The 11 best things to do in Corsica, France

Close your right fist, with your thumb over your fingers. Now, point your index finger, and you've made the shape of the island of Corsica – the top of a rugged mountain range jutting out of the Mediterranean between France and Italy, whose highest peaks remain snowcapped well into the spring. 

Now close your eyes and picture a stone chapel perched atop a small hill, with sheep-studded fields at its feet and jagged mountains behind, or a fast-running river cutting through a steep pink granite ravine, or pretty much any other Mediterranean landscape you can conjure – that's Corsica. 

The French love this rocky island, the fourth-largest in the Mediterranean, for its indomitable spirit, thrilling natural scenery and for being the birthplace of Napoléon Bonaparte. But the rest of the world is slowly catching on to the long list of active things to do in Corsica, from swimming on rock-framed beaches to tackling Europe's toughest long-distance hiking trail. 

With few museums, art galleries, cinemas or theaters to frequent, visitors pack itineraries with hiking, swimming, sailing, kayaking, diving and great food that owes as much to the mountains as the Mediterranean on all sides. Chestnut trees and wild pigs abound, and you’ll find both in many a hearty Corsican dish, such as the island's much-loved wild boar stew.

Many residents consider themselves Corsican first and (reluctantly) French second, even though the island’s most famous son became emperor of France. Graffiti – usually in Corsican, which is closer to Italian than French – calling for independence crops up in unexpected places, and the Corsican flag (a black profile facing left with a white bandana knotted at the back) is proudly displayed everywhere. 

If you fancy an island holiday that steps outside the ordinary, and days filled with hiking, scenic drives, and atmospheric old towns, you've come to the right place. Dive deep into the wonders of this enigmatic French island with this list of the top things to do in Corsica.

1. Follow the GR20 hiking trail across Corsica

This famously challenging 200km-long, two-week hiking route, following mountain ridges from Calenzana in the north to Conca in the south, is what most people in France think of when they imagine Corsica (along with the beaches, naturally). One of the top hikes in the world, the GR20 will take an experienced hiker 16 days to complete, with every night spent in a refuge.

Of course, you don’t need to hike the whole length of the trail. You can follow a small segment in a day and get a taxi to drop you off and pick you up at the far end. Or you can begin (or end) your hike at Vizzavona, easily reached by train from Ajaccio, Corsica's largest city. The northern section is the hardest, as the path can be steep and rocky; in the south, the path is smoother and a bit flatter.

Whichever section you try, the GR20 is regarded as one of Europe's toughest walks, so carry plenty of water and be wary of the sun and dwindling water supplies during the hot summer. Check out the route online before planning a trek, as it is an ambitious undertaking, even for fit, experienced walkers. 

Planning tip: It's unwise to attempt the GR20 hike unless you are well prepared, and it should not be attempted by any child under 12. The trail should only be walked between June and the end of August – come any earlier in the year, and you may find sections blocked by snow, and the refuges, although open, will have no guardians. Later on, the streams you can drink from might be dry. 

2. Explore the ancient churches of Cargèse

The village of Cargèse, south of Porto, is home to one of Corsica’s most beautiful churches, which also happens to be the only Greek Orthodox church on the island. The Église St-Spyridon was built by the descendants of 600 Greek refugees who fled the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century and settled in this coastal village.

In accordance with Byzantine traditions, the altar is hidden from the nave by a wooden iconostasis, decorated with striking icons of saints and angels on a gold background (some were brought by the first Greek inhabitants and date back to the 13th century). The church walls are covered with frescoes, and the dark blue ceiling is dotted with gold stars – all illuminated by multilayered brass chandeliers.

Across a small gully from the Église St-Spyridon is the pale yellow facade of a neo-baroque Roman Catholic church, built in the 1800s in the style favored by the island's dominant Catholic community. It's worth popping in to view the richly decorated (and recently restored) interior.

Local tip: From the shaded square in front of the Catholic church, there are lovely views of the sea. Take the path that leads down to the port and enjoy lunch at one of the restaurants there – they're crowded with locals even during the low season.

​3. Take a scenic drive from Francardo to Porto

The narrow road from Francardo to Porto – the D84 – is only 78.6km long, but driving it nonstop takes two hours. "Twisty" doesn’t even begin to describe the route, and you'll feel compelled to make multiple stops, to admire the landscape of giant granite fingers, deep gorges, alpine meadows and lakes.

On the way, you'll compete for road space with Corsica’s wild black pigs, wandering cows and farmers' vehicles, particularly in the summer months, offering a window onto rural Corsican life. 

The road climbs up past the village of Calacuccia and its eponymous lake to the Col de Vergio (Vergio Pass) at 1467m, where you’ll see an abandoned ski lift – all that remains of the island’s biggest ski resort, which closed in 2007. 

Detour: As you head toward the sea through the pine-scented Forêt d’Aïtone, stop before you reach the village of Évisa and walk about 600m to some small waterfalls and natural pools that are safe to swim in.

