Corsica (Corse) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. Corsica is the fourth-largest island in …

Welcome to Corsica! You’re watching  World Travel Guide, and in this video   you will learn why Corsica is  called the “Island of Beauty”. Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean sea,  and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the   4th largest island in the Mediterranean  and lies southeast of the french mainland.  

A single chain of mountains makes up two-thirds  of the island. Corsica is a paradise for beach   lovers, hikers and outdoor sports enthusiasts,  and is visited by millions of tourists each year.   The island also boasts some of Europe’s  most inspiring rugged landscapes, and a  

1000 kilometer shoreline with translucent  waters, perfect for snorkeling or scuba diving. Ajaccio is the capital of Corsica and the island’s  largest city. Its modern history is dominated by   the figure of Napoleon, who was born in the city.  Maison Bonaparte is the emperor’s family home and  

Birthplace, now a museum dedicated to his life.  Monuments, streets, squares, hotels, cafes and even   the airport bear Napoleon’s name. Ajaccio wears  its layers of history with a lightened touch,   yet it is still rated as one of the  most intriguing stops on the island.  

This is evidenced in the narrow streets and  the lovely varied architecture, particularly the   fabled Cathedral. The city also has a beautiful  harbor area, with numerous boats and yachts   arriving from french ports, such as Marseille, Nice  and Toulon. Ajaccio is also a city for sea lovers, and  

There is a great selection of sandy beaches to  choose from, including one right below the citadel. Sartene is found in southwest Corsica, a few  kilometers into the mountains southeast of   Propriano. The town has a long history of  piracy, banditry and gangsters, now happily  

Largely given to more peaceful occupations. Sartene  prides itself on being the “most Corsican city”.   This characteristic medieval hilltop town  is listed as a “City of Art and History”,   because of its exceptional heritage. Must-see  tourist attractions include the Santa Maria  

Assunta church, the town hall and the Museum of  Corsican Prehistory and Archaeology. Around the   church and town hall is an enchanting pedestrian  area, with many secret corners to discover: Arcades,   vaulted passageways and picturesque staircases.  Every year in the spring, the town celebrates  

The Carnaval de Sartene. This festival features  parades, musical entertainment and masked balls. Bonifacio is a well-preserved fortified  town, perched on a steep limestone cliff   with stunning sea views. Brimming with old-world  ambience, the town is a jumble of medieval lanes   and narrow alleyways. Established in 833,  Bonifacio’s rich history offers visitors  

A fascinating and bustling base, from  which to explore the south of Corsica.   The citadel walls and ancient houses appear to  rise seamlessly out of sheer cliffs, that have   been hollowed and straited by the wind and waves.  Beneath, an inlet about 100 meters wide, forms a  

Natural harbor, home to a buzzing port. Only 12  kilometers from Sardinia, the town is distinctly   more Italian than French and atmosphere, and even  has its own dialect based on Ligurian Italian. With some of the best and most accessible beaches  on Corsica, Porto Vecchio has become Corsica’s  

Number one tourist region. Some of Corsica’s  dreamy sandy beaches are around Porto Vecchio.   These beaches are prized for their expansive sandy  shorelines, gentle waves and unspoiled scenery. The   most famous beach is the Palombaggia beach, renowned  for its wide sandy shore and calm turquoise waters.  

Another excellent sandy beach is the Santa Giulia  beach. Both of these beaches are in sheltered bays,   which provide a protected environment that  is ideal for swimming. The old port town of   Porto Vecchio is also worth visiting to see  its impressive ancient citadel. In the 16th  

Century, the Genoese built this impregnable citadel,  with sturdy fortifications that remain intact. The internationally renowned GR 20 trail is a must  for every hiker. Crossing Corsica from northwest to   southeast, the GR 20 is 170 kilometers long, with  an average altitude of between one 1000 and  

2000 meters. Starting in Calenzana in  the Balagne region, and finishing in Conca   near Porto Vecchio, the GR 20 path follows the  mountain ridge that cuts across Corsica, and   attracts around 10 000 hiking enthusiasts every  year. This legendary trail cuts through a diverse  

