Corsica July 2015
However, on this occasion he came up trumps and decided our next European holiday would be to Corsica. Not somewhere that was on my bucket list but I was pleasantly surprised.
We booked direct flights between Manchester and Bastia with Easyjet and sourced our own villa.
On arrival in Corsica, artist Henry Matisse once remarked that he was amazed at the clarity of the Mediterranean light, he later declared that this was where his passion for colour began.
We arrived early and as we were staying in the South of the Island, we decide to spend the day pursuing the delights of the North.
First stop, the old town of Bastia with its crumbling buildings, narrow and ancient architecture. It has a very charming appeal. The old harbour has an array of bars, restaurants and appealing architecture if you love crumbling, rustic old buildings like I do!
We then drove to St Florent, a beautiful town, situated within a dramatic mountainous backdrop. The town is peppered with beautiful bars, restaurants and boutiques with some very expensive yachts in the harbour. The St Tropez of Corsica. We had a lovely day here and would love to have spent more time exploring the area including a visit to the nearby vineyards of Nebbiu and Patrimonio.
We then drove South for a couple of hours and headed to Porto Vecchio, our stay for the next seven nights. The area being known for its beautiful beaches.
Our villa was right across from Palombaggia Beach (voted in the top ten of Europe) and not far from Santa Giulia. Both very beautiful but extremely busy, understandably so at it was high season. I also recommend an early morning visit before the day trippers arrive to take in the serenity of the surrounding beauty and to take a swim in the crystal clear mesmerizing sea.
The older part of Porto Vecchio has some beautiful buildings and is very attractive and has a cluster of restaurants along the front and in the old town. Also, conveniently situated near the Alta Rocca mountain region where you'll find some traditional Corsican hidden villages.
Our holiday wouldn’t have been complete without a trip to medieval Bonifacio steeped in history and perched on the steep limestone cliffs. A stunning location and well worth a visit for some breath-taking walks and views. It also has a lovely port and it is a bit of a walk up to the town so try not to do in the midday heat. Although, there is a tourist train that can take some of the pain away.
You can also take a day trip to Sardinia but unfortunately, we ran out of time; too busy relaxing on the beautiful beaches.
Corsica is a great place to visit in all seasons as the Island is so diverse. Similar to Provence but with an encircling coastline! An island rich in culture, saturated in ancient history, Michelin star restaurants, beautiful beaches, stunning scenery and watersports! What more can you want in a European holiday.
With direct flights from Manchester with Easyjet and an abundance of beautiful properties to stay, it is worth discovering if you want something a little bit different. I predict another trip back to discover the West Coast!