Where to stay in Bastia

In Bastia and the neighbouring villages you will find hotels, including charming and boutique hotels, as well as holiday apartments and chambres d'hôtes, three campsites and a monastery that takes in guests. Most of the hotels are in the town itself, with others on the coast towards Cap Corse and a few to the south towards the airport.

The centre between Place Saint-Nicolas, the Vieux Port and Place du Marché

Place Saint-Nicolas, with its plane trees and café terraces, is the starting point for walks around town, and the Office de Tourisme is here too. Rue Napoléon is entirely pedestrianised, with craft and design shops and restaurants. From Place du Marché you come straight to the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, and the Vieux Port with its fishing boats and terraces stretches between Place du Marché and the citadel.

This area suits you if you want to explore Bastia on foot and go out for dinner without a car. Distances are short: from Place Saint-Nicolas it is about 400 m as the crow flies to Place du Marché and about 650 m to the Vieux Port.

If you are arriving by car, it is best to check when booking whether the accommodation has its own parking and where you can park nearby.

By the citadel in Terra Nova

The citadel is the walled Terra Nova quarter above the Vieux Port. Its lanes are car-free, lined with colourful houses and restaurants. In the Governors’ Palace, the Musée de Bastia tells the story of the town, and from the Mantinum above the harbour you look out over Bastia.

This area suits you if you want to stay right in the old town, with the Vieux Port and its terraces just below.

The thing to bear in mind is arriving by car: you cannot drive up to the door in the car-free citadel. Ask when booking where you can park and how to get your luggage to the accommodation.

Near the ferry port and the station

The ferry port is in the town centre on the Quai Nouveau, between Place Saint-Nicolas and the Port de Toga. The railway station is about 300 m north-west of Place Saint-Nicolas as the crow flies. Opposite it, outside the Préfecture, is the airport bus stop.

This area suits you for a night before or after the crossing, or before a train journey to Ajaccio or Calvi. If you reach town late on the airport bus, you don’t have far to go from here either.

The thing to bear in mind is timing: with a vehicle, check-in at the port opens two hours before departure, while foot passengers check in at the Terminal Nord. If your ferry arrives late, let your accommodation know your arrival time in advance. For train connections, see Getting there.

By the Arinella town beach

Arinella, in the south of town, is Bastia’s largest beach, a sandy beach with lifeguards in summer. By car it is about 8 minutes from the Vieux Port, and there are several car parks at the beach.

This area suits you if you want to combine beach days with evenings in town.

The thing to bear in mind is getting into the centre without a car: the shuttle buses to Arinella only run in the bathing season. If you are travelling without a car outside the season, choose accommodation with a bus connection to the centre. For bathing spots and water quality, see Beaches.

On the coast towards Cap Corse

North of Bastia, small villages with their own beaches line the coast. Pietranera, in the commune of San-Martino-di-Lota, has Plage du Flenu. Further north, Miomo in the commune of Santa-Maria-di-Lota has a pebble beach with a Genoese tower, a hotel and restaurants. There is also accommodation along this coast in Ville-di-Pietrabugno and Brando, plus a campsite in Miomo and a monastery that takes in guests in Santa-Maria-di-Lota.

This area suits you if you want to stay by the sea and explore Cap Corse from here.

The thing to bear in mind is getting into town: bus line C runs all year from Bastia town hall via Pietranera and Miomo to Erbalunga and Sisco. The ride to Erbalunga takes about 18 minutes. For trips further up Cap Corse, a car is handy. For the beaches along the route, see Beaches.

Near Poretta airport

Bastia-Poretta Airport is in Lucciana, about 20 km south of town. There are a few places to stay in Lucciana and Furiani, and a campsite by the sea in Biguglia, about 9 km from the centre.

This area suits you for a late landing or an early flight, especially if you have a hire car.

The thing to bear in mind is getting into town: the airport bus runs according to flight arrivals, with no fixed timetable. If you are only staying one night, you can also stay in the centre, as the bus stops opposite the railway station. For bus, taxi and car hire, see Airport.