The French island of Corsica has much history for example the occupation by the republic of Genoa around 1300 and in the 1960-70s the struggle for independence from France. Corsica is bilingual French and Corsican tending towards Italian. Corsica and specifically Ajaccio is also known for being the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, the French emperor. You see Napoleon everywhere in the streets of Corsica; street names, hotel names and statues. When I told people I was going to Corsica on vacation, many acquaintances also mentioned Asterix. This cartoon character goes on many adventures and thus also to Corsica, but I had not read that one! But besides these reasons, why go on vacation to Corsica? See below my experiences and tips what to do in Corsica; go and enjoy!

Home to the most beautiful Beaches!

Corsica is mostly mountains, but at the edge of the island are the most beautiful beaches. Corsica’s coastline is as long as 1047 km! The water is clear turquoise and the beaches white. It’s like being on vacation in the Caribbean! There are so many beautiful beaches to mention, these were my highlights:

Plage de Ghjunchitu is found between Calvi and L’Île-Rousse, beautiful beach with a nice beach bar where you can sit lovely. Beware, the road here is really unpaved with potholes and stones, I thought I took the wrong wrote to get there, but it was the main road to the beach and restaurant.

 

Plage de Ficaghjola near Piana, I wanted to drive here, but it was very winding, so I dropped out but still managed to take a nice photo!

Plage du Santana: this could be a surf beach, beautiful in a bay, it was great waking up to the view.

Plage du Lido near Propriano; perfect beach to chill out after a day of driving. At the beach bar “Le Corsaire” you can get a delicious Aperol Spritz to end the day.

Plage de la Cala di u Lioni: This beach you can find on the islands of Lavessi, take a boat from Bonafacio and chill and snorkel at this stunning beach!

Plage de Rondinara; the name says it all a bay of beautiful beach with the most beautiful water. Located between Porto-Vecchio and Bonifacio. This beach is considered one of the most beautiful in Corsica.

Plage de Palombaggia: this is Corsica’s most beautiful beach, they say. And in my opinion, it is true! Beautiful with the rocks and pine trees and nice walk along the coast. This beach is close to Porto-Vecchio.

Plage de l’Arinella: This huge beach is located near Bastia. I visited the beach club Sole Meo on this beach, perfect spot to chill before the departure of my Corsica Ferry. It’s only 15 minutes’ drive from this beach which as free parking too!

Delicious Food!

The French cuisine is definitely reflected here on this Mediterranean island. Everywhere in the streets you see the delicious boulangeries and patisseries. So no shortage of the croissants, eclairs and macarons! But also the savory quiches are fantastic and ideal for lunch on the go.

Also, of course, the fantastic wines and delicious cheeses that you can order at any restaurant. The restaurants are always and everywhere full; from lunch to drinks to dinner. The people and tourists are really enjoying themselves here! I did occasionally get groceries at the supermarket, which is also not a punishment to go to, although the prices were disappointing. So a menu of the day for lunch or dinner is definitely a good deal. Nice fish on the menu makes sense due to the island’s location, but you also have vegetarian and meat options, so plenty of choice.

Driving through the Mountains

Driving through the mountains is a treat in itself. Getting from A to B is so beautiful that you want to stop after every turn to take a picture or go for a walk. The roads are basically fine but mostly two-lane, so one out and one back. If there is a truck in front of you it is difficult to overtake with all those curves. So be careful and take your time. There are also many motorcycles, if you are good at it, Corsica is also a joy to ride! You are mistaken about the distances in Corsica, in km it is not far but it takes a long time because you can only drive 30-50 km per hour. The roads near Piana are so narrow that you have to stand still to let other cars pass, but the view is so beautiful that it is not a punishment. Often the roads to the beach from the main road are very narrow with potholes and sections of unpaved road. So pay close attention!

Historical Villages

Corsica has genuinely nice, beautiful villages. The most famous villages are Calvi, L’Île-Rousse, Ajaccio, Sartène, Bonifacio, Porto-Vecchio, Corte and Bastia. But even smaller villages such as Sant’Antonio and Pigna are also picturesquely beautiful. The latter two are small craft villages in the middle of a kind of mountain bay. From Calvi, these villages along with L’Île-Rousse are easy to drive to, with another stop at the beautiful Plage de Ghjunchitu beach.

Most villages as described above have a citadel; this is a fortified city that was fortified and so easy to defend. You can see this very well in Bonifacio and Calvi. Super fun to walk through and at the same time a good workout because you often have a lot of stairs climb. Throughout the island you see many Genoese towers along the coastline, these served to protect Corsica from the pirates. You really go back in time!

Lovely Weather

The weather in Corsica is really Mediterranean, the summers are hot, dry but windy. The temperature is 29°C on average in July and around 24° in September. The best months are the months before and after the summer period; less crowded, although still not quiet at all, but imagine how it is in high season. The prices of accommodation will drop after the high season in from September. The island is empty and deserted in the late fall and winter period, I was told by a local. During my stay in Corsica the weather was good, not to warm and definitely not to cold, bring sweater for the evenings and it could rain now and then, especially in the mountains.

Variety in views and landscapes! 

What I really liked about my tour of Corsica was the variety; the mountains, beaches, nice historical villages, beautiful nature, good food, beautiful views, the bright turquoise colors of the sea. Something to do for everyone! Don’t hesitate and drive there yourself and take the boat or fly and rent a car, because you really do need one on the island.

Check also the blog Must Do’s in Corsica!