Nature & romance in Corsica

Paris

Day 1: Welcome to France!

Arrive at the airport in Paris today and take a free shuttle to your hotel, situated just a short distance away. Drop off your luggage before heading into the city for a bit of sightseeing, or choose to simply relax at the hotel after your travels.

Paris - Bastia

Day 2: Catch a flight to Corsica

Take an early shuttle to the airport this morning to catch your flight to Corsica!

Upon arrival at the airport in Bastia, you will be welcomed by your driver who will transfer you to Porto Vecchio. Enjoy the drive, which will take just under three hours, then relax at your hotel upon arrival. Rooms should be ready in the afternoon, but if not, drop off your luggage and enjoy the facilities - these include a restaurant, cocktail bar, beach, and swimming pool.

Bastia - Porto Vecchio

Day 3: Discover the medieval town of Porto-Vecchio

Wake up in beautiful Porto-Vecchio, on the southeastern coast of Corsica - here is where you will spend the next three days, basking in all of its historic and scenic beauty. You'll get to spend some time exploring this alluring medieval town today, at your own pace.

Shamelessly seductive and fashionably alluring, Porto-Vecchio has been dubbed the Corsican St-Tropez. The old town’s picturesque backstreets, lined with restaurants and designer shops, are presided over by the ruined vestiges of an old Genoese citadel. Although there’s no beach in Porto-Vecchio itself, some of Corsica’s finest sands are close by.

Porto Vecchio

Day 4: Soak up the sun on Corsica's beaches

The beaches surrounding Porto-Vecchio are stunning, and the two most popular are Palombaggia and Santa Giulia, one of which you'll get to rest and relax on for the day.

The former is one of the top 10 beaches in Europe, lined with various bars and restaurants, and offering water sports, sea excursions, and of course, a spectacular landscape. Santa Giulia, like Palombaggia, is surrounded by mountains and forest and offers its own unique spread of cafés and water sports. It seems your hardest decision today is whether you want to recline on golden or white sands!

Porto Vecchio

Day 5: Canyoning tour in the Corsican mountains

Active travelers will delight in the rock climbing and canyoning opportunities to be had within Corsica's extraordinary landscape. Your hotel will be happy to help you book a canyoning tour for the day.

Bavella Canyon is about an hour and a half away by car, in the Corsican mountains. It’s full of crystalline waterfalls, shimmering green pools, rocky cliff sides with caves, lush forests and canyons - specifically, the Pulischellu, Purcaraccia, and Vacca canyons. Guides are readily available for hiking and canyoning tours, with varying levels of difficulty to suit your needs.

Porto Vecchio - Corte

Day 6: Venture across Corsica to Corte

After breakfast, meet your private driver at your hotel for a private transfer northbound to Corte, via the Bavella Needles.

Known locally as Les Aiguilles de Bavella, these rocky spikes of red granite dominate a hill of the same name. The site is characterized by jagged peaks, large rock walls, and pine trees twisted by the wind. Take in all the stunning scenery as you relax in the privacy of your comfortable vehicle. The drive to Corte takes about four hours if you go direct, but your driver can make suggestions if you'd like to stop along the way.

Upon arrival at your hotel in Corte, check in and relax at leisure for the rest of the day.

Corte

Day 7: Fascinating history & breathtaking scenery

The next two days will be yours to explore this magnificent region at your own pace. Blessed with a stunning natural setting, marked by jagged peaks at the confluence of several rivers, the mountain stronghold of Corte is as forbidding as it is spectacular.

Centering on a towering pinnacle that has been fortified for over 2,000 years, it still stands at the heart of Corsican identity. When Pasquale Paoli made it the capital of his Corsican republic in 1755, most of Corte’s population lived within its hilltop citadel. French invaders devastated the upper town 14 years later, and fleeing refugees included Napoléon’s mother, pregnant with the future emperor.

These days, life focuses on the newer town below, linked to the citadel by steep stairways and cobbled alleys. Set off on an exploration of Corte today, taking in all the historical and natural grandeur.

Corte

Day 8: Hike to Corsica's mountain lakes

During your stay in Corte, take the opportunity to explore the magnificent Restonica Valley. There, you will find natural swimming pools and bathing spots in an idyllic environment. This area is also a paradise for hikers and trekkers; venturing up to the source of the Restonica river, you'll find the starting point for treks to the famous lakes of Melo and Capitello.

Get an early-morning start to beat the crowds and climb up to the Lac de Melo in the cool shade. From there, the itinerary steepens and after about 45 minutes you'll arrive at the deepest lake in Corsica, where rock walls plunge 42m into the icy waters of the Lac de Capitello.

Corte - Saint Florent

Day 9: Journey north to charming Saint-Florent

Today you will continue your Corsican adventure north to Saint-Florent, which lies on a breathtaking Mediterranean bay. After breakfast, your private driver will meet you at your hotel for the drive, which should take just under two hours. 

Upon arrival, check in at your hotel, drop off your luggage, and set off to find a charming spot for lunch in this delightful town.

Saint Florent

Day 10: Protected coastal reserves & delightful wineries

Today you will embark on a full-day 4x4 excursion to the beaches of the Agriates Desert and the vineyards of Patrimonio.

Your driver-guide will pick you up at your hotel for a scenic drive to the Agriates Desert - a wild, barren wilderness on Corsica's northern coast and the only official desert in Europe. It is more of a dry, scrub-covered landscape than the typical sand-covered desert you might imagine it to be.

Take your time there, exploring the long stretch of protected coastline. You'll enjoy a picnic lunch on the beach and have some time to swim in the pristine waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Later, continue to the famous vineyards of Patrimonio, one of the most celebrated AOC regions in Corsica. Here you will enjoy two different tastings of various local wines, before returning to your hotel in Saint-Florent for the rest of the day.

Saint Florent

Day 11: Explore the striking Cap Corse peninsula

Your driver-guide will meet you at your hotel this morning for a full-day private excursion to Cap Corse. This 40km-long, 10km-wide promontory is home to fishing villages, a mountainous interior, and a beautiful coastline.

The usual way to visit Cap Corse is by simply following the coast up one side and down the other, with occasional excursions inland to wine-producing villages. The two sides, east and west, are quite different in character; western Cap Corse features mountains that reach right to the sea, in a much more dramatic fashion than the gentler east side's geographic makeup.

Saint Florent - Bastia

Day 12: Uncover regional specialties in Bastia

After breakfast, your driver will pick you up for your transfer back to Bastia, just under an hour's drive away. After checking into your hotel there, you can spend your last full day in Corsica at your leisure.

To discover authentic Bastia, stroll through the narrow streets of Terra Vecchia. Take the time to taste regional products at the market or in local specialty shops, where you will have the opportunity to pick up some gifts to bring home.

Bastia - Paris

Day 13: Bon voyage!

The time has come to bid farewell to the marvelous French island of Corsica. You will be picked up at your hotel this morning and driven to the airport, to catch your flight back to Paris in time for your onward flight home. Have a safe and pleasant journey!