Bastia & Cap Corse

A port city in northern Corsica with a Genoese citadel and an atmospheric old harbour; head north around the fishing villages of Cap Corse or west to the Patrimonio wine country.

Bastia is a port on the northeast coast of Corsica and the island's second-largest city. The Genoese ruled here for centuries, leaving behind the citadel quarter, Baroque churches and tall, weathered houses around the old harbour, and the city feels more lived-in than Ajaccio. North of the city, the Cap Corse peninsula stretches about 40 km; the D80 loop road links fishing villages, watchtowers and clifftop coastline and is one of Corsica's classic drives. To the west, over the Col de Teghime, lie the Gulf of Saint-Florent, the Patrimonio wine country and the beaches of the Désert des Agriates, reachable only by boat. The climate is Mediterranean, with May–October the best time to visit; July–August is busiest, so book ferries and accommodation ahead. The area divides into three parts: half a day to a day exploring Bastia's old town on foot; a day driving the Cap Corse loop; and a day for Saint-Florent and the Agriates beaches. Getting there: Bastia–Poretta Airport has flights from mainland France, and ferries link the port with Marseille, Nice and Toulon as well as Livorno and Genoa in Italy. Allow 3–4 days; you'll need a car for most sights outside the city, and the mountain roads are narrow and winding.

Top sights

• Vieux Port, Bastia – A half-moon old fishing harbor framed by colorful tall buildings, with the twin towers of the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in the backgrou…
• Citadel (Terra Nova) & Palais des Gouverneurs – A citadel quarter built by the Genoese between the 14th and 16th centuries. The Governors' Palace houses the Musée de Bastia, and the rampa…
• Cap Corse Loop – The classic coastal road that leaves Bastia and circles the Cap Corse peninsula, about 120 km linking fishing villages, watchtowers, and cl…
• Nonza – A village on a cliff top, with the Paoli tower overlooking a long, grey-black pebble beach far below.
• Saint-Florent – A bay town often called the 'Saint-Tropez of Corsica', with a Genoese citadel, a marina, and nearby wine country.
• Plage de Saleccia (Désert des Agriates) – A stunning white-sand beach in the Agriates Desert, with water as clear as the Caribbean's, reachable only by boat or 4x4.
• Place Saint-Nicolas – A large square lined with plane trees and facing the New Port, with a Napoleon statue, open-air cafés, and a weekend flea market. It's Bast…
• Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste – One of Corsica's largest churches, its Baroque twin-tower façade rises beside the Vieux Port, and its interior is dazzling with gold.
• Oratoire de l'Immaculée Conception – A 17th-century confraternity oratory beside the Vieux Port, its interior extraordinarily ornate with crimson brocade and gilded decoration.
• Pro-cathédrale Sainte-Marie & Oratoire Sainte-Croix – Two churches side by side in the Citadelle district. The Oratoire Sainte-Croix houses the "Miraculous Christ" that fishermen pulled from th…
• Jardin Romieu – A terraced garden linking the Vieux Port with the Citadelle. Shaded by trees, it offers views over the old port and is a handy route to the…
• Erbalunga – A stone fishing village 10 km north of Bastia, where a Genoese tower stands on the headland. It once attracted many painters.
• Centuri-Port – A small fishing harbor at the northwest tip of Cap Corse, famous for its green-roofed houses and lobster feasts. It's the top choice for a…
• Moulin Mattei – An old windmill on the Serra Pass, the best viewpoint at the northern tip of Cap Corse, with both the eastern and western coasts in full vi…
• Macinaggio & Sentier des Douaniers – A hike along the northernmost coast of Cap Corse, starting from the port of Macinaggio, passing white-sand beaches and a Genoese tower on t…
• Barcaggio & Tour d'Agnello – A remote fishing village at the very northern tip of Corsica. Beyond the dune beach are the Giraglia Island lighthouse and a Genoese tower.
• Tour de Sénèque – A medieval tower on the Luri ridge, said to be where the Roman philosopher Seneca was exiled. From here you can see the sea on both sides.
• Cathedral of Nebbio (Santa Maria Assunta) – A 12th-century Pisan Romanesque cathedral about 1 km outside Saint-Florent, with a plain, elegant white limestone façade.
• Patrimonio Wine Region – Corsica's first AOC wine region, with hillside vineyards, the Church of Saint Martin, and dozens of wineries offering free tastings.
• Plage du Lotu – A white-sand bay half an hour by boat from Saint-Florent, with brilliant blue water. It's the easiest way to explore the Agriate Desert.
• La Canonica (Cathédrale Santa Maria Assunta) – A 12th-century Pisan-style cathedral on the southern edge of Bastia, set within the ruins of the ancient Roman colonial city of Mariana.
• San Michele de Murato – A small 12th-century Pisan-style chapel on a grassy hillside, with distinctive striped stone walls in green and white.
• Col de Teghime – A mountain pass between Bastia and Saint-Florent, with views of Bastia and its eastern coast on one side and the Saint-Florent Bay on the o…
• Étang de Biguglia – Corsica's largest lagoon nature reserve, with boardwalks and birdwatching points where you can see flamingos, herons, and other waterbirds.

Where to eat

• U Paisanu – A Corsican specialty shop with a restaurant in an alley by the old harbour. Cured pork and cheese are sold downstairs…
• Le Pirate – A fine-dining restaurant by the small fishing harbour of Erbalunga on Cap Corse, described by Gault&Millau as the gastr…
• Radiche – A Michelin-listed bistro on the market square in Bastia, where a local chef uses Corsican ingredients for generous, cre…
• Merenda Ghjulia – A popular, affordable spot beside the market square serving Corsican home cooking as well as Greek dishes, with very hi…
• Chez Huguette – A long-established seafood restaurant on the Bastia Vieux Port, open since 1969. Known for Diana lagoon oysters, seafoo…

Itineraries

• Corsica Grand Loop 14-Day Self-Drive Tour – Drive counter-clockwise from Bastia, connecting Cap Corse, the west coast, the southern cliffs, and the central highlan…
• Cap Corse & Agriates 4-Day Getaway – Depart from Bastia to loop around the peninsula, hike the Customs Officers' Path, and take a boat to wilderness beaches…
• Corsica by Train: Car-Free 8-Day Crossing – Take the narrow-gauge railway from Ajaccio through the mountains to Corte, Calvi, and Bastia without driving.
• Corsica & Sardinia Two-Island Self-Drive – Drive south from Bastia across Corsica, cross the sea to northeast Sardinia, and travel via the Emerald Coast to the Gu…