5 excursions around Bastia
Cap Corse, balcony villages, lagoon cordon, archaeological site, wine route or route des sens authentiques... The surroundings of Bastia are dotted with small treasures, which you will love to discover on excursions. There are various tours, guided or free, to allow you to explore the surroundings. Here is our selection "coup de coeur", to discover during your holidays.
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Discover Cap Corse
This condensed version of Corsica on the rocky ridge alone contains the most beautiful wild treasures of the island. You will inevitably fall in love with its Genoese towers, its sublime American houses, its surprising small islands that appear offshore, its secret coves and its maritime tradition… Cap Corse is an “Island in the Island” that will not fail to seduce you! The Bastia Tourist Office offers you a guided tour by minibus around the peninsula, discovering remarkable sites such as Centuri, Canari, Nonza….
South of Bastia: Furiani, Armand Cesari Stadium and Pietra Brewery
Only 10 minutes south of Bastia, the town of Furiani offers a very beautiful circuit between nature and heritage. Its perched village will please you by taking you back to the Corsican of yesteryear with its fountains, washhouses and Genoese tower supporting a magnificent bell tower. From the village, a simple stroll through the scrubland leads you to the Santa Maria Chapel, so peaceful with its pretty view over the lagoon cordon of the Marana. As you descend towards the plain, on the lagoon cordon, you will enjoy the walking paths in the middle of the dunes, the smell of maritime pines in summer and mimosa in winter. The Armand Cesari stadium and the famous Brasserie Pietra (guided tours in July and August) are just some of the stops you can add to your roadmap!
Furiani, Ville di Pietrabugno, San Martino di Lota, Santa Maria di Lota
Have you seen on the heights of Bastia, these villages perched on the hillside? Between the sea and the mountains, they are called “balcony villages“. With all their charm of yesteryear, they make it possible to make beautiful escapades a few minutes from Bastia. Cardu, Ville di Pietrabugno, San Martino di Lota, Santa Maria di Lota or Furiani, all of them have preserved their traditional habitat, amidst the maquis, olive and chestnut trees. These villages offer us a real break from time. From Bastia, a half-day circuit “Between Sea and Mountain” allows you to discover these sumptuous villages at your own pace. Ovens, washhouses, fountains and presses of yesteryear, Corsican authenticity takes on its full meaning here!
Bird watching at the Biguglia Pond Nature Reserve
The Biguglia Pond is the green lung of the Bastiaise region! With its 1790 hectares, it is one of the most famous bodies of water in Corsica and even the largest on the island. Since 1995, this site has been a protected Natural Reserve that offers us the chance to observe more than 250 bird species and discover nearly 350 plant species. Do not hesitate to take a walk along the banks of the pond: it will take you to a shelter equipped to observe birds, especially flamingos, in complete discretion! The Nature Reserve is precisely an essential place in spring for photography lovers, because it is the ideal time to follow the migration of oriental species that are not very common in France. Don’t miss the Fortin Eco-Museum, on the pond peninsula behind Fornacina’s fitness trail. Set in a solid building with a rich historical past, it allows visitors to discover the fauna and flora of the pond through a scenography where the history of the site, the phenomenon of migration, fishing activities and knowledge of wetland environments are discussed.
The Wine Routes
Who says Patrimonio, necessarily means “Wine Route”! If you are passionate about oenology, this tour is entirely dedicated to meeting the small and large Corsican vineyards and is made for you. From Luri to Macinaggio, discover the wines of Cap Corse over 53 kilometres and continue your journey through the Corsican grape varieties towards the Patrimonio vineyard. On nearly 500 hectares at the foot of Cap Corse, you will enjoy meeting these winegrowers who are passionate about their land and their vines. The three main grape varieties that produce these sun wines, Niellucciu, Sciaccarellu and Vermentinu, will delight your taste buds during your tastings at the estates.
The Route of Authentic Senses
From the tip of Cap Corse to the Desert des Agriates, another circuit will delight the most discerning gourmets: the Route des Sens Authentiques. Following this itinerary, you will have the opportunity to meet 68 producers and craftsmen with unique skills, all in love with their land. During your holidays in Bastia, do not hesitate to push the door of their farms or workshops to discover their production! Thanks to them, traditional know-how continues and takes on “all its senses”… We are of course talking about these passionate breeders, beekeepers, cheese makers, market gardeners or winegrowers, whose products enhance our culinary specialities. Beyond their exceptional products, it is a moment bathed in conviviality and delicacy that they will be delighted to share with you!
Sea walks
Along the Bastia coast, there is no shortage of sea excursions to enjoy the shores of Cap Corse under a completely different perspective. What a pleasure to discover in semi-rigid the small hidden coves of Cap Corse or to let yourself be carried by boat at the rhythm of cruising along the coasts! Various shipping companies offer this type of trip: from the Old Port of Bastia with Cap Corse Croisières, from Erbalunga with the Torra a Torra company and from Macinaggio with the San Paulu Company. A great opportunity to discover the Cap Corse Marine Natural Park and admire the Genoese towers on the sea side, which punctuate the coast as far as the Finocchiarola Islands.
