The west coast of Corsica is rocky and dramatic, characterized by large gulfs and several coves. Here you will find rugged coast, isolated beaches with clear waters and boat-only reachable coasts such as the Scandola Nature reserve, one of Unesco`s protected sites. The west coast is also home to Les Calanches de Piana (also known as Les Calanques) acknowledge by Unesco as well. Or the Gulf of Girolata, reached by sea or on foot, through a path starting from Col de la Croix in about an hour and a half.

Porto, is a perfect departure point either to reach the Reserve of Scandola and the Gulf of Girolata, or to discover the inland. Ajaccio and the Taravo combine the beauty of very scenic trails in the Corsican Mountains, long stretch of beautiful wild beaches, such as Capo di Feno and rich cultural scene. You will also find many beautiful countryside walks, ranging from gentle rambles to full-day hikes on this side of the island.

Ajaccio Napoléon Bonaparte airport:
Connections with Paris-Orly, Paris CDG, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Montpellier, Nantes, Quimper, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Mulhouse, Metz-Nancy, Strasbourg, Clermont-Ferrand, Lille

International connections with Barcelona, Geneva, LondonGatwick, Brussels, Luxembourg, Amsterdam, Olbia, BaselMulhouse-Freiburg

Calvi Sainte Catherine airport:
Connections with Lyons, Marseille, Nice, Paris-Orly, Paris CDG, Toulouse, Nantes, Strasbourg, Mulhouse

International connections with Vienna, Salzburg, London STN, Memmingen, Cologne

Ferries from the French or Italian coast remain the most popular access. There are four companies that operate ferries between the island of Corsica and France or Italy. Ferries to Corsica depart from French ports Marseille, Toulon and Nice, and from Italian ports in Savona, Genova, Livorno and Civitavecchia. Corsican harbors are in L`ille Rousse, Calvi, Ajaccio, Propriano, Porto Vecchio and Bastia. The shortest routes, less than four hours by a fast boat, connect Nice with Calvi and Livorno with Bastia. These two lines are also the cheapest ones.

From France, the simplest and fastest solution is the NGV (High Speed Boat, Navire à Grande Vitesse): it takes about 3 to 3 ½ hours to go from Nice to Calvi, l`Ile-Rousse, Ajaccio and Bastia, and you can enjoy the view of the Corsican seashore and arrive practically downtown.

When choosing the best route, you should consider your final destination in Corsica and which port in the continent is your closest one.

If you are going to stay in the Western coast of Corsica, ferries from Nice to Calvi, Ajaccio or Propriano seem to be the best option. If you come from Spain or Western France, departing from Marseille or Toulon will save you some drive, but the ferries are more expensive there. If you go to Bastia, Corte or Eastern coast of Corsica, Livorno is the best starting point followed by Savona and Nice.

Public transport is not good in Corsica, so getting around by car is the best option. Trains offer great views, but they are slow and limited to the three lines connecting Ajaccio with Corte, Bastia and Calvi. Relying on buses is not the best option either, because routes are scarce (most leave twice a day) and are difficult to find.

Ferries from the French or Italian coast remain the most popular access. There are four companies that operate ferries between the island of Corsica and France or Italy. Ferries to Corsica depart from French ports Marseille, Toulon and Nice, and from Italian ports in Savona, Genova, Livorno and Civitavecchia. Corsican harbors are in L`ille Rousse, Calvi, Ajaccio, Propriano, Porto Vecchio and Bastia. The shortest routes, less than four hours by a fast boat, connect Nice with Calvi and Livorno with Bastia. These two lines are also the cheapest ones.

From France, the simplest and fastest solution is the NGV (High Speed Boat, Navire à Grande Vitesse): it takes about 3 to 3 ½ hours to go from Nice to Calvi, L`ille-Rousse, Ajaccio and Bastia, and you can enjoy the view of the Corsican seashore and arrive practically downtown.

When choosing the best route, you should consider your final destination in Corsica and which port in the continent is your closest one. If you are going to stay in the Western coast of Corsica, ferries from Nice to Calvi, Ajaccio or Propriano seem to be the best option. If you come from Spain or Western France, departing from Marseille or Toulon will save you some drive time, but the ferries are more expensive there. If you go to Bastia, Corte or Eastern coast of Corsica, Livorno is the best starting point followed by Savona and Nice.

Public transport is not good in Corsica, so getting around by car is the best option. Trains offer great views, but they are slow and limited to the three lines connecting Ajaccio with Corte, Bastia and Calvi. Relying on buses is not the best option either, because routes are scarce (most leave twice a day) and are difficult to find.

There are many bus companies that operate routes between the main towns, but details of the routes and timetables are difficult to find. Tourist offices in towns should be able to give you information on local bus companies, or visit the unofficial web site: www.CorsicaBus.org that provides frequently updated bus timetables arranged by the towns of departure and arrival.

