The Andiamo Kiddo family just wrapped up six wonderful days in Corsica and LOVVVED it. Here are our best tips for unlocking this amazing island:
1. Pack a swimsuit, hiking boots and water shoes -- Corsica is thick with amazing trails and great beaches. There are several hike-able rivers and gorges where you can combine swimming and hiking fun.
2. Choose your home base wisely -- We stayed in three different spots and circumnavigated the island. It was nice to see the entire island, but I would recommend not doing a full circle route because it eats up too much time driving.
3. You'll need a car -- Amazing little beaches and trails and villages are strewn about Corsica. A car is a must to see the best parts.
4. Calvi is cool while Bonifacio is tres chic -- We explored ten different towns and villages large and small. Calvi and Bonifacio were far and away our favorite spots. Unfortunately, they are on opposite sides of the island from one another which means about a four hour drive from one to the other.
5. Dust off your high school French notes -- This is France, mais oui, and a little French goes a long way. Italian is spoken widely, but English is not. Like in many European countries, you can get by without speaking the local language, but a few key phrases and Google Translate will be helpful and appreciated.
6. Fly Air Corsica -- With tons of easy (and cheap) connections from several European hubs, Air Corsica is a little gem of an airline. We snagged round trip flights from London Stansted for just $119 round trip.
7. You can skip Ajaccio -- Ajaccio is the island's only big city and feels a bit gritty and crowded compared to the rest of picturesque Corsica. It's fine, but the rest of the island is spectacular.
8. Plan for picnics -- Corsican wine is pretty amazing and the local charcuterie (made from wild boars that roam the island feasting on chestnuts) is phenomenal. Marry those two with a baguette and hunk of local goat cheese for an easy-peasy delicious lunch.
9. Plan your itinerary carefully -- If you're working with a limited amount of time on the island, . There are four main Corsican airports -- two north (Calvi and Bastia) and two south/southwest (Ajaccio and Figari). If you plan on trying to visit locales north and south, it might be more efficient to fly in and out of different airports to minimize your time in the car.
10. Take a boat ride -- Most every town on the coast has ferry boat services that will take you to tiny islands and boat-only accessible beaches nearby. A twenty minute boat ride can make you feel like you have been transported to a wild landscape.
11. Prepare for potential carsickness -- Roads on Corsica are full of switchbacks that cut up and down and through the rugged terrain. This can be difficult for passengers, especially those that might suffer from motion sickness. Reading or watching screens can exacerbate these symptoms, so keep that in mind when trekking to and fro.
Comentarios