Range of landscape, including forests, granite  moonscapes, windswept craters, glacial lakes and   snow-capped peaks. Possible from June to September,  the hike requires a high level of fitness,   the right equipment, a good head for heights and  some climbing experience. In its entirety, it takes  

Approximately two weeks to complete. Only one in  three walkers complete the trail, but you can aim   to do half if desired, thanks to the train station  mid-trail, in the pine-hidden village of Vizzavona. A small town in the heart of Corsica, Corte  was the capital of the island under the rule  

Of Pasquale Paoli. As well as being an interesting  town in itself, Corte is in a great location for   exploring the mountains, valleys and scenery of  central Corsica and the surrounding natural park.   As you arrive in Corte, the first thing  you will notice is the dramatic citadel,  

Sitting on top of a rocky outcrop above  the town. Don’t miss the viewing platform,   which provides excellent views, not just  of the citadel and the town, but also of   the surrounding mountains, in which Corte is  set. Corte has been classified as a Napoleonic  

Town, as Napoleon spent various holidays here. The  town is also home to the university of Corsica,   and approximately 30% of the  population are students at the university. Piana is a pretty village, overlooking the fabulous  Calanques of Piana, one of the most beautiful parts  

Of Corsica. The village is about 11 kilometers  from Porto, and is considered to be one of the   most beautiful villages of France, though in truth  its appeal is in its fabulous location overlooking   the Gulf of Porto, rather than the village itself.  The main historic site is the baroque church of  

The village, which has a tall square bell tower,  and inside there are some frescoes and paintings   by Paul Mathieu Novellini, in a style which  is typically Corsican. All around the village,   you can enjoy fabulous views of the surrounding  mountains, and also sweeping views over the Gulf  

The Scandola Natural Reserve is a World  Heritage Site, to the southwest of Calvi.   The reserve covers approximately 900  hectares of land and 1000 hectares of sea,   and is an exceptional site, even among the many  natural wonders that you will discover in Corsica.  

There is no way to enter Scandola by car, and  to enter by foot involves crossing very high   mountains, so in practice the only way to enjoy the  splendors of this coastline is by taking a boat.   Trips leave from Calvi, and less frequently from  nearby Porto. Strange rock formations emerge from  

The crystal clear sea, and the coastline  is peppered with jagged inlets and caves. The Scandola Reserve has a wide range of seabirds,  including cormorants and giant gulls, that benefit   from the protected environment. There are  also established seal and dolphin colonies.

A busy port during the Roman era, Calvi takes its  name from the Calvus – bald rock that would come to   form the foundations of the citadel. Standing  proud on its headland, any visitor to Calvi   must visit the 13th century fortress, which has  lost none of its fascination over the centuries,  

And remains a remarkable example of architectural  and cultural heritage. Within the walls, you’ll   find cobbled passages tightly packed with  houses, dominated by the Cathedrale Saint Jean   Baptiste, which stands at the highest point  of the citadel. The best way to see the rest  

Of the citadel is to simply follow the ramparts,  which offer some magnificent views across the   bay to the mountains of La Balagne. Calvi is also  reputedly the birthplace of Christopher Columbus,   born during the Genoese occupation of the town. The remains of his house can still be seen today,  

Commemorated by a plaque in the citadel,  and statues scattered throughout the town. Perched like an eagle’s nest on a granite  hilltop at almost 500 meters, the ancient walled   town of Sant’Antonino offers superb views  of the surrounding countryside and the sea.  

