Aerial view of the ruins of the square Genoese tower of Porto at the end of the Gulf of Porto, Corsica, France.

© Alexandre.ROSA/Shutterstock

Genoese Tower


Follow the stairway up the tiny headland in the centre of the port – a jumble of red-tinged boulders – to reach the sturdy little Genoese watchtower, which commands dramatic views of Porto, the coast and the mountains.


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1. Waterfront

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Porto’s main sights are clustered around the harbour. Once you’ve climbed the higgledy-piggledy headland up to the Genoese tower, stroll round to the…

2. Réserve Naturelle de Scandola

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The jewel of the Golfe de Porto World Heritage Site, the Réserve Naturelle de Scandola extends both above and below the water, from the russet-hued cliffs…

3. Plage de Pero

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The closest beach to Cargèse is the small strip of Plage de Pero, 1km north of the village and overlooked by a couple of Genoese watchtowers.

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Cargèse’s Greek community had been established in the village for 150 years by the time they erected this Greek Orthodox church, between 1868 and 1874…

6. Plage de Calvi

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7. Citadel

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Crowning a rocky headland, Calvi’s massive citadel was fortified by Corsica’s Genoese rulers from the 12th century onwards, and has fended off everyone…

8. Belvédère

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Perched on a south-facing promontory immediately below the citadel, and reached via a signposted staircase just outside the ramparts, this free-access…