In this blog I will give you tips and inspirations for the Southeast side of the island Corsica: from Propriano to Bastia, including Bonifacio, Porto Vecchio and Corte. In the other blog I will describe the Northwest side of Corsica. Driving from the Northern part Bastia all the way to Propriano, following the coastline and will describe all the beautiful highlights in between like Calvi, Piana and a lot more.
From Propriano to Bonifacio
Excited for today, you will be going to see the famous citadel of Bonifacio. But first a beautiful drive ahead on the T40 and make a stop at the village of Sartène.
Sartène is called ’ the most Corsican of Corsican cities.’ So I had to find out, the location is remarkable in between the mountain ridge. You can recognize Sartène by the tall stone houses with their red roof tiles. You can enter the old city center next to the church under the Place Porta. You almost get lost in the labyrinth of small streets, stairs and passages. In the old housed you see some shops and restaurants; great vibe! I went for a cappuccino with a croissant at a busy Boulangerie Pâtisserie at the beginning of the street Soeur Amélie.
Park your car on the Jean Nicoli from here it is a short walk to the center
Ready for the next part of the journey. Driving the T40 further to the next picture stop Belvedere di Roccapina. This area has a beautiful beach, a genoa tower and a rock formation in the shape of a lion! Do you see the lion in this picture?!
From this point it is a 32 km drive about 40 min on the T40 to Bonifacio. The road is new and easy to drive.
Park your car at Parking Orena, just outside the center (10 min walk) for only 10 EUR for the full day.
Bonifacio is perhaps the most spectacular village in whole Corsica. The location of this fortress right on top of the chalk-white limestone cliffs is amazing. Walk up from the small natural carved harbor to the entrance of the citadel, but from here you don’t see the whole picture of the beauty of this 60-meter-high fortress yet.
If you don’t want to walk all the way up, you can take a small car/train that brings you close to the entrance.
Put your walking shoes or sneakers on, the cobblestones are sometimes hard to walk on.
Walk underneath the Porte de Gènes to the citadel and you walk into another world. The streets are narrow and high with cute little shops and restaurants here and there. The vibe is really nice, it is like an open-air museum! The Bonifacio citadel is overlooking the Mediterranean Sea all the way to Sardina and has been reconstructed and renovated since the build in the 9th century.
In this upper part of the village you will find gardens, cemeteries and several stunning churches. On the ocean side you will find Escalier du Roi d’Aragon. A stair that has been cut out of the rocks, that brings you 189 steps down to sea level. For 5 EUR you can climb down including a helmet.
Time for a drink and some food, check L‘Oriu di Chera, this is a deli store with some tables in the street. I had a tasty cheese platter which I definitely recommend! The vibe in the historical part, on the small streets has my preference than downstairs in the busy harbor.
I loved he view from the village over the sea all the way to Sardina (check my blogs here). With the Lavezzi Islands in between. To get the full picture of Bonifacio after visiting the citadel itself walk to the other side of the cliffs away from Bonifacio, follow the path and amaze.
Walk up to the other side of the citadel and from here you can see clearly that the citadel is overhanging the cliffs underneath. The ocean eroded the limestone under the citadel which is stunning to see.
I suggest to book an accommodation in Porto Vecchio instead of Bonifacio. The prices are really high here and you probably have more choice in hotels. At least for me for booking last minute in September.
Bonifacio to Porto Vecchio
Porto Vecchio is a perfect base for four nights, the drive between Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio is only 30km around ± 45min drive. So perfect to discover the area from this lively citadel at the southeast coast of Corsica hosting the most beautiful beaches in the world!
Hotel suggestions Porto Vecchio:
First recommendation is Hôtel Le Mistral; Boutique style hotel within 2 min walk from downtown, including private parking (10 EUR per night). The hotel is new and well styled, the shower was amazing. The price was reasonable and which I stayed here the full four days, but it was fully booked after my first two nights.
My alternative was the Ibis Styles Porto Vecchio. Brand new hotel outside the center in a more business side of town. Location is off, across the Burger King, but the price and comfort of the room was spot on. The big plus of this hotel is the included breakfast! And what kind of breakfast, very good. I could even take away some for my early morning departure. So good alternative hotel!
What to do Around Porto Vecchio?!
1. Visit the most stunning beaches!
Time for some tanning!! Spend the day on one of these stunning beaches on the south of Corsica. In my blog on “Why visit the French Mediterranean Island Corsica?,” I have written more beaches. The most stunning beaches on this side of the island are Plage de Palombaggia and Plage de Rondinara. The road to the last beach could be a bit tricky but the drive is worth it! An off-road parking place is nearby for 5 EUR.
Park your car at Playa Baggia and have a drink at this place. This way you can park for free at Plage de Palombaggia
Walk the small path south to Plage de Tamaricciu, if found this the most stunning beaches of all, with the rocks and trees.