In the lush Balagne region, Sant’Antonino  is one of the oldest villages in Corsica,   with a Moorish heritage dating back to  the 9th century. Thanks to its old-world   charm, Sant’Antonino has earned a place on  France’s list of ‘Most Beautiful Villages’.   Visitors will be delighted by the village’s medieval  tangle of winding cobblestone streets, alleyways  

And covered passageways. Much of the village is  a warren of narrow lanes, steep pathways passing   through vaulted passages, and ancient traditional  houses, making Sant’Antonino a pleasure to explore. Bastia is a busy town with a population of  50 000, making it the second largest town  

On Corsica. Bastia is the principal port of  the island and its principal commercial town.   As France’s second busiest passenger port after  Calais, this dynamic city remains lively year-round,   and offers a wonderful welcome to Corsica. While  it may not have the relaxed charm of its long-term  

Rival Ajaccio, and is home to fewer people, it’s  much larger to stroll around and has the feel   of a genuine lived-in city, that refuses to  sell its soul just to please the tourists.   Bastia’s historic core consists of two distinct  neighborhoods: Terra Vecchia, surrounding the small  

Original harbor, and Terra Nova, the high-walled  citadel above. The hilltop fortress is actually   very old, built from the 15th century onwards,  as the stronghold of Bastia’s Genoese overlords. Often called an island within an island,  the Cap Corse is a beautiful peninsula,  

Whose history sets it apart from the rest  of the island. 40 kilometers long and only   15 across, the rocky peninsula of Cap Corse  gives access to some exceptionally beautiful   and unspoiled stretches of coast. Villages perched  on cliffs and secluded rocky inlets line the west,  

And tiny fishing ports and sandy coves fringe the  east. You can enjoy some coastal walks along the   rugged northern coast of the peninsula. Also worth  visiting is Nonza, a flower-garnished slate roofed   village, which seems to have sprouted from its  craggy foundations. A complete circuit of the  

Cap Corse will take you about 4 hours, and we  recommend that you always drive in a clockwise   direction, so that you are always in the inside  lane, since the road can be narrow and dangerous. The village of Centuri is situated  to the northwest of Cap Corse,  

And the Port de Centuri, a true highlight, is a  few kilometers along a winding road to the west.   The port is the largest fishing port on Cap Corse.  As with several of the highlights around Corsica,  

You need to drive a few kilometers away from the  main route to reach Port de Centuri. It is very   worthwhile, however, so allow yourself enough time.  There is a large car park just before you reach   the port, from where you can see the coastline  and a small beach. The port is surrounded by  

Simple two-story buildings, many painted in pastel  colors, which adds to its charm, while numerous   small fishing boats can be seen in the water. Just  outside Centuri there is a small pebble beach,   not perhaps the most exciting beach in Corsica,  but very pleasant and with rocks to either side.

Traveling by train in Corsica is a thrilling  experience. The island’s diminutive, bone-shaking   train, operates along a principal line that crosses  the mountains from Ajaxio to Bastia via Corte.   It is a slower option of traveling around  the island, but the scenery is amazing.  

Visitors can obtain a timetable and more  information from the local tourist office,   or ask your Corsican places representative  for details. Please note however, this service   may be a little unreliable at times, and  departures are not always guaranteed. Buses are Corsica’s principal form of public  transport, but you will find that even in the  

Summer season, routes between the larger town  centers often only have departures once or   twice a day, less frequently in more remote areas.  Tourists would be advised to obtain an up-to-date   timetable from the local tourist office. If  you enjoy a challenge, you can discover the  

Mountainous landscapes of Corsica by mountain  bike or road bike. For experienced cyclists, this   is superb cycling terrain. Bicycle hire  is widespread, and at a reasonable cost. Picturesque cliffs, secluded beaches and rich  culture, make Corsica a magnet for tourists. The  

Best time to visit Corsica is from May to October,  when the sea is warm and the weather is pleasant   to stay out all day long. During this time, you  can cycle through the mountains or hike the  

Famous GR 20 route. September is a perfect time to  enjoy beaches without crowds, food and other local   products. In winter, lots of hotels and restaurants  close their doors but there are plenty of things   to do around the island, from skiing and surfing,  to visiting authentic towns and collecting herbs.

Have you ever been to Corsica? Let us know in  the comments! If you loved this video, hit the like   button and subscribe! You should also take a look  at hundreds of other travel guides on our channel.

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