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    Top 10 Corsica
    Top 10 Corsica
    Top 10 Corsica
    Ebook409 pages2 hours

    Top 10 Corsica

    By DK Travel

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    About this ebook

    An enigmatic island of towering mountains, timeless villages and chic seaside resorts, Corsica more than lives up to its moniker of the "Island of Beauty".

    Make the most of your trip to this Mediterranean paradise with DK Eyewitness Top 10. Planning is a breeze with our simple lists of ten, covering the very best that Corsica has to offer and ensuring that you don't miss a thing. Best of all, the pocket-friendly format is light and easily portable; the perfect companion while out and about. DK Eyewitness Top 10 Corsica is your ticket to the trip of a lifetime.

    Inside DK Eyewitness Top 10 Corsica you will find:

    - Detailed Top 10 lists of Corsica's must-sees including Ajaccio, Bonifacio, Bastia, Calvi and more
    - Easy-to-follow itineraries including ideas for day trips, weekends and a week's worth of plans to make the most out of each and every day
    - Expert advice: honest recommendations on Corsica's most interesting areas, with the best places for shopping, eating out and sightseeing, with top tips on getting ready, getting around and staying safe
    - Themed lists including the best beaches, pretty villages, wild swims, wineries and much more
    - Detailed maps including a laminated pull-out map of Corsica, plus four full-color area maps
    - Covers: Corsica Highlights, Ajaccio, Golfe de Valinco, Le Sartenais, Bonifacio, Bastia, Cap Corse
    St-Florent and the Nebbio, Calvi, Corte and its Hinterland, Golfe de Porto, Moments in History
    Prehistoric Sites, Churches and Cathedrals, Pretty Villages, Watchtowers and Lighthouses
    Natural Wonders, Great Beaches, Boat Trips, Outdoor Activities, Treks and Walks, Corsican Wildlife
    Wild Swims, Children's Attractions; Culinary Specialities; Restaurants; Wineries; Festivals
    Music Festivals;Ajaccio and the West Coast; Bonifacio and the South Corte, the Interior and the East
    Coast; Bastia and the North

    Looking for more on France's culture, history and attractions? Don't forget to check out our DK Eyewitness France.

    About DK Eyewitness:

    At DK Eyewitness, we believe in the power of discovery. We make it easy for you to explore your dream destinations. DK Eyewitness travel guides have been helping travellers to make the most of their breaks since 1993. Filled with expert advice, striking photography and detailed illustrations, our highly visual DK Eyewitness guides will get you closer to your next adventure. We publish guides to more than 200 destinations, from pocket-sized city guides to comprehensive country guides. Named Top Guidebook Series at the 2020 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards, we know that wherever you go next, your DK Eyewitness travel guides are the perfect companion.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDK Travel
    Release dateAug 16, 2022
    ISBN9780744070163
    Top 10 Corsica

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      Book preview

      Top 10 Corsica - DK Travel

      Table of Contents

      Welcome to Corsica

      Exploring Corsica

      Top 10 Corsica Highlights

      Ajaccio

      Golfe de Valinco

      Le Sartenais

      Bonifacio

      Bastia

      Cap Corse

      St-Florent and the Nebbio

      Calvi

      Corte and its Hinterland

      Golfe de Porto

      The Top 10 of Everything

      Moments in History

      Prehistoric Sites

      Churches and Cathedrals

      Pretty Villages

      Watchtowers and Lighthouses

      Natural Wonders

      Great Beaches

      Boat Trips

      Outdoor Activities

      Treks and Walks

      Corsican Wildlife

      Wild Swims

      Children’s Attractions

      Culinary Specialities

      Restaurants

      Wineries

      Festivals

      Music Festivals

      Corsica Area by Area

      Ajaccio and the West Coast

      Bonifacio and the South

      Corte, the Interior and the East Coast

      Bastia and the North

      Streetsmart

      Getting Around

      Practical Information

      Places to Stay

      Phrase Book

      Maps

      Acknowledgments

      Copyright

      Discover the world with

      DK Eyewitness

      Our travel writers report on what to see, eat, drink and do around the world, while the very best photographs and illustrations bring cities, regions and countries to life. We publish guides to more than 200 destinations around the world, from handy pocket-sized city guides to comprehensive country guides - all available in both print and digital formats.

      Discover more at https://www.dk.com/travel

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      TopTen

      Clockwise from top: Plage de Rondinara; Porto village, Les Calanches; Rue Notre Dame, Bastia; Sant’Antonino church; cemetery in Propriano; Quai Comparetti, Bonifacio; relief showing a grape harvest at San Michele de Murato, Nebbio

      WELCOME TO CORSICA

      Napoleon said he could recognize his native island just by the fragrance of the maquis. Corsica is an enigmatic island, and the Island of Beauty, as the French call it, lives up to its name. It has towering mountains, lush forests, timeless villages, stylish resorts and pristine beaches. With DK Eyewitness Top 10 Corsica, it’s yours to explore.

