Corsica Walk |
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We begin in the port of Bastia
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Beautiful coastal hikes
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The food is exquisite, bien sûr!
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Snow-capped peaks in the distance
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Lunch with a view
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White sand beach near Saint Florent
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Colorful local market, Bastia
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16th century tower by quiet bay
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Corsica Walk Itinerary
TOUR AT A GLANCE -
Duration: 7 Days/8 Nights
Departures: Private departures only, please contact us for details!
Departing from: Bastia on Day 1 (Saturday)
Tour Finishes: Ajaccio on Day 8 (Saturday)
Price: €2,000 per person based on double occupancy and minimum 6 people (€2,300 for 4). Single supplement €200.
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Corsica is one of the most fascinating islands in the Mediterranean. Inhabited since Mesolithic times, it was later coveted by the Greeks, Romans and Saracens until it finally came under the control of the powerful Genoese Republic in the 14th century. Four hundred years of Italian rule left its mark on the island's cuisine, architecture, and language. Its destiny would be radically altered, however, when Corsica was bought (secretly!) by France in 1768 -- just two years before the birth of the island's most famous son, Napoleon Bonaparte.
Corsica is a vacationer's paradise, with sandy beaches, rocky coves, dramatic rock formations, crystal-clear mountain pools, as well as award-winning wines, fresh goat cheese, chestnut beer, and charming hotels. Our trip explores the northwest part of this beautiful island, introducing you to both country, city, and coastline. Come and see why the Corsicans are so fiercely proud of their island!
(Luggage transferred by van. 1 night Bastia, 3 nights Calvi, 2 nights Piana, 1 night Ajaccio. Tour ends in Ajaccio.)
Day 1 - Saturday - Independent arrival in Bastia and check-in at the hotel (Hotel Central) located in the historic center of town. Bastia can be reached from Paris by direct flight, travel time is about 2 hours. You can explore Bastia’s charming old town, surmounted by its imposing citadel. To get a true sense of Bastia, join the locals in their ritual coffee in Place Saint Nicolas and finish the day with an apéritif at one of the many cafés that line the old port. We will suggest a number of restaurants, from quaint local bistros to refined gourmet restaurants. Dinner on your own tonight. Hotel included, dinner not included.
Day 2 - Sunday - Your guide will meet you at 8:30 a.m. in the hotel lobby to take you to Bastia's vibrant Sunday market to buy picnic supplies. Perhaps try some traditional bread made from chestnut flour to complement the hearty Corsican cheese that is brought down from the mountains. A short van transfer takes us to Saint Florent, a 15th century village built around a Genoese fort. From here we will take a boat to have an easy walk along the coast with extraordinary views, eventually arriving at the pristine beach “la Saleccia,” where we can enjoy a refreshing swim. We will follow the Custom’s Officer’s trail, winding across wild headlands and crystalline coves. We return by boat and will have some free time to explore Saint Florent before a van transfer. A picturesque route across the “Désert des Agriates” leads us to Calvi, a former Genoese fortress situated on a rocky promontory. Check into the Hotel Balanea where we will stay for the next three nights. Before dinner in a local bistro, we will offer you an apéritif by the port to enjoy sunset over the snow-peaked mountains and the sea. Hotel, breakfast, and dinner included.
Day 3 - Monday - Today’s walk starts from the hotel and goes toward “la pointe de la Revelatta,” with its amazing lighthouse. You will be following the coastline on a small footpath, discovering the fragrant Mediterranean vegetation, and numerous pristine coves offer occasions to swim in a perfectly translucent sea. From the lighthouse you have an incredible view over the citadel of Calvi with snow-capped mountains in the background. Lunch at a small bungalow restaurant located on the “beach de l’algua” on our way back. Free time in the afternoon to explore the fortified part of town, sip a glass of wine in one of the cafés along the port, or simply find your own private cove to recover from all of this beauty! Optional wine tasting at “Clos Landry” in the late afternoon. Gastronomic dinner tonight in Calvi. Hotel, breakfast, and dinner included.
