Travel Guides: All Countries / Europe / France / Corsica
 |  | Destination Guide : Corsica |
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| | | Sunshine on tap |  | Why go on holiday to Corsica?
A turbulent but fascinating history, Mediterranean climate and easy proximity to the UK make Corsica an ideal destination for those looking for a sun-drenched holiday somewhere a bit different.
Though governed by France, the island seems almost a country in its own right; Corsica has its own language, distinctive culture and a landscape that varies from sandy beaches to snow-capped mountains, lush farmlands to dry desert.
Though there are occasional patches of trouble involving the local separatist movement, Corsicans are known for their warmth and hospitality towards visitors.
How much does it cost?
You won't get the same bargains available on mainland France and prices can vary considerably but the following costs will provide a rough guide. Return flights from the UK to Corsica are from £200. Or get a cheap flight to Nice (around £100), and take the ferry to the island - a 6½ hour journey costing from £50 return. A room in a mid-range hotel will cost about £25-£30 a night, though you can rent a simple gite, or country cottage, for £200 a week. Seven nights in a three-star hotel in Calvi costs from around £400. Self-catering holidays including charter flights and car hire start at £350 per person per week.
When should I go?
Visit Corsica during May and June, before the French holidays. The sun is shining, the olives are ripening and the wildflowers are blooming.
Temperatures hover pleasantly in the 70Fs (20-25C), though the sea doesn't warm up until mid-June and you should take a sweater for the evenings. July and August are hot, with highs in the mid-80Fs (29C); this is peak tourist season.
Autumn is pleasant and the sea is still warm, but most hotels and tourist facilities are closed from November-April.
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| | | Great hiking trails |  | What should I do when I'm there?
Many visits to Corsica begin in the port city of Ajaccio, birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. This pleasant French Mediterranean city has a number of monuments and museums devoted to the diminutive emperor, and you can tour the house where he was born.
Stroll out to the black granite promontory at Pointe de la Parata, and contemplate a stunning sunset from the base of the 17th-century Genoese watchtower.
Where can I step back in time?
For a real taste of history visit the citadel of Bonifacio, in Corsica's far south. Perched atop a long, narrow promontory of limestone cliffs, the town consists of tall, thin stone houses, crisscrossed with cramped alleyways and flying buttresses.
Marvel at the medieval apartment buildings which drop almost vertically into the sea and stroll along the citadel ramparts, taking in the view of neighbouring Sardinia.
Sometimes called Corsica's Gibraltar, the town has strong connections with Genoa; the local dialect is practically unintelligible to other Corsicans.
How can I get away from it all?
Much of the island is given over to a huge national park, a Mecca for hikers and climbers. Hiking is very fashionable in France, and Corsica has some of the country's finest trails.
The Fra Li Monti follows the island's continental divide, and stretches 160km from Calenzana in the north to Conca in the south. Contact Parc Naturel Regional de la Corse on 04 95215654 for walking guides.
Where can I be beside the sea?
The ritzy resort of Porticcio has all the trimmings of a busy beach. From the town of Porto, on the west coast, it's possible to take boat trips along the coast. Keep an eye out for dolphins following the boat.
Porto is also an ideal base from which to explore the spectacular mountain landscape of Les Calanche.
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| | | Drink chestnut beer | | Where's good for nightlife?
The resort of Porticcio is a lively nightspot, but most of Corsica is dedicated to the eating and drinking style of evening entertainment, with little cafes and bars in every town.
It's worth searching out a performance of Corsican chants, or polyphonies, sung by a choir of voices a capella.
Check with the local tourist office or head to Casagniccia region east of Corte, where sacred chants are sung in village churches.
What's the food like?
The Corsicans love charcuterie, or cured meats, including the peppered, smoked lonzu and figatelli, made from pork, liver and herbs. Brocciu is a soft, white, ewe's milk cheese, often eaten in desserts.
Chestnut flour has been an important part of the Corsican diet for centuries, and today is found in Corsican chestnut cake and in chestnut beer.
In Bonifacio try paides morts, a nut and raisin bread which translates as "bread of the dead"; other sweet treats include fougazi, aniseed-flavoured biscuits; and moustachole, bread topped with big sugar crystals.
What should I buy?
Corsican wines are incredibly diverse for such a small area, and many are wonderful. Rose and fortified wines are a speciality. Take home a bottle of muscat (delicious when iced), or some of the dark, sweet, herb-rich Cap Corse.
For more lasting gifts, look out for Corsican pottery and recordings of the Sartene Male Voice Choir or Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses, famous for their bewitching Corsican chants.
What is there for children to do?
The glorious beaches should keep them happy but hyperactive kids who need constant fixes of entertainment will be bored.
Tourist office
French Government Tourist Office, 178 Piccadilly, London W1V OAL. Tel 0906 8244123 (calls are charged at 60p per minute).
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| | Available rental properties in Corsica |
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| |  | | Petit Caseddu
For a pleasant holiday close to the nature and beautiful beaches, Propriano is an ideal holiday destination. Close to the beautiful town Sartène and i
|  | | Le Vieux Chais
For a pleasant holiday close to the nature and beautiful beaches, Propriano is an ideal holiday resort. Close to the beautiful town Sartène and its ty
|  | | U Melu
Dominating the Gulf of Sagone, in a well-kept park with beautiful trees, a lovely and newly-built holiday residency, consisting of four apartments fac
|  | | U Melu
Dominating the Gulf of Sagone, in a well-kept park with beautiful trees, a lovely and newly-built holiday residency, consisting of four apartments fac
|  | | U Melu
Dominating the Gulf of Sagone, in a well-kept park with beautiful trees, a lovely and newly-built holiday residency, consisting of four apartments fac
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