Historic Neighbourhood sights in France
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Citadel (Haute Ville)
Much of Bonifacio's charm comes from strolling the citadel's shady streets, soaking up the architecture and the atmosphere. From the marina, the paved montée Rastello and montée St-Roch bring you to the citadel's old gateway, the Porte de Gênes, complete with its original 16th-century drawbridge. Inside the gateway is the 13th-century Bastion de l'Étendard, which houses a small historical museum exploring Bonifacio's past. Stroll the ramparts to place du Marché and place de la Manichella, which both offer jaw-dropping views over the Bouches de Bonifacio.
Several streets are spanned by arched aqueducts, which originally collected rainwater to fill the communal cistern…
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Citadel
Of Corsica's six citadels, Corte's is the only one not on the coast. Jutting out above the Rivers Tavignanu and Restonica and the cobbled alleyways of the Haute Ville, the citadel's highest point is the château (known as the Nid d'Aigle – the Eagle's Nest), built in 1419.
The town's finest views are from the belvédère (viewing platform), reached via a steep staircase just outside the citadel's ramparts. Inside the walls are the former barracks and administrative buildings, which previously served as a WWII prison and a French Foreign Legion base. They now house the tourist office and the Museu di a Corsica, a definite must-see for anyone interested in Corsica's…
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Citadel
Set atop a lofty promontory, Calvi's massive fortified citadel offers superb wraparound views of the town and the bay at almost every turn. Built by the town's Genoese governors, Calvi's citadel has seen off several major assaults down the centuries, fending off everyone from Franco-Turkish raiders to Anglo-Corsican armies. Inside the battlements, don't miss the well-proportioned Caserne Sampiero, which was the seat of power for the Genoese administration, and the 13th-century cathédrale St-Jean Baptiste; its most celebrated relic is the ebony Christ des Miracles, credited with saving the town from Saracen invasion in 1553.
The citadel has five bastions, each offering…
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