EUROPE CORSICA DESTINATIONS


crowdedness of each beach hinges on the quality of its access road; crescent- shaped Palombaggia is arguably the loveliest, but no secret. Though with building regulations happily precluding overdevelopment, no shore is ever horribly overrun. At the tip of ‘L'Extrême Sud’ awaits


Bonifacio, its ramparted old town set precariously atop limestone cliffs. Below, tourist boats chug off from its busy, fjord-side port towards grottoes and the beaches of the Lavezzi Islands. Corsica’s southwestern seaboard is slightly emptier all the way up to capital Ajaccio – Napoleon’s birthplace and home to a lazy, French Riviera vibe – but it has some sensational coves. Slightly inland, hill town Sartene pairs a pirate-dotted history with ultra-narrow shopping lanes. In the north, two attractive resorts


SAMPLE PRODUCT


Just Corsica offers seven nights’ B&B at


Hotel Santa Maria, just outside L’Ile Rousse with a


private beach and pool, from £687 per person. The price includes flights from London to Calvi and transfers.


A twin-centre combining Hotel Solenzara and


Hotel La Roya on Cap Corse starts at £1,665 per person for 14 nights’ B&B, including flights


to Figari returning from Bastia, and car hire.


justcorsica.co.uk


in L’Ile Rousse and the larger yacht- dotted Calvi, which boasts an airport, are linked by a scenic narrow-gauge railway. In between lie the quiet beaches of the fertile La Balagne region, perfumed by the omnipresent maquis shrub. To the west are spiky red sea cliffs called the Calanches, while the northeast’s spindly Cap


The northeast’s spindly Cap Corse peninsula, all fishing villages and windmills, is “the island’s most unspoilt region”


Corse peninsula, all fishing villages and windmills, is “the island’s most unspoilt region,” according to Just Corsica product manager Rob Ashton-Kane. Leave the coast and its crumbling Genoese watchtowers, and a different Corsica emerges. Hills and mountains afford day walks for all abilities, with the cross-Corsica GR20 hiking route enabling longer adventures. West of Porto-Vecchio, jagged rock formations and pine-flanked waterfalls make for scenic drives. There’s lots of canyoning, rafting and cycling along former Tour de France stages. The island’s cuisine is hearty and


rustic, with charcuterie and ricotta- like cheese popular in the interior, and ample fresh fish nearer to the sea. Few Corsican wines get exported, so oenophiles have the chance to unearth some rare, and very good, tipples.


 STAY: COAST AND COUNTRY Villas, apartments, guesthouses, resort hotels; Corsica has all bases thoroughly covered. Prices mostly range from mid to high-end, and while eating out can be done affordably, the island shouldn’t be sold as a budget destination. Its self-catering scene is especially


ABOVE: Cap Corse


LEFT: Snorkelling at Acciaju beach, Porto- Vecchio


strong near Calvi and L’Ile Rousse, and in or near Porto-Vecchio, with a good supply of supermarkets, high standards of upkeep and professional staff. Pools and ample parking come virtually as standard. Just Corsica recommends Résidence Santa Giulia Palace, five miles from Porto-Vecchio’s shops and


28 February 2019travelweekly.co.uk65


PICTURES: SHUTTERSTOCK; ATOUT FRANCE/ROBERT PALOMBA


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