Rondinara
North
Let’s start at the northern tip – the rugged and beautiful Cap Corse. Explore stunning coastline and pretty villages such as Erbalunga. At the bottom of the Cap Corse you’ll find St Florent, known as the St Tropez of Corsica (but less pretentious!).
Moving down to the northwest region are the lively seaside towns of Calvi and L’Ile Rousse. The coast between Calvi and L’Ile Rousse is popular, with resorts and picturesque villages. Algajola is a lovely little seaside spot – relatively quiet even in the height of summer, with a sandy beach.
Perched above this village is Sant’Antonino, rated as one of the most beautiful villages in France and has spectacular views. Also nearby is Pigna, a lovely arty village with cute little craft shops and some great music festivals.
Calvi
Inland from Calvi is the Balagne, often called the garden of Corsica. Discover ancient mountain villages – authentic and little changed – surrounded by olive groves and a backdrop of mountains and sea. One of the most beautiful is Speloncato.
Just north of La Balagne is the maquis-covered Désert des Agriates (yes…a desert!) offering more remote beaches with white sand and torquoise water. The main beach, Plague de Loto, can be reached by boat from St Florent; for those up for embarking on the 50km coastal trail (sentier du littoral), there are some truly idyllic beaches here – such as Plage de Saleccia. If you do decide to explore these more remote beaches – it is essential to be prepared and to do your research (there is nowhere to stock up on water and limited options for accommodation.)
Saleccia Beach
About an hours drive east from La Balagne you’ll discover the Castagniccia region with one of Europe’s largest chestnut forests (Castagniccia comes from the word “Castagna” meaning chestnut). You’ll find pretty little forest hamlets, baroque churches and ancient footpaths. The lush countryside is perfect for exploring and getting away from it all.
West and Centre
The west coast of Corsica, from Calvi down to Ajaccio, has some of the most spectacular scenery on the island (and some of the most hair-raising driving). You could base yourself in the town of Porto; Piana is another option and not as busy or overrun with tourists as Porto.
Corte is in the centre of the island and is often called the spiritual capital of Corsica (it was governed by Paoli who led the Corsican independence movement). It’s in a spectacular setting, with the old town cascading down the mountain. Corte is a good base for your Corsica holidays if you’d like to explore the mountainous interior.
Sights in the area include:
- the Scandola Nature Reserve (Réserve Naturelle de Scandola) – a protected area with birds, mammals, reptiles,and fish, that can only be seen by tour boat from Calvi or Porto;
- the Forêt d’Aïtone – the most beautiful forest in Corsica, known for its tall pine trees;
- the walking trail between the mountain villages of Evisa and Orta, and the Gorges de Spelunca; and
- the Calanques – red granite cliffs moulded into bizarre shapes by the sea and wind.
South
Bonifacio is on the southern end of the island, and can be easily reached from Sardinia. Porto Vecchio, just north of Bonifacio, is a chic resort and popular tourist destination, with wonderful beaches. It’s also popular with diving enthusiasts.
Ajaccio, the birthplace of Corsica’s favourite son, Napoleon, sits on the southwest edge of the island. Interested in museums? The Musee Fesch in Ajaccio has some of the finest collections of italian art after the Louvre, as well as French, Flemish, German and Dutch works.
Corsica Holidays: More Fun Vacation Ideas….
Here are some more ideas for your Corsica Holidays, depending on your interest.
Mountainous Interior
Walking, Hiking or Diving Holidays in Corsica
Corsica is an outdoor lover’s paradise, with plenty of walking and hiking trails, some of them only suitable for the very experienced (and fit!). Some of the best hikes are around Cap Corse and inland around the Forêt d’Aïtone.
The most well known ‘grandes randonees’ is the GR20, starting from Calenzana (near Calvi) to Conca (near Porto Vecchio), taking at least 15 days to complete.
If you want to read more about hiking for your Corsica holidays, the book which has received the best reviews is “Trekking in Corsica” by David Abram.
Good diving spots are around the southern end near Bonifacio, or on the west coast (near Calvi, Propriano or Ajaccio).
Corsica Holidays: Scenic Drives
Some of the best road trips include: Calvi to Porto 4-6hrs; Porto to Vergio 3-4hrs; or Vivario to Zicavo (2-4hrs).
Beaches
Stunning Beaches!
Here are some of the top beaches in Corsica.
- Arone near the village of Piana
- Cala di Cupabia (on the west coast) – beautiful and secluded, can only be reached by car.
- Palombaggia (near Porto Vecchio) – rated by the Sunday times as one of Europe’s Top 20 beaches.
- Roccapina (south of Sartène)
- Rondinara (northeast of Bonifacio)
- Saleccia beach, Désert des Agriates. You’ll need to take a boat from St Florent to Lodo beach, then another hours walk from there.