Day trips

Cap Corse

Cap Corse begins just north of Bastia. Erbalunga, with its Genoese tower, is on the east coast and just under 20 minutes away on bus line C. At the tip of the cape lie Macinaggio and Centuri, linked by the 19 km Sentier des Douaniers. Nonza, on the west coast, sits on a rock high above a grey beach.

To see the whole cape, people usually drive. For the villages, paths and how to get there, see Cap Corse.

Before you reach the cape, the balcony villages of Ville di Pietrabugno, San Martino di Lota and Santa Maria di Lota cling to the hillside above Bastia. For what to see in town itself, see Things to do.

Saint-Florent and the Agriates

West of Bastia, on the far side of Cap Corse, Saint-Florent lies on the gulf of the same name. The town has a citadel dating back to the 15th century and, in Sainte-Marie, the former cathedral of the Nebbio.

In season, boats run from its harbour to the beaches of Lotu and Saleccia in the Agriates in about 20 minutes. On foot, it takes just under five hours to Lotu. Without a car, there is the regional bus, which runs twice a day from Monday to Friday and must be reserved in advance. More on the Saint-Florent and the Agriates page.

Beaches along the coast

For bathing spots in and around Bastia, see Beaches. Further afield there are more: the beach at Erbalunga on Cap Corse, the sandy beach at Barcaggio at the tip of the cape, the grey beach below Nonza and, in the Agriates, Lotu and the beach at Saleccia, more than 1 km long.

The beach at Erbalunga has no lifeguards and no showers or toilets. Saleccia and Lotu can only be reached on foot, by boat or along dirt tracks, and drinking water is only available at Saleccia. For the dates of the bathing season in Bastia, see Weather.

The Étang de Biguglia

South of Bastia lies the Étang de Biguglia, a lagoon protected as a nature reserve since 1994. The reserve covers 1,790 ha, of which 1,450 ha is water.

On a peninsula by the shore stands the Fortin, home to the Écomusée. It is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:00. Next to it are a 1.5 km nature trail and a bird-watching hide. From June to September there are guided group tours by reservation.

On the way there you pass Furiani, about ten minutes south of town, with a Genoese tower and the Chapelle Santa Maria.

Patrimonio

On the road to Saint-Florent lies Patrimonio, the village that gives its name to the wine region at the foot of Cap Corse. In 1968 Patrimonio became the first area in Corsica to be awarded AOC protected designation of origin status. Only still wines are made here: white, red and rosé.

In the village stand the church of Saint-Martin, which you can already see from the Col de Teghime, and the statue menhir U Nativu. The seven communes that make up the wine region are listed under Saint-Florent and the Agriates.

Mariana and the Canonica

In the commune of Lucciana, south of Bastia, lie the remains of Mariana. Marius founded the Roman colony at the beginning of the 1st century BC, and from the 4th century a baptistery and a basilica were built. The town wall has been classified as a Monument historique since 1969, and the Gallo-Roman site since 1991.

Nearby stands the Canonica, a medieval church with a nave and two aisles that was once the seat of a bishop. It has been classified since 1886.

By train to Corte

Trains on the Chemins de fer de la Corse leave from Bastia railway station. The network is 232 km long and has two lines: the main line from Bastia via Corte to Ajaccio, and a line into the Balagne. Tickets are sold at 16 stations.

At just under two hours each way, Corte in the interior of the island makes a good day trip. For the station and other ways of getting around, see Getting there.