Day 4 - Tuesday - A 20-minute van transfer takes us to Aregno, one of the hilltop villages along the Haute Balagne coast. Our walk starts from its Romanesque church from the 12th century, and from there we will follow the crest to Sant’Antonino, one of the most beautiful villages of Corsica. We will carry on towards the Convent of Corbara before reaching our lunch spot, visible in the distance thanks to its compact cluster of orange roofs and sky-blue shutters: Pigna, a thriving hamlet perched on a slope alongside olive groves. It has retained its medieval character, with stepped paths, narrow alleys, and vaulted passageways. Pigna has become famous as a center for traditional Corsican music and is an important stop on the “artisans’ road” as many craftsmen have established workshops here. Our afternoon walk takes us through Corbara: a quintessential Balagne town of small square houses clinging to a steep hillside, once the capital of the region before the Genoese took over and founded the Citadel of Calvi. Corbara is proud of its largest Balagne parish church, a glitzy Baroque construction built in 1685. From there our trail abandon the crest to take us down to l’île-Rousse, from where we will take the narrow-gauge train to return to Calvi. Tonight is a “Free Night” dinner, so you can choose between the many bistros and restaurants in the village. Hotel & breakfast, dinner not included.
Day 5 - Wednesday - After breakfast, we leave Calvi by boat. The boat ride offers a unique perspective over the Scandola Reserve (a UNESCO World Heritage site) which boasts an unparalleled wealth of flora. Set against an extraordinary backdrop of red cliffs and dense “maquis,” Girolata is the only fishing village on the island still inaccessible by road. Picnic or lunch at a small restaurant there before following the “postman’s trail,” a mere mule track that used to connect the village to the rest of the island. The path offers wonderful views over the Scandola and the gulf all the way to the Col de la Croix. From there, we will transfer by van to Piana. Check in at the hotel Les Roches Rouges, the most elegant period hotel of Corsica. Bistro-style dinner in the village. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 6 - Thursday - Today starts with some shopping for our picnic in the stunningly picturesque village of Piana, built high on the cliffs above the Gulf of Porto. From there, we follow the trails winding through “Les Calanches,” another UNESCO protected site. It is a vast expanse of red porphyry, eroded into dogs’ heads, witches and devils -- one of the most memorable hikes of the week! After an apéritif on the terrace of our hotel to enjoy the sublime sea views at sunset, we will walk to the village for dinner at restaurant “La Voute,” a family-run restaurant where Antonella will prepare some of the best seafood dishes serving her father’s catch of the morning. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 7 - Friday - For our last day, after the morning walk to “Capu Rossu,” we transfer to Ajaccio along the picturesque coastal road. We will stop on the way in Cargese: this charming village sits high above a deep-blue bay on a cliff scattered with olive trees. Lunch there or in Ajaccio, our final destination. Ajaccio is a very pretty seaside town which was established by the Genoese in the 15th century. Of course, it is also famous as the birthplace of a certain short French emperor. After checking into our hotel in the center of town, you will have free time in Ajaccio for last-minute shopping or visiting some of its museums. We will enjoy a final apéritif and dinner in one of Ajaccio’s fine restaurants facing the “îles sanguinaires.” Dinner and accommodation in Ajaccio. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 8 - Saturday - Transfer to the Ajaccio airport. There are several flights a day to Paris and other destinations in Europe, as well as ferries to both France and Italy. Breakfast included.
See all of our tours by DESTINATION & ACTIVITY
See all of our tours by date: TOUR CALENDAR 2010
The walks in Corsica, though not long in terms of distance, can be
strenuous at times as we ascend or descend mountain paths which are often rocky and over uneven terrain. We have designed the trip so that there is always some free
time in the late afternoon so you can relax, read, or have a swim.
Breakfast is included every day, and dinners reflect the excellent
traditional food of the region. Daily distance between 8 and 14 kms.
General Information
Qualifications: This trip is rated moderate with some challenging stretches. We normally walk 3-4 hours per day, spread out over the morning and afternoon. This trip is a little easier than our Cinque Terre walk.
Trip Cost Includes: Seven nights accommodations (three-star hotels or “Chambre d’hôtes de charme”); 7 breakfasts and 5 dinners; bilingual guide or guides; all transfers by van, boat, and train and luggage transfers from pick-up on day 2 and finishing with a van transfer to the Ajaccio airport on Saturday morning; guided visit of Bastia and entrance to the Musée du Corse and the Scandola National Park.
Getting there:
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Insurance: We highly recommend the purchase of Trip
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We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! |
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