​​4. Get to know Napoléon in Ajaccio

You cannot escape the pervasive influence of Napoléon Bonaparte in the city where he was born. Ajaccio is the capital of Corsica because he decided it should be, replacing Bastia in 1811. The great French emperor appears everywhere, in street names and museums and watching mournfully over the pétanque players from atop his pedestal in the Place d’Austerlitz.

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The Palais Fesch – so named because it exhibits the art collection of Cardinal Joseph Fesch, Napoléon's maternal uncle – is the island’s major art museum. Fesch began his collection while accompanying his nephew on his two-week Italian campaign in 1796. Napoléon’s parents, Charles and Letizia Bonaparte, are buried in the imperial chapel in the right-hand wing of the palace.

By the time the cardinal died in 1839, he had accumulated more than 16,000 works of art. They’re not all on display, but the permanent exhibition has some exceptional works by Renaissance artists such as Bellini, Botticelli, Titian and Veronese, as well as 17th-century artists Poussin and Van Dyck. 

A five-minute walk from the art museum will take you to Maison Bonaparte, where Napoléon was born on August 15, 1769. The future emperor resided here until he was 9 years old, but the house has undergone many changes since then, and it only became a museum in 1967. Written explanations at the Mansion Bonaparte are in French – if you don't read French, you can use the English-language audio guide.

Planning tip: Ajaccio is easy to reach from mainland France by plane; ferries also run here from Sardinia and Nice and other French cities.

​5. Soak in views over Corsica from the train

If the thought of driving along Corsica’s vertiginous roads or hiking the GR20 doesn’t appeal, then the train is the obvious solution. While routes are limited, the island's small railway network heads north from Ajaccio to the central Corsican town of Ponte Leccia (2 hours 40 minutes), where branch lines turn west to Calvi (1 hour 50 minutes) or east to Bastia (1 hour 45 minutes).

It's well worth taking a ride. The tracks arc through the mountains, giving you wonderful views of stone villages seemingly growing out of the granite, fields dotted with the sheep and goats whose milk is turned into pungent Corsican cheeses, and Corsica’s highest peak, 2706m Monte Cinto. The track sometimes turns back on itself, so you can look down on the rivers and gorges and see the railway line below.

Some of the stops are optional, so if you want to get off the train at any of these, push the button next to the train door. If you’re waiting on the platform at an optional station and want to get on the train, just wave at the train driver.

Planning tip: For 50 euros (€), you can buy a Pass Libertà, which allows you to travel on the trains wherever and whenever you want for 7 consecutive days. Note that services are less frequent outside of the summer tourist season. More information on timetables and fares can be found on the official website (in French and Corsican).

6. Explore Bastia’s historic heart

Corsica’s economic capital, Bastia tends to get overlooked by tourists. And that’s a shame because this agreeable city is designed with its 49,000 inhabitants in mind, and it has plenty to keep visitors entertained for at least a day. Bastia is also easy to reach by air, or by ferry from Marseille, Nice and other cities on the French mainland, or from Genoa and Livorno in Italy. 

Terra Vecchia, the historic heart of the city, brackets the old port. Its landmark building is the Église St-Jean Baptiste, built in the 1600s, although the facade and identical bell towers were added in the 1860s. Don’t hesitate to turn into narrow side streets as you explore – you may wonder how some of the crumbling gray and beige buildings that crowd in on one another are still standing.

Look for the small niches that hold painted statues of saints and question the safety of the tangle of electrical wires overhead as you make your way past the vast church to the southern side of town. For epic views over Bastia, head up the imperial staircase known as Falata à a Gabella to Bastia's crowning citadel (there’s also an elevator about 150m beyond the staircase).

Planning tip: The market the locals call u mercà is just north of the old port on Place de l’Hôtel de Ville; it's open from 8am to 1pm every day except Monday. The marketplace gets particularly animated at weekends, with many residents meeting at cafes for a chat and a drink after shopping.

7. Discover centuries of island history in Terra Nova

​The upper part of Bastia, known as Terra Nova, is dominated by straight streets and well-kept colored facades, clustered around the Genoese citadel, or bastiglia, which gave the town its name. The former Governors’ Palace, built in 1530, hosts the Musée de Bastia, covering seven centuries of the city and the island’s history.

There’s enough here to keep you busy for several hours. On a clear day in the terraced gardens, you can see the old port and the city spread out below you like a map, with distant views to the Italian island of Elba, 57km away, where Napoléon spent his first period of exile from 1814 to 1815.

Planning tip: If you’re in Bastia on the second or third Saturday of July, don’t miss the Notte di a Memoria (Night of Memory), a reconstruction of a historical Genoese ceremony signaling a change of governor. It involves a lot of drums and flag throwing, and some 200 city residents in period costume parade from the citadel down to the old port – you can stand anywhere along the route and watch the spectacle.

8. Admire the rocky Calanques de Piana

The red-pink calanques (narrow, steep-sided granite valleys or inlets) on the west coast of Corsica between Calvi and Ajaccio are unmissable. The best approach is from the village of Piana; as you drive carefully north along the narrow road curling around rocks and scrubby bushes, the outcrops start getting bigger, eroded into fantastic shapes that every visitor interprets in their own way.

