Your flight to Bastia brings you to Corsica’s fortified, northern capital which boasts an atmospheric old port and grand streets of Bastia’s Terra Nova, a district lined with 18th-century mansions built by the occupying Genoese.
Mix with the locals at the morning market in Bastia’s Place du Marché and drink a glass of Casanis pastis with them in the Place Saint-Nicholas in Bastia’s old port. Explore the Terra Vecchia (Bastia Old Town) with its narrow streets and 17th-century houses.
Soak up the sun on the Plage de Saleccia (13km east of Bastia) – the most spectacular beach in Corsica, accessible by boat from St Florent. Escape the crowds with a scenic walk around the Cap Corse (start at Macinaggio 40km from Bastia). The rocky coastline is punctuated by tiny fishing villages and deserted beaches and you can follow the road-free Sentier du Douanier (the path used by customs officials) around much of the northern tip.
Locals in Bastia are very keen on the fresh crabs, crevettes and mussels, while inland, kid goat and beef are stewed with wild country herbs. Do seek out a performance of Corsica’s haunting, polyphonic singing – ask the tourist office for details. |