Things to do in Bonifacio
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Grotte du Sdragonato
Don't leave Bonifacio without taking a boat trip around its extraordinary coastline, where you'll get the best perspective of the town's precarious position on top of the magnificent chalky cliffs. Two itineraries are offered. The first includes the goulet, the calanques (deep rocky inlets; calanche in Corsican), with their clear aquamarine waters, and the magical Grotte du Sdragonato with its gloriously multicoloured sea bed.
A 50-minute tour focuses on the Îles Lavezzi and boats are operated shuttle fashion, so you can linger on the islands. But, if you do, take your own food and drink since you won't find any there. On the way back, the boats pass close to Île Cavallo,…
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Cantina Doria
A Bonifacio institution, this cavernous little joint has a tantalising menu showcasing all the classics of Corsican cuisine, served in snug surrounds complete with wooden benches, copper pots, rustic tools and dented signs. Tuck into perennial favourites such as lasagnes au fromage Corse (lasagne with Corsican cheese) and soupe Corse, aubergines à la bonifacienne (aubergines stuffed with breadcrumbs and cheese), and you'll leave patting your tummy contentedly.
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Mémorial du Passé Bonifacien
From the marina, the atmospheric Montée St-Roch leads to the citadel via Porte de Gênes (Genoa Gate; pedestrian access only). This gate was the only way of getting into the citadel until the Porte de France was built in 1854. To the north is the Bastion de l'Étendard, a remnant of the fortifications built in the aftermath of the siege in 1553. It is home to the Mémorial du Passé Bonifacien , where various episodes in the town's history have been re-created.
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Église Ste-Marie Majeure
The unmissable Église Ste-Marie Majeure was built by the Pisans and was completed in the 14th century. Although it has been modified on numerous occasions and has gradually lost its original style, it retains its main feature, the loggia, under the arches of which the notables of the town used to gather. Opposite it is the old cistern, in which the town formerly collected rainwater from the many aqueducts running above the streets of the vieille ville.
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Kissing Pigs
Soothingly positioned by the harbour, this widely acclaimed restaurant and wine bar serves savoury fare in a seductively cosy interior, complete with wooden fixtures and swinging sausages. It’s famed for its cheese and charcuterie platters. For the indecisive, the moitié-moitié (half and half), which is a combination of the two, is the perfect answer. The wine list is another hit, with a good selection of Corsican tipples, available by the glass.
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Le Voilier
A bastion of haute cuisine on the marina, Le Voilier attracts serious gourmets keen to enjoy elaborate fish and meat dishes. The carré de denti et pistou de coquillages (dentex steak with a Provençal sauce) certainly won our hearts. Save room for desserts - the crème brûlée au basilic (cream pie with a caramelised topping and basil) is a victory for humanity.
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Le Gregale
On Plage de Maora, Le Gregale is well worth the detour. This is the place towards which all heads turn when it comes to tasting the freshest of fish. Depending on the daily catch, the menu may feature John Dory, sea bream, sea bass... and lobster. It's a family affair, with Mum, Dad (the cooks) and two sons (fishermen and waiters). Another draw is the rustic-chic setting, with blond-wood furniture and beams.
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Kissing Pigs
Get in early here as this zany fave, right by the harbour, teems with punters from far and wide anxious to wrap their mandibles around some of the best charcuterie and cheese platters in town. Go for the moitié/moitié (half-and-half), which is a combination of the two. Since wines also feature highly here, let things rip with the list of well chosen Corsican tipples. Fiumicicoli, anyone?
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Les 4 Vents
The setting is eye-catching, with seafaring paraphernalia adorning the dining room and a terrace soothingly positioned on the waterfront. Les 4 Vents serves good Corsican dishes made with salutary attention to detail. Push the boat out with the brochette d'espadon (skewered cubes of swordfish) and salade de seiches et crevettes (shrimps and cuttlefish salad). Deadly.
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Stella d'Oro - Chez Jules
This characterful eatery set in a former oil mill is held in high regard by locals and tourists alike. There's nothing unorthodox on the menu, just the usual Bonifacien suspects cooked to perfection: aubergines à la bonifacienne (eggplants cooked with cheese) and pasta. A dessert du chef (homemade dessert of the day) will finish you off sweetly.
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L'Archivolto
Steps from the Église Ste-Marie Majeure, this gloriously offbeat bistro feels like an antique shop, with an onslaught of quirky collectables from floor to ceiling. The chalked-up menu is just as eclectic, with an assortment of fish and meat dishes, as well as frondy salads. In summer the tables spill out onto the lovely piazza outside.
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Église St-Dominique
To the west of the Montée St-Roch citadel is the Église St-Dominique, one of the few Gothic churches in Corsica. It houses an altarpiece made of polychrome marble that dates back to the mid-18th century, as well as reliquaries carried in processions through the town during a number of religious festivals.
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Escalier du Roi d’Aragon
From the citadel, the Escalier du Roi d’Aragon cuts down the southern cliff-face. Its 187 steps were supposedly carved in a single night by Aragonese troops during the siege of 1420, although the troops were rebuffed by retaliating Bonifacio residents once they reached the top.
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La Main à La Pâte
This long-standing restaurant serves nothing but high-quality pasta dishes at eminently affordable prices. You choose the colour (white, orange, green or black), the form (tagliatelle, fettuccine, rigatoni) and the accompanying sauce. Good fun and tasty.
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Gouvernail de la Corse
At the western tip of the peninsula, an underground passage dug by hand during WWII leads to the Gouvernail de la Corse, a rock about a dozen metres from the shore with a shape reminiscent of the rudder of a ship.
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Bastion de l’Étendard
Inside the citadel’s old gateway, the Porte de Gênes, is the 13th-century Bastion de l’Étendard, which houses a small historical museum exploring Bonifacio’s past.
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Boulangerie Faby
There's something delightfully timeless about this old-fashioned boulangerie in the haute ville. The patronne can be grumpy, but that's part of the fun. Ah, its uga seccata! Sinful.
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Cantina Grill
The Cantina Doria has become so popular it has spawned a second outlet on the harbour with an emphasis on fresh fish. The three-course set menu is a bargain.
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Église Ste-Dominique
This is one of Corsica’s few Gothic churches. It has reliquaries carried in processions through the town during a number of religious festivals.
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B52
It has a buzzing balcony area and terrace, and plays a good blend of hip-hop, soul and indie music but only really gets going around midnight.
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Corsica Diving
Sign up with Corsica Diving, which is a well-established dive operator. A single dive starts at around €40.
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Aquarium
The Aquarium is in a natural cave and features the marine flora and fauna of the Bouches de Bonifacio.
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