Corsica Travelogue – Fun, Fabulous & Free After Fifty
Friday, October 11 – Rotterdam to Bastia
Off we go! Dropped the car in Rotterdam and remembered (with joy) how Stress-free smaller airports are. Our bag was a kilo over (oops), so we got bumped out of the automatic check-in, but the attendant was a sweetheart and waved us through. Quick coffee, laptop out, and by 5:30 we were in the air with Transavia.
One short nap later—boom! Bastia. Red Polo rented (note to self: never rent a big car in Corsica unless you enjoy heart attacks on cliff roads) and a twenty-minute drive brought us to Bastia’s old town. Warm air, steep alleys, the smell of the sea. Heaven. Staying in “ Hotel Bastia”.Dinner at La Casa, just steps from the hotel: chevre chaud and salade de tomates chaudes that tasted like summer on a plate.
💡 Did you know? Corsica is nicknamed L’Île de Beauté—the Island of Beauty. The name is not poetic exaggeration. Every bend in the road looks like a painting.
Saturday, October 12 – Cap Corse
Breakfast overlooking the old port—already pinching myself—and then off to explore Cap Corse, the finger-shaped peninsula pointing north. Tiny villages like Erbalunga and Nonza clung to the cliffs, so picturesque you feel like you’ve stumbled into a painting. The kind of places that make you say: yes, THIS is why we Travel. The drive was hair-raising—roads clinging to cliffs, blind corners, and sudden glimpses of turquoise sea far below.
On to Macinagio and after walking around the port had a salad by the water edge. Such bliss to be able to eat outside in October.
On to Nonza, a town famous for its black pebble beach, and wandered through postcard-perfect streets and saw the church Sainte Julie! Everything here moves slower, softer.
Back in Bastia, we wandered the citadel and the charming old port, then rewarded ourselves with dinner at Gepetto: mouth-watering red tuna with mint mayonnaise and mandarine for me, wood-fired pizza and chocolate mousse for Olivier. Perfect.
💡 Did you know? Cap Corse is dotted with Genoese watchtowers, built between the 16th–18th centuries to protect the coast from pirates. Many still stand proudly against the sky.
Sunday, October 13 – Bastia to Calvi
Yoga: I couldn’t start the day without it and yes you can do it anywhere with some adaptations. And on the road again. The drive to Porto was dramatic: jagged cliffs, endless curves, and that wild red stone glowing against the sea.
Stopped at the renowned and picturesque Ile Rousse, walked through the old town before mocktails on the beach and a quick swim. Spontaneity is the name of the game here—shoes off, hair salty, laughter flowing.
Further inland, Pigna charmed us with artisan shops, stone houses, higgledy piggeldy and that air of being somewhere timeless. Lunch was in this amazing place (A Casarella) Corsican tapas with a view that seemed impossible to capture in photos (though of course I tried).
Once in Calvi, checked into our “ Il Tramonto”, very simple but facing the sea!!! Evening in Calvi: sunset over the citadel, Cap Corse Spritz on the terrace, dinner by the port, wine in hand. Calvi claims Christopher Columbus was born here. True or not, the locals tell the story with enough pride (and enough Corsican wine) that you believe them.
💡 Corsican treat to try: Chestnut flour is used everywhere—bread, pasta, cakes, even beer. The island’s forests are full of chestnut trees, a staple since the Middle Ages.
Monday, October 14 – Calvi to Porto
Breakfast outdoors with that sparkling Calvi sea as our view. In sanely grateful and Olivier is finally on the mend from a pretty dramatic cold, so spirits were high as we set off for Porto. The drive was yet again jaw-dropping: jagged cliffs, plunging ravines, red rock glowing against the cobalt blue. I think I frequently stopped breathing, sooo glad we booked a small car.
Porto itself is a tiny harbour town, tucked into dramatic surroundings. We checked into a quirky mobile home with its own little garden and deck—basic but cosy. This is called “ Funtana a l’Ora”. Then came the highlight: a boat trip (RIB) into the Scandola Nature Reserve, with “ calanques de Piana” a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Three hours of jaw-dropping landscapes—volcanic rock cliffs, grottoes, arches carved by the sea, turquoise water. Best moment? Two dolphins came dancing alongside the boat, which apparently is pretty rare this time of year. Pure magic.
