Corsica

The 'Island of Beauty' in the Mediterranean, where mountains plunge into the sea, with white-cliff old towns, red-rock bays and one of Europe's best-known hiking trails.

Corsica is a large French island in the Mediterranean. Administratively it is a single territorial collectivity (comprising Corse-du-Sud and Haute-Corse), lying southeast of Provence and north of Sardinia, Italy. In this guide it is a separate block, apart from Southern France. Main highlights: Ajaccio, birthplace of Napoleon, and its old town; the citadel town of Bonifacio, built on white limestone cliffs, where you can take a boat to see sea caves and the cliff face; the red granite coast of Piana, the Gulf of Girolata and the Scandola Nature Reserve (a UNESCO World Heritage Site, best seen by boat); the white-sand, turquoise beaches of Palombaggia and Santa Giulia near Porto-Vecchio; Calvi and L'Île-Rousse in the Balagne region; Cap Corse in the north and Bastia; and the inland old town of Corte, the Restonica Valley and the Bavella Pass. The GR20, which runs along the mountain spine of the island, is considered one of the most challenging long-distance trails in Europe. A common plan is a 7–10 day road trip around the island, or 4–5 days focused on the south (Ajaccio – Bonifacio – Porto-Vecchio) or the northwest (Calvi – Piana). You can arrive by ferry from Nice, Marseille or Toulon, or by plane from mainland France and European cities. Roads on the island are narrow and winding and public transport is infrequent, so driving is the most convenient. In high summer, book ferries and rental cars in advance; mountain weather can change suddenly, and the GR20 requires experience and proper equipment; wildfire risk is high in summer.

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