Corsica Key Attractions

With its long stretch of history and combination of tall mountains and long coastline, Corsica holds much for visitors to appreciate. Any itinerary will offer breathtaking views as well as natural and cultural artefacts. Below is a list of some of the must-see attractions of Corsica.

Citadel of Bonifacio

Overlooking the Mediterranean from 70 metres high atop a rock promontory, the citadel of Bonifacio offers sweeping views of the sea. Below this fortress town, white limestone cliffs plunge down into the sea. On clear days, the south side gives a view of Sardinia, 12kms away.

Filitosa

This landmark area is home to some of the earliest evidence of man in Europe and a stroll in its grounds will put you back in time. The statues standing here date back as far as 6600 BC, the early neolithic era, but the prehistoric site also holds impressive granite statues of armed men from the megalithic era as well as torri, circular structures erected by the seafarers who invaded Corsica around 110 BC.

Les Calanques de Piana

One of the most spectacular natural landscapes in Corsica, here cliffs of red granite, worn over the years by wind and water, have been carved into bizarre and spiky shapes. With the deep blue sea below, these natural, multi-coloured minarets stand 300 metres tall.

Parc Naturel

Spanning 3,300 square kilometres, Parc Naturel Régional de Corse, situated in the heart of the island, near Corse city, holds hundreds of walking and hiking trails. The park is home to the main mountain peaks in Corsica, reaching up to 2,710 metres high. In some places, the mountains overlook glacial lakes including Mount Retondo. GR20 is the most famous trail, a beautiful 210km long path that can take up to two weeks to walk from end to end. Of course, shorter trails weave all across the park and refuges are well-placed for the weary.

Corsican railway

Called Trinighellu, or ‘the little train’, the Corsican railway offers unique views of the island as it strays from the nearby road and rumbles and winds its way through the mountains. Forests of chestnut and larico coast by and stations are located near well-marked trails for walking and hiking. In addition to the stunning vistas of Corsica’s interior and northern coast, the rail system passes through, over and under 12 bridges, 34 viaducts and 38 tunnels. The train from Corse also passes the huge Vecchio viaduct, which was engineered by Gustave Eiffel, who is famed for his eponymous tower.

Museums

Many of the museums in Corsica are located in the capital, Ajaccio. Must-see museums include the Museum Fesch and the National Museum of the Bonaparte House. After the death of Cardinal Fesch in Rome in 1839, more than 1,000 artworks from his house in Ajaccio were donated to the museum’s permanent collection, which holds many works from the Neopolitan and Roman Baroque eras as well as early Italian and Napoleonic art. At the Bonaparte House, visitors can tour the childhood home of the ruler, learning of the family and how they lived. Travellers who set out to Filitosa should take in the museum here, which trace and elaborate on the mysterious statues that populate the site.