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Pete Seaward

Southern Corsica

A microcosm of Corsica itself, the south boasts two of the island's most alluring port towns – the cliff-hugging citadel of Bonifacio and the glamorous resort of Porto-Vecchio – along with its most remarkable megalithic sites (Filitosa and Cucuruzzu), some of its most breathtaking mountains (Aiguilles de Bavella) and its most beautiful beach (Palombaggia).

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Southern Corsica.

  • See

    Citadel

    The great joy of visiting Bonifacio lies in strolling the tangled medieval lanes of the citadel. The paved steps of montée du Rastello and montée St-Roch lead up from the marina to its old gateway, the Porte de Gênes, complete with an original 16th-century drawbridge. Immediately inside, the Bastion de l’Étendard was the main stronghold of the fortified town. Built to hold heavy artillery, it now houses a small museum, and provides access to the ramparts, which offer jaw-dropping views. Several of the town’s streets are spanned by arched aqueducts, designed to collect rainwater to fill the communal cistern opposite Église Ste-Marie Majeure. On the southern side of the citadel, the Escalier du Roi d’Aragon cuts down the cliff-face. Bonifacio doesn’t fill the entire headland. Just beyond the old core as you head west, beyond the Gothic Église Ste-Dominique and massive defunct barracks, you come to an eerily quiet marine cemetery. At the western tip of the peninsula, an underground passage dug during WWII leads down to a ‘window’ cut into the rock just 12m above the sea, at a rudder-shaped rock formation known as the Gouvernail de la Corse.

  • See

    Cucuruzzu & Capula

    A side turning north from the D268, 3km west of Levie, arrives after 4km at a beautiful forest, where an easy 2.5km loop trail leads past two remarkable castelli (Bronze Age hillforts). The first, Cucuruzzu, is a rocky hillock that was fortified around 1200 BC by cramming boulders into every crevice, and topping the walled ensemble with a round tower. Capula, a similar fortress further along, was strengthened by the Romans, and altered and then levelled during the Middle Ages. Multilingual interpretive booklets are available along with audioguides (€3) in English, German or Italian. The site is signposted off the D268 between Levie and Ste-Lucie de Tallano.

  • See

    Îles Lavezzi

    Paradise! If you love to splash in tranquil lapis-lazuli waters, this protected clutch of uninhabited islets was made for you. The largest, the 65-hectare Île Lavezzi itself, is the most accessible. In summer, operators based at Bonifacio’s marina (and also in Porto-Vecchio) offer boat trips; bring a picnic lunch.

  • See

    Escalier du Roi d’Aragon

    Only accessible from the top, this impressive staircase cuts down Bonifacio's southern cliff-face. Legend says that during the siege of 1420, Aragonese troops carved its 187 steep steps from the bottom up in a single night, only to be rebuffed by Bonifacio’s defenders at the top. In reality the steps gave access to an underground freshwater well.

  • See

    Musée de l’Alta Rocca

    This low-slung modern museum, below the D59, is primarily devoted to Corsican archaeology, with especially good displays on its megalithic sites. Its prize exhibit is the oldest skeleton found on the island, the so-called Dame de Bonifacio, dated to around 7000BC. She’s joined by the Dame de Capula, a mere 2000 years old, who was discovered at the nearby hillfort, along with some fascinating artefacts.

  • See

    Bastion de l’Étendard

    Inside the citadel’s old gateway, the Porte de Gênes, the Bastion de l’Étendard was the town's main stronghold. Built to hold heavy artillery, it now houses a small museum, and provides access to a hugely enjoyable stroll around the ramparts.

  • See

    Ste-Lucie de Tallano

    Interesting monuments in Ste-Lucie de Tallano, 9km west of Levie, include the well-proportioned Église Ste-Lucie and the imposing, Renaissance-style Couvent St-François, commanding wonderful views at the southern edge of the village.