The main bus routes include:

-Bastia to Corte (1hr 30 min) and Ajaccio (3 hours)
-Bastia to L`ille Rousse (1 hr 40 min) and Calvi (2 hr 20 min)
-Calvi to Porto (2 hr 30 min)
-Ajaccio to Propriano (2 hr) and Porto Vecchio (3 hr 30 min)
-Porto Vecchio to Bastia

Corsica`s little train called Trinighellu is rather an attraction for tourists than a really convenient and fast vehicle. There are only three narrow gauge lines with a junction in Ponte Leccia. One line connects Ponte Leccia with Bastia, the second one goes south to Ajaccio via Corte and Vizzavona and the third one goes to Calvi along the western coast via L`ille-Rousse.

For the freedom to explore the island, we strongly advise you to rent a car, which is what a majority of visitors to Corsica choose to get around by. This is the best way to learn as much as possible about the area because public transportation is very poor. You can rent a car on all Corsican airports, but it makes the trip more expensive.

Main roads (there are no motorways) are generally very good. However, many country roads, especially mountain roads, are likely to be narrow and winding with very little room for maneuver. Driving in busy towns can sometimes be a little challenging but not particularly dangerous. Most visitors quickly get used to the Corsicans` liberal interpretation of the Highway Code and find the whole experience relatively stress-free.

This may be an alternative option for a planned day out to a town center or simply if you want to leave your car at your property for the day. Taxis in Corsica have a `Taxi` sign on the roof and prices are given on request.

Corsica is a very safe place and as long as you take normal precautions with your valuables you should not have any problems.

If you enjoy a challenge it is a great area to discover the mountainous landscapes by either mountain bike or road bike. For experienced cyclists this is a great terrain to cycle. Bike hires are widespread and typically are at a reasonable price.

As part of France, the currency used in Corsica is the Euro, US dollars are not accepted. Credit cards have become more widely accepted, but it is worth noting that some restaurants and hotels (mostly B&Bs) in Corsica don`t accept credit cards, this is especially true in the mountain villages. Some places refuse cards for small amounts (typically under €15). Always enquire first. Also note that ATMs are scarce in rural areas, especially in Cap Corse and L`Alta Rocca. It`s wise to stock up with euros.

Corsica has a pleasant Mediterranean climate with hot summers and moderate, dry, clear winters. Climate in the mountains is alpine rather than Mediterranean, with the mountains clearly separating the weather in two, with Northern Corsica being hotter than the South, while the East is generally wetter than the West. Corsica is known for its micro climates, each valley can be different, with the mountains often generating some stormy, unpredictable weather. Forest fires can occur in summer months. Frost rarely occurs on the coast but the mountains see significant snow in the winter, generally lasting into May on the highest slopes. The sea temperature rises from a very pleasant 66°F in June and October to 74°F in August and like most Mediterranean island the climate is also subject to the winds. Corsica also has one of the highest sunshine records in France, with around 7.5 hours a day throughout the year, making it the ideal destination for active outdoor adventures.

The sea temperatures are warmest in July and August and generally stay warm in September and October. Although the outside temperatures can be high in May and June, the sea is usually cooler and generally takes until July to really warm up.

The official language in Corsica is French, but a large number of Corsicans speak Corsican - Corsu. It has no current legal status and French Government has yet to ratify the European minority language charter.

Quite a few of the locals will speak a little English, especially in shops and restaurants in the larger towns and menus are often translated into English. Most hotels will have an English speaking member of staff although, generally, in the more remote villages few people will speak English. We suggest you get a good English-French guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

This varies in different areas, but can be any time between 12 pm and 4 pm, when most shops will be closed but re-open between 4 pm or 5 pm and remain open until as late as 11 pm in the height of the season. However, the larger supermarkets tend to remain open all day (except Sundays).

Corsica food has French and Italian influences, but has many unique dishes. The chestnut was one of the ancient (and even current) Corsican`s traditional foods, and many meals and even desserts are prepared with this. Also, most of the domesticated pigs on the island are semi-wild, released to forage for food much of the year, and the charcuterie reflects this flavor. Typical Corsican meats include lonzu, coppa, ham, figatellu and saucisson made from pig or boar meat. Seafood is very popular in Corsica. Make sure to try the fish soup with grated cheese and rouille (a spicy mayonaaise), langouste (crayfish) and whatever is selected as the catch of the day. Canistrelli are typical Corsican pastries which come in many different flavors. Corsica also produces a uniquely flavored olive oil made from ripe fruits collected under trees. Many villages have small shops where locally produced food is sold. That said, it may be difficult to find a restaurant that prepares truly Corsican dishes, and you may find yourself eating at a tourist oriented Pizzeria, which nonetheless serves excellent food.

Corsican tipples: The island`s recently-gained reputation for fine wine stems from the vineyards of Ajaccio, Clos Canarelli, Fior di Lecci, Patrimonio, Sartène and Torraccia. While pastis remains the ubiquitous apéritif, eau de vie de myrte is a local digestif that`s macerated with sugar and myrtle berries. Pietra is the local beer.