2. Visit the town and harbor of Porto Vecchio
The old town of Porto Vecchio is separated from the harbor by a steep road. On both sides of the town you can find enough restaurants, shops and entertainment. In the evening, all lights up very nice and gives a nice vibe in the historical center with small streets. The lovely church in the middle and the protected wall on the side. The view from the side over the harbor is amazing. I loved the energy here in Porto Vecchio; strange that every citadel village that I have visited in Corsica is the same but so different at the same time!
3. Discover the Lavezzi Islands by boat
In the harbor of Porto Vecchio you can book several boot trips as well, but all the boots looked smaller and more private. I decided to book the boat tour from Bonifacio to the Lavezzi Islands. At the harbor of Bonifacio you can book a boat that is leaving every hour from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and returns from the Lavezzi Island every hour from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. back to Bonifacio. You don’t need a reservation, come half an hour earlier buy your ticket for 39EUR and your boat tour starts. The way to the islands takes about 30 minutes, you will follow the white limestone coast and admire the citadel Bonifacio from below. There is a drop off at the island where you can spend your time on several beaches and you can take the boat back from the same spot.
Remember bringing your food, water, sun protection, fins, mask and snorkels
Go snorkeling, chilling and swimming in the most turquoise clear waters. The beaches are less crowded than on the main island of Corsica; which is a big advantage. Walk around the island and enjoy. Keep track of the time for your back to go back. The boat trip back to Bonifacio will take one hour. You will sail around the Lavezzi archipelago and the boat will show you nice spots like Plage du Grand Sperone, caves and cliffs in different colors, but also the formidable Grain de Sable (stand-alone white rock) and the staircase of the Roy d’Aragon. You will have a lovely day in and on the water!
4. Treat yourself a good meal
I love to go to a very good more expensive restaurant now and then. The Le Hyannis Port Restaurant was very close to my Ibis hotel so spontaneously went to this great located restaurant. The setting is bit strange in kind of tennis park, but it didn’t disappoint at all. Perfect location outside to have your aperitivo and enjoy the sunset over the waters and harbor of Porto Vecchio. And then the food! Wauw; that was seriously good and the service and atmosphere is all top-notch.
In Porto Vecchio you have many restaurants I liked Restaurant U Spuntinu too; nice location next to the church in the square of the center of the town, good atmosphere and delicious food with good service!
Porto Vecchio to Bastia
Today a long drive ahead! From Porto Vecchio all the way to Bastia. Driving the T10 up North along the coast till the town Aléria. A nice road to drive with stunning viewpoints and beaches along the route. At Aleria you take the T50 to Corte. The road is good and at serval points brand new. Although Corte is located in the middle of the mountains, Corte is very easy to reach and 118 km from Porto Vecchio. All the main roads on the island go through Corte, even the train! It is the central point to travel quickly from one side to the side of the island. I was hesitant to go through the mountains again, will I make it on time to my ferry that leaves at 19:00 from Bastia, but that was perfectly doable.
The weather was cloudier and even rain when I drove up in the mountains near the highest point of Corsica, Monte Cinto. But still the area is stunning to drive and make a stop at river with some nice historical bridges.
Citadelle de Corte
I parked the car for free at the bottom of the town Corte, near the University. A good walk up to the center and citadel of Corte. The town is lovely and unique. The small streets are cute and inviting with restaurants and souvenir shops.
Bring your walking shoes, the paths are uneven and you might slip on the steep ground stones.
Corte is the historical and cultural capital of Corsica where the history goes back to the Bronze Age. In 1755, Corte was chosen as the capital of Corsica, until the island was reconquered in 1769. Even today, it is still the heart of Corsican culture. You can find a lot of the history at the top of the Corte Citadel in the Museum dedicated to Corsica and its history. The main university gives the town a young and vibrant vibe.
This elevated villa on top of the rock with magnificent views is the most famous part of Corte. Even if you do nothing else, you must stop at Corte to access the belvedere and enjoy the 360° view. The combination of the mountains, the old town and the Citadel at the top is fascinating. I’m a beach girl but I have to admit, this is one of the best sights in Corsica. Do you agree with me?
To Bastia
After lunch and strolling the Corte Citadel it was time to head back to the sun at the coast. The 70km drive to Bastia on the T20 went very smooth and quick. The road was not too busy and often two lanes each way. The weather cleared up but traffic got busier near Bastia.
To enjoy the last sun of Corsica I chilled at the beach before boarding on my ferry to Toulon. I preferred that better than walking in a city again.
Park your car for free at Plage de l’Arinella and chill at the nice beach club Sole Meo
From this beach you can even see the ferries arrive and leaving Bastia. It’s only a 15 minutes’ drive to the harbor for my departure of the Corica Ferry to Toulon.
I booked the night with a sleepover cabin on board of the ferry from Bastia to Toulon at the Cote d’Azur. Check here the price via Direct ferries. If you book via this link I will receive a small amount, that would be nice to support my work!
See my blogs on the ferry tips and recommendations in this blog.