Stopped at port and celebrated with tea and Corsican cheesecake Fladone at port, recovering from the high speed!
Stopped at the Carrefour supermarket. Back “home” we kept it simple: bread, cheese, wine. Sometimes less really is more.
💡 Did you know? Scandola is only accessible by boat or on foot. No wonder it feels untouched, wild, and almost sacred.
Tuesday, October 15 – Piana & Beach Bliss
Yoga on the deck, chanting in the garden (yes, even here!), and croissants fresh from the boulangerie. Then we drove to the tiny village of Piana—one of France’s official :“Most Beautiful Villages.” From there, we descended to the beach (plage d’Arona), rented loungers, and let the day melt away: swims in limpid water, naps, salty hair, contented sighs. 26 degrees. Even allowed ourselves a lunch aperitif: Muscat Corse Spritz…deliciously decadent.
Afternoon coffee in Piana, shared a panini, and went back to Porto Port for dinner at Panorama. Ceviche of Espadon and loup de mer with mandarin liqueur…. orgasmic, laughter. Dessert, obviously. These are the Corsican rules: swim, eat, repeat.
💡 Corsican speciality: The island is famous for its citrus liqueurs—mandarin and citron in particular. Sweet, sharp, and very easy to get used to.
Wednesday, October 16 – Porto to Ajaccio
Rain poured as we packed up, but by breakfast it had cleared. We waved goodbye to the cats who’d adopted us at reception (Corsica = cats galore) and hit the road to Ajaccio.
Ajaccio, Napoleon’s birthplace, is buzzing with life—traffic, cafes spilling onto pavements, a little chaotic but in that Mediterranean way that makes you feel alive. It is hot (26 degrees) and feels close. It took me a while to adapt to the big city vibes after the bliss of the last few days. We are staying in Hotel Spunta Di Mare (2-star, GREAT price/quality) We wandered 40 minutes along the coast to the centre and I recovered from the overwhelm over a delicious lunch in a quiet shaded alleyway restaurant. Visited Palais Feisch and chapel, peeked into Bonaparte’s house and walked back, By evening, we collapsed into our hotel restaurant where I devoured seafood risotto that tasted like the sea itself. I Love Italian seafood risotto.
💡 History bite: Ajaccio was where Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769. The locals are divided between pride and weary amusement at the endless Napoleon tourism.
Thursday, October 17 – Prehistory to Bonifacio
Corsica isn’t just beaches and cliffs—it’s also ancient. On the way south, we stopped at Filitosa, a prehistoric site with carved stone figures Dating back 3,000 years. Standing among ancient olive trees with silent statues watching you—it’s haunting in the best way. Spine-tingling.
By late afternoon we were in Bonifacio—and I instantly fell in love with the place. Perched on dazzling white limestone cliffs, the town looks like it’s floating above the turquoise sea. Our little boutique hotel (Solemare) was directly on the beautiful marina, and our windows open straight on to a spectacular view, we are ecstatic and bursting with gratitude for our life.
We set off up to the citadel, donned helmets (very sexy indeed…. not!) and from there we descended the King of Aragon’s Stairway—187 steps carved directly into the cliff. (Yes, thighs were burning. Yes, it was worth it.)
Walked up the bulwarks to the picturesque ancient cemetery at the top.
Corsican cheese and a chilled beer to recover and a bit later on Prosecco on a terrace (writing this, a lot seems to be about booze!). Found this fun restaurant “En faim” and had a lovely seafood meal with a chatty, slightly drunk 70-year-old biker who had driven down from Belgium by quad!! He shared his life story and his wine with us. One of those nights that makes travelling magical.
💡 Did you know? Bonifacio’s staircase is rumoured to have been cut overnight by the troops of Aragon in the 15th century. Historians doubt it, but it makes for a great story as you huff your way back up!
Friday, October 18 – Boat Day Lavazzi islands Bonifacio
Sunny port breakfast, then joined others on a boat (after buying sandwiches and water). I am lucky to have a lot less headache than I deserve after last night.