      The island’s chic seaside resorts – Calvi, St-Florent, Porto-Vecchio, Propriano and lively capital Ajaccio – are surrounded by some of the Mediterranean’s most beautiful beaches. On the west coast, there’s the astonishing Golfe de Porto, framed on either end by the bizarre porphyry rock formations of the Calanche de Piana and the savage pink cliffs of Scandola. The long, narrow peninsula of Cap Corse is lined with vertiginous villages, vineyards and seascapes.

      Inland, Corsica’s untamed beauty is one of its greatest draws. The Parc Naturel Régional de Corse protects 40 per cent of the island’s wilderness, encompassing one of the most demanding high-altitude trails in the world, the GR20. Yet along with this wild terrain, evidence of Corsica’s unique history abounds: the 5,000-year-old standing stones of Filitosa, medieval Pisan churches and the austerely beautiful old mountain capital Corte are wonderfully evocative. Traces of more recent history can be found in Ajaccio, home to one of France’s finest provincial museums and a vast range of Napoleonic artifacts.

      Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or a week, our Top 10 guide brings together the best of everything Corsica has to offer, from historic Bonifacio to bustling Bastia. The guide has useful tips throughout, from seeking out what’s free to places off the beaten track, plus six easy-to-follow itineraries, designed to tie together a clutch of sights in a short space of time. Add inspiring photography and detailed maps, and you’ve got the essential pocket-sized travel companion. Enjoy the book, and enjoy Corsica.

      EXPLORING CORSICA

      Although sights may not look far apart on a map of the island, Corsica’s mountainous roads make it essential to plan your exploration wisely. On the plus side, the scenery is so staggeringly beautiful that the journey is part of the pleasure. Here are a few ideas to help maximize your time.

      TopTen

      Two Days in Ajaccio

      Day 1

      Morning

      Take the walking tour around town (see A Walk around Ajaccio), including a couple of hours in the Musée des Beaux Arts in the Palais Fesch.

      Afternoon

      Travel by boat or bus across to Porticcio for lunch, and then spend a lazy afternoon at the beautiful plage de Verghia.

      Day 2

      Morning

      Watch fishermen bringing in the day’s catch at the fishing harbour, before buying picnic supplies at the open-air food market. Stop by Ajaccio’s historic cemetery on the way to Les Milelli, the Bonapartes’ country house, for a picnic.

      TopTen

      The fishing harbour at Ajaccio is lined with bars and restaurants.

      Afternoon

      Visit the tortoises at A Cupulatta, and then take a cruise out to the Îles Sanguinaires to see the famous red sunset.

      Seven Days in Corsica

      Day 1

      From Ajaccio, head south to the beach-fringed Golfe de Valinco. Visit Filitosa, Corsica’s most important megalithic site, before having lunch and a swim at the nearby Porto-Pollo. Afterwards, take a drive up to the austere granite town of Sartène and visit the Musée Départemental de Préhistoire de Corse et d’Archéologie.

      TopTen

      Golfe de Valinco is known for its stunning blue waters and forest-covered hillsides.

      Day 2

      Pick up picnic supplies and, in the cool of the morning, explore the wild landscapes and megaliths of Le Sartenais before hitting the stunning plage de Roccapina. In the afternoon, head over to Bonifacio and take a boat trip (see The White Cliffs of Bonifacio) under the cliffs. Afterwards, visit the haute ville (old town), which is extremely evocative (and much less crowded) after dark.

      Day 3

      Start off the day at the plage de Palombaggia, then peruse the chic boutiques of Porto-Vecchio. Afterwards, travel to the Aiguilles de Bavella (Bavella needles) for lunch with a view over the majestic peaks. Journey to the east coast to ancient Greek and Roman Aléria; from here it’s 90 minutes to Bastia. Arrive just in time for dinner by the bijou fishing port.

      TopTen

      The Aiguilles de Bavella are visible for miles around.

      Day 4

      Spend the morning in Bastia’s Place du Marché, and explore the city’s lively streets and Baroque churches. Visit the Musée de Bastia in the Citadelle. Make the spectacular drive inland over the Col de Teghime to pretty St-Florent.

      Day 5

      Drive across the Désert des Agriate to L’Île Rousse. Have a look around, then take a scenic tour of the Balagne before ending up at Calvi. Visit Calvi’s Genoese Citadelle, and finish the day sipping an apéritif on swanky Quai Landry.

      Day 6

      Get an early start to make the scenic drive down the Corniche to Porto. Carry on to the extraordinary red Calanche de Piana for lunch. Head for the mountains, stopping at Evisa for a hike in the Forêt d’Aïtone. End the day at Corte.

      Day 7

      Visit the Musée de la Corse and take a short excursion up the enchanting Vallée de la Restonica. After lunch, head back to Ajaccio. If you have time, stop for a forest walk at Vizzavona.

