Corsica
Top Tips
The north coast
From Calvi, the St Tropez of Corsica, to St Florent, a bustling
summer outpost. There’s the Cap de Corse, too, a small
peninsular studded with beaches and tiny villages. For great views
over Calvi stay at The Manor
The west
Ajaccio, the island’s capital, is a glitzy town with smart
shops, café terraces and the some of best food on the
island. Corsica’s most famous son, Napoleon Bonaparte, was
born here; you can visit his house
The mountains
From north to south, east to west, mountains rise and dominate the
landscape with stunning scenery. There is nothing better than
pottering through a chestnut forest and coming across a flock of
wild goats. Mountain lakes keep you cool in summer, you’ll
pass through tiny villages lost to the world, see
extraordinary-shaped peaks sculpted by the high winds, and you can
even ski up here in winter.
U Palazzu Serenu is a beautiful hotel in the
hillside village of Oletta; the blisfully remote Hotel
Artemisia is higher up, with stunning views, and back towards
the coast, La Dimora is a very special place
The south
Bonifacio, balancing impossibly on the edge of high cliffs -
there’s a golf course here, where you can hit little white
balls into the sea, a sacrifice to Neptune. Then, there’s
Palombaggia, a byword for all things chic on the island. Its 6km
beach is a playground for beautiful people over summer and the
lovely Hotel Les Bergeries sits just above
it
The east
Don't miss Bastia, the second city of the island and overlooked by
tourists, which makes it a great spot to visit - no crowds and good
prices. Check out the old town, the citadel, the cafés with
views over the harbour and the excellent ethnological museum
Restaurants
Ajaccio
A Nepita serves great Corsican food, cooked by an English
chef; Altru Versu offers the freshest seafood in town, or
head to Le Temps des Oliviers for delicious pizzas. Le
Grand Café Napoleon is worth a visit, too, for its
period interiors and old-school food.
Calvi
The harbour is a popular spot for evening drinks with a string of
bars to quench your thirst, and there’s good food down here,
too - excellent pizzas at Cappuccinos or a Michelin star at
Emile’s. Le Jardin de Magnolia is hugely
popular for its pretty courtyard as well as its food - fresh
lobster, tasty mussels, succulent lamb, perhaps even goat. We loved
A Piazzette on Place Marchal, which has very well priced
Corsican food. After dinner, climb up to the citadel and check out
the legendary Chez Tao, a great spot for live music with a
DJ spinning tunes all night.
St Florent
You’ll find great meat dishes at 137, a popular
brasserie on the harbour. If you fancy the freshest fish or
seafood, head to L’Auberge du Pecheur; at the front
it’s a fishmonger, at the back it’s a fabulous
restaurant. You’ll also get great fish at La Crique,
which overlooks the water, but it’s madly popular in high
season and you’ll need to book well in advance.
Oletta and surrounds
Auberge A Magina is one of the best restaurants in northern
Corsica, set in Oletta, a very pretty village with big views down
to the coast. Don’t be put off by its slightly uninspiring
exterior; food is excellent. La Ferme de Campo di Monte in
Murato is like dropping in to a very smart farm and eating in the
family’s stylish dining room, and the food is exceptional. If
you can’t get a table here, try Chez Victor, which is
is small and sweet, serves excellent Corsican food and has great
views from its terrace. For good Italian food, try Il
Pulcinella - the locals all eat here. It’s a very simple
place, but the food is good and the chef comes out to chat with
you. You’ll get pizzas, excellent meat and lots of pasta.
Down the hill, head to La Roya if you fancy a Michelin
star.
Palombaggia and Porto Vecchio
If you want to splash out, head to Casa del Mar, where 2
Michelin stars await; book very early in high season. At the other
end of the scale, Costa Marine serves simply cooked seafood
and meat - plus it has a lovely setting with big views. If you want
to eat on the beach itself, head to Le Tamaricceu, a very
popular spot. In Porto Vecchio, Sous La Tonnelle offers
great Corsican food at decent prices. There’s also serious
food at the Belvedere, either a Michelin star, or a brasserie for
half the cost where you’ll find fresh fish and island
meat.
Aups and surrounds
La Caillon offers French food with a Moroccan twist; the
service is friendly, the food well priced. Le
Provençal serves earthy Provençal fare at
excellent prices. For an authentic Provençal brasserie, spin
north 10km to Le Chardon at Baudinard-sur-Verdon; good
rustic fare.