Where some see a lion, others will see a human figure, while others may imagine a strange gargoyle. From this elevated position, you’ll also get tantalizing glimpses of the sea far below. In the summer, the road gets quite busy, so park safely if you stop to admire the view.

Detour: There are a few spots to park along the route, notably at La Tête du Chien (The Dog’s Head), where an easy 1.2km path leads to a rocky platform that provides expansive views of the calanques and the Golfe de Porto. There are four other hiking paths through the Calanques – ask the Piana tourist office for a map.

9. Follow the steps to the black sand beach in Nonza 

About a third of the way up the western coast of Cap Corse in the north of Corsica lies the village of Nonza, planted on the northern edge of a sheer cliff. There are dramatic views over a 150m drop to the black beach below, one of the few in Corsica that stays uncrowded in the summer – probably because there are more than 500 steps to reach it!

A few hardy souls make the descent and create patterns with light gray pebbles on the black sand, which you can admire from the top. In Nonza itself, there’s a delightful little village square, where you can sit under the shade of plane trees and unwind to the tinkling sound of a fountain with a cool drink in hand, as you nibble some delicious Corsican charcuterie.

Planning tip: If you visit Nonza in the summer, it'll be almost impossible to park in the middle of the village – leave your car on the outskirts and walk in.

10. Marvel at the beauty of clifftop Bonifacio

The oldest town in Corsica (founded in about 830 CE), Bonifacio is also the most spectacular. Perched atop layered white limestone and sandstone cliffs towering 100m above the sea, it offers phenomenal views across to Sardinia, only 13km south.

For first-time visitors, the element of surprise is huge. When you arrive by road, all you can see of Bonifacio are the enormous ramparts and fortifications on the hill. To observe the imposing cliffs and the tall houses tethered at the very edge of the drop-off, you'll need to head out to sea; boat tours depart regularly from the port at the end of the inlet.

When you return from your maritime expedition, wind past the restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops that line the port and go up the Rastello ramp ending at the foot of the citadel. Here you'll find a roofless white chapel; its single bell cut out against the blue of the Mediterranean Sea, with Sardinia glistening on the horizon. If you don’t feel like walking from the port to the old town, you can join the families (it's free for kids under five) on the little tourist train.

The mostly pedestrianized old town is a tight labyrinth of paved streets lined with ancient buildings. Note the aqueducts connecting the houses overhead, and look out for the stone plaque at 7 rue des Deux Empereurs commemorating the fact that Napoléon Bonaparte (who else?) lived here from January 22 to March 3, 1793. 

Planning tip: In summer, Bonifacio gets extremely crowded – arrive before 10am, or you won’t be able to park. Parking at the port is expensive; there are cheaper parking lots at Monte Leone and Valli on the outskirts. If you have a camper van, you can only park at Monte Leone or Valli, and the latter is only open in summer. A free shuttle operates between the port and the Monte Leone parking area. 

11. Trace the footsteps of Corsica's customs officers around Cap Corse

If you’d like to hike but find the GR20 too intimidating, try the 25km Sentiers des Douaniers (Customs Officers’ Path). This scenic trail runs around the very tip of Corsica’s Cap Corse from Macinaggio on the east coast to Centuri on the west, following pathways established by the island's customs officers in past centuries. 

During this daylong hike (or you can break it up and do it over two days), you’ll go from sandy beaches and dunes on the east coast to wilder, rockier landscapes on the western shore. Along the way, you’ll see evidence of ancient human habitation: old limestone ovens, windmills and the ruins of 16th-century Genoese towers.

The section between Macinaggio and Barcaggio tends to be more crowded than the section between Barcaggio and Centuri. From Macinaggio, you’ll go across Plage de Tamarone and have a view of the dust-speck islands of Finocchiarola and a ruined Genoese tower. A bit further along, you’ll see the picturesque ruin of a tower right on the beach, sometimes surrounded by the sea.

When you reach Barcaggio, climb the dunes for a fabulous view – on a clear day, you can see the coastline of Italy. Come back down for a swim off the lovely beach, possibly sharing the sand with wandering cows. Offshore, the fully automated lighthouse on the island of Giraglia is one of the most powerful in the Mediterranean.

You can either return to Macinaggio by boat or stay overnight in Barcaggio and carry on the next day to Centuri. This section is wilder and windier, since it traverses the very northernmost tip of Corsica, and some parts are quite steep and rocky. Keep your eyes open for sightings of a wide variety of sea birds, and dolphins swimming nearby.

The Barcaggio–Centuri stage of the hike passes through maquis shrubland, and it can be a bit scratchy on your legs – it's best to wear trousers rather than shorts. The hike from Macinaggio to Barcaggio is shorter and easier, and many casual hikers find it more pleasant than the section to Centuri, which is more suited to serious hikers.

Planning tip: This is not a particularly difficult hike, and it’s well signposted, but you do need a decent level of fitness, and there isn't much shade. Don’t attempt the Sentiers des Douaniers walk in the height of summer or on very windy days, when there's a greater risk of forest fires. Spring is the optimum time to hike because the maquis is in full flower and its colors and very particular perfume are at their best. Napoléon Bonaparte used to say that he could recognize Corsica just by its smell.