Sea was quite rough so a lot of spray, of laughter, wind in our hair- rapidly drenched but loving it! This is the natural reserve of the Lavazzi islands where we were dropped off. We wandered admiring the stunning rock formations, spectacular against the limpid turquoise water. Found a little bay just for us and settled to lounge and swim for a few hours. Time just stopped still and before we knew it, it was time for the trip back along the coast.
Afternoon by the pool, then dinner at a Family-run place (Le Bastion) where we I had aubergines a la Bonifacio, fruits de mer and we tried chestnut flour cake (a Corsican speciality) and fiduca and liqueur chatting to a lovely couple from Alsace. Olivier tried olive ice cream (yes, really!). Weirdly wonderful. I would love to just travel and capture people’s life story, so fascinating and enriching.
💡 Corsican staple: Chestnut flour has been the island’s “poor man’s wheat” for centuries. Today, it’s reinvented as gourmet—used in breads, pasta, polenta, and even beer.
Saturday, October 19 – Bonifaccio – Plage de Palombaggia, Porto Vechio, village de San Gavino di Carbini and yes…Mosquito Mayhem
And off we go again to a stunning long golden beach bordered by pine trees, just as beautiful in the rain. Wandered about taking photos, had a coffee… then disaster. Shannon rang me as we were setting back off in the car and I got out to talk properly and landed in a thick swarm of tiny mosquitoes. Within minutes I was covered in bites, swelling, shaking, struggling to breathe. We raced to the nearest pharmacy where an angel of a pharmacist disinfected me, gave me pills and cream, and basically saved the day.
Once recovered, life resumed. Chevre salad to celebrate life and set off to the famous aiguilles de Bavella. Climbed and climbed passing from 26 degrees to 9.5. Checked into our cosy Auberge where we got changes and drove up to the needles of Bavella which were entirely lost in the clouds! Before I would have been very frustrated, but we laughed, entered the very rustic café there for tea and honey and bought a postcard revealing what we should or could have been seeing.
Dinner back at the auberge of pizza, liqueurs, and laughter, because—yes—even on the mosquito-from-hell days, Corsica redeems itself.
💡 Travel tip Corsican mosquitoes mean business. Carry antihistamines.
Sunday October 20 San Gavino di Carabini – Quenza- Corte
Gave the aiguilles de Bavella a last try after breakfast but visibility even less so meandered back down to sea level and made our way to the Corte area with the two stunning valleys. Unloaded our luggage at the beautiful “Coco” B&B and set off to the Restonica valley. The road was so narrow we parked halfway and clambered up to the plateau d’Alzo. Wild, rugged valleys, cows blocking the road, waterfalls crashing through gorges, autumn scented soil. We hiked for a few hours, sweaty and exhilarated, rewarded with cakes, hot chocolate, and lemon tart in village café after regaining the car and driving down three smelly German hitchhikers.
Corte is Corsica’s soul: untamed, raw, and absolutely gorgeous. Dinner in the village with wine because balance is everything!
💡 Did you know? Corte was once Corsica’s capital. Today it feels like the island’s soul: untamed, authentic, and far from the tourist coastlines.
Monday October 21 and last day, hiking Corte
Breakfast with a stunning view. Left luggage and headed back down to Corte for water and our last 14km hike blessed with bright blue skies and surrounded by grandiose scenery. Wild boar tracks, rugged mountains. Made it to the suspended bridge and back. On to Recano for coffee and cake (sadly I believe I am consuming way more than I am spending in calories but who is counting???)
Back to Coco for shower outside (yiiiiikes!!!), repacked and drove back to Porretta airport Bastia.
Slept in plane, wonderfully organized at Rotterdam airport and before we knew it we were back home, curled up with our lovely cat RED.
I have wanted to go to Corsica for years….and it was even better than I had imagined!
Last tip: Watch out when planning your itinerary as everything is close in kilometres, but the meandering roads take a lot of time!
As Hans Christian Andersen reminded us, ‘To travel is to live.’ And nowhere is that truer than in Corsica, where every turn of the road, every scent of wild maquis, and every plunge into turquoise waters reminds you what it means to feel alive.
💡 Final thought: Corsica is not for careful travelers. It’s for those of us who want to laugh, gasp, swim, eat, drink, and say yes. Twisty roads, wild beaches, ancient stones, spontaneous nights—it’s an island that rewards you the more you let go.
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