Tour of Corsica by car: a recommended travel itinerary

Start your journey from Bastia. Visit the Cathedrale Sainte-Marie and the Eglise Sainte-Croix, famous for housing the Black Christ. Stroll along Place Saint Nicolas, the beating heart of the city. After exploring Bastia, head towards the Cap Corse Peninsula. Take the D80 road and stop at Erbalunga, a picturesque fishing village with a Genoese tower dominating the landscape. Continue along the D80 to Centuri, known for the Moulin Mattei. Continue along the D80 to Nonza. Here, you can visit the old tower and admire the black beach below. Continue along the D81 to Saint-Florent, often compared to Saint-Tropez for its elegant marina and picturesque alleyways. Continue along the west coast via the D81 to Calvi, a town famous for its imposing Genoese citadel and its long white sandy beach.

From Balagna to the Scandola Nature Reserve

Head inland along the D71 to visit Speloncato, a village at an altitude of about 500 metres. It is famous for its narrow streets and stone houses. From here, continue towards Sant’Antonino and take the D151 at Cateri, one of the most beautiful villages in France, perched on a rocky spur dominating the valley below. Going back down towards the coast, take the D81 and stop at Girolata. Continue towards Les Calanche de Piana, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Continue on to the Scandola Nature Reserve, a protected area accessible only by boat. Here you can explore the beach of Ficajola and the small fishing village.

From Ajaccio to Bastia

Return to the D81 to reach Cargese and continue towards Ajaccio, the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. Start your visit from the old port. Continue your tour as far as the Isolella peninsula. From Ajaccio, first take the D155 and then the 157 to reach Propiano. From here, continue towards Sartene and spend some time visiting the archaeological sites of Cauria and Paddaghiu. Stay on the T40 to reach Bonifacio, with its spectacular ‘mouths’. From Bonifacio, drive up the east coast via the RT10 stopping at the beaches of Rondinara, Santa Giulia, Palombaggia and Punta Chiappa. Continue to Porto Vecchio and then to Ghisonaccia. After visiting the Gorges of Asco, return to Bastia by taking the T20 and then the T11 from Paterno.

Photo Credits

ThierryB., Flickr

Espen Faugstad, Flickr

Dronepicr, Wikimedia