      Top 10 Corsica Highlights

      8

      The dramatic cliff face at Bonifacio

      Top 10 Corsica Highlights

      TT Back to Top 10 Corsica Highlights

      DK

      AJACCIO

      With a backdrop of wild, granite mountains and lapis-blue sea, Ajaccio ranks among the most splendidly sited capitals in the Mediterranean. Travellers from Edward Lear to Guy de Maupassant were enthralled by its setting, and the imperial city remains an essential stop for visitors – not least because of its association with Napoleon, who was born and raised here. The Bonapartes’ former residence lies in the heart of a grid of narrow, weather-worn alleys, where you can sip pastis at a pavement café while the locals take their afternoon passeggiata (walk), or enjoy fresh seafood straight off the boats.

      TopTen

      Map of Ajaccio

      NEED TO KNOW

      prac_info Tourist Office: 3 Blvd du Roi Jérome; 04955 15303; www.ajaccio-tourisme.com

      prac_info Lazaret Ollandini: Quartier Aspretto; 04951 08515; Marc Petit Museum: check website for opening hours; www.lelazaret-ollandini.com

      prac_info Salon Napoléonien: Place Foch; 04955 15253; open 9–11:45am & 2–4:45pm (to 5:45pm mid-Jun–mid-Sep); closed summer: Sat, Sun & hols; winter: Mon am; www.ajaccio.fr

      prac_info Maison Bonaparte: Rue St Charles; 04952 14389; open Apr–Sep: 10am–12:30pm & 1:15–6pm; Oct–Mar: 10:30am–12:30pm & 1:15–4:30pm; closed Mon, 25 Dec, 1 Jan; adm; www.musees-nationaux-malmaison.fr

      prac_info Palais Fesch: 50–52 Rue Cardinal Fesch; 04952 62626; open May–Oct: 9:15am–6pm; Nov–Apr: 9am–5pm; closed 1 Jan, 25 Dec; adm €8; www.musee-fesch.com

      Google Map

      The Ajaccio Tourist Office offers tours of the city and its sights all year round.

      Le Don Quichotte is a great spot for a Corsican dessert.

      1. Lazaret Ollandini

      Google Map

      Halfway along the coastal road to the airport, this former quarantine station is now a performance venue. It hosts operas and concerts, and contains the Marc Petit Museum, which features art exhibitions.

      2. Îles Sanguinaires

      Google Map

      One of the short stories in Alphonse Daudet’s famous Lettres de mon Moulin, was inspired by a visit to this archipelago of islets, tapering into the sea.

      TopTen

      The scenic view from Îles Sanguinaires

      3. Fishing Harbour

      Google Map

      Ajaccio’s tiny fishing quay, just south of the marina, is a great place to visit early in the morning, when the night’s catch is being landed against a backdrop of palms, yachts and giant ferries.

      TopTen

      The tiny fishing harbour at Ajaccio

      4. Ajaccio Cathedral

      Google Map

      A brooding Delacroix painting of the Virgin holding the Sacred Heart sets a sombre tone for visits to this late Baroque cathedral, where Napoleon was baptized.

      TopTen

      The splendid Ajaccio Cathedral

      5. Open-Air Food Market

      Google Map

      Every morning during the summer months, local producers descend on Place Foch (also known as Place des Palmiers), in front of the Town Hall, to sell artisanal food.

      6. Citadelle

      Google Map

      Originally built by the Genoese, the hexagonal citadel juts into the bay next to St-François beach. The fortress played a key role in Corsican history, jailing resistance fighters in World War II.

      7. Les Milelli

      Google Map

      Nestled in an olive grove, Les Milelli was the Bonapartes’ country retreat. Napoleon stayed here during his last visit to Ajaccio in 1799. The grounds make for an excellent picnic spot.

      8. Salon Napoléonien

      Google Map

      Napoleon’s death mask is among the quirky memorabilia on show at this small museum inside the Hôtel de Ville on place Foch.

      TopTen

      An exhibit inside Hôtel de Ville on place Foch

      9. Maison Bonaparte

      Google Map

      The Bonapartes lived here until Paolist rebels drove them into exile in 1793. Don’t miss the sofa on which Napoleon was born.

      TopTen

      A bust of Napolean

      10. Palais Fesch

      Google Map

      This museum boasts a fine collection of Renaissance and Baroque art. Highlights include Leda and the Swan, a 16th-century painting by Paolo Veronese.

      NAPOLEON AND CORSICA

      Born in Ajaccio, Napoleon spent his formative years in Paris, becoming a passionate advocate of the French Revolution, which did little to endear him to Pascal Paoli’s nationalist regime back home. Having been chased into exile by Paoli’s supporters, Napoleon shunned his homeland for good, returning only once, briefly, while en route to France after his Egyptian campaign.

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