Corsica is an unusually beautiful island, on the territory of which there are ancient towns, spectacular cliffs, the best beaches in France. The sights of this place are extremely popular: tourists from all over the world come here to enjoy the view of magnificent buildings and relax from the bustle of the city. Read about the iconic places of the island in the article.
A few facts about Corsica
The island is located in the middle of the sea, towering above the water with a mountain of beauty. The Corsicans speak of him like this: despite the fact that Corsica was often conquered, it was never subordinated. At different times, the island was ruled by Genoa, France, Pisa. The people call the island "little Italy in France."
Before telling what sights of Corsica should be visited, it is important to give a description of the island. It has a surprisingly diverse landscape. On its territory are beautiful bays, pristine beaches, and figures of Napoleon. Tourists from all over the world come here, however the island always remains relatively free from travelers.
Why is Corsica attractive for tourists? Firstly, the sea, beaches, the opportunity to go diving or sailing. Secondly, the mountains. You can take part in a specially designed route and conquer the peaks of local rocks on foot. As a rule, most tourists come here in the summer, in August.
Corsica cities
Corsica is an island whose attractions are ubiquitous. Cities located on the territory of this natural site themselves attract tourists. What can you do in the cities of Corsica?
- In places such as Bonifacio, Bastia and Calvi, you can find the most beautiful castles and fortresses on the entire island called Corsica. Porto Vecchio, whose sights are towers and even ramparts, is also worth a visit.
- Bonifacio is a city where there is a picturesque city citadel, medieval cathedrals and even an old cemetery, which is of great value in architecture.
- Bastia combines ancient quarters and monuments of modern architecture.
- The city of Corte is the heart of the history of the island. Here is the largest number of educational institutions in which four thousand students are educated.
- In Propriano you can find many cafes and restaurants, shops. In addition, all kinds of excursions and boat trips are held there. 15 kilometers away is the city of Sarten, a very ancient settlement, in which an ancient Christian ceremony is still held annually. The Katenachchu procession of penitents walking barefoot with a wooden cross advances through the Old City.
Filitosa
In the north direction from Propriano are the famous sights of Corsica. So, one of them is an analogue of the British Stonehenge. The archaeological complex called Filitosa consists of many stone figures, whose age is about eight thousand years. There are twenty such figures, on each of them you can see the image of armor, faces or weapons. Megaliths are located on a rather large territory.
If we turn to historical data, we can find out that not far from the Filitos complex, life was conducted even in the Neolithic era and at the beginning of the Bronze Age. However, megaliths were discovered only in 1946, and eight years later, archaeological work began here. Menhirs, as magnificent as other sights of Corsica, reach a height of two to three meters, their age is a little more than 3.5 thousand years. Ceramics and several arrowheads were found next to them. Their age is about five thousand years. Filitosa has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Chapel of St. Michael
Another quite ancient attraction of Corsica is the chapel of St. Michael, built in the 11th century AD. Of course, her age cannot be compared with the age of Filitosa. However, it is worth a visit to this place, located near Erbalung.
Near the chapel is an old castle, which was destroyed by time. All that remains of it is the one and only tower. Erbalung is famous for its religious architectural monuments. So, still here is the church of St. Catherine. Since the 15th century, it remains unchanged.
Natural attractions
In Corsica, there are not only ancient monoliths and architectural monuments, but also natural attractions. Most of them are concentrated in the eastern part of the island, near small towns. The most calm and quiet places are located here. Picturesque chestnut groves, mountains and ponds are famous for Corsica. Sightseeing reviews that are only enthusiastic are worth a visit.
Valley of Calanche de Piana
This natural site is popular and of great interest. Travelers who decide to visit the valley with the poetic name of Calanche de Piana will be delighted with the local landscapes.
Granite rocks, the view of which opens from anywhere in the valley, are decorated with red peaks, some of them have an unusual shape. “It is very difficult to believe that they were created by nature,” say people who were fortunate enough to visit an island called Corsica about the valley. Photos of the attractions are presented in this article, the red peaks are perfectly visible in the picture. Individual peaks reach a height of 300 meters. Geologists believe that the formation of the valley lasted millions of years under the influence of water and wind. At sunset, the peaks turn bright red, at this time of day the landscapes of the valley are fascinating.
Bonifacio Caves
Another equally beautiful natural attraction is Bonifacio Caves. They are located almost in the most inaccessible area of the island, they can not be reached on foot. It will be necessary to rent a boat in the harbor of the same name.
The path to the caves will fly unnoticed, because along the coast there is a huge number of historical and natural objects. On the shore are the caves of Bonifacio (Corsica). Natural attractions are unusual. For example, the water near the caves is surprisingly clear. She has an unusual purple hue.
Nature reserves
Rare animals and birds live on the island, so a large number of reserves have been created in Corsica. If time permits, be sure to visit at least one of them.
Sandola National Park, founded in 1975, is very popular. Its area is slightly less than 20 square kilometers. The main value of this reserve is rare birds, which are very interesting to watch. Sandola Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the territory of the reserve are grottoes, caves, clefts. A giant gull nests here, dolphins and rare fish species live.
National House Museum of Napoleon Bonaparte
Each resident of Ajaccio will say that the main attraction of this city is the Bonaparte House Museum. The fact is that in Corsica the illustrious emperor was born, in these places he spent the first years of his life. The family nest was erected in the 17th century. Initially, it belonged not only to the Bonapartes, but also to other important people. However, Bonaparte soon bought the building.
The house became a state property at the behest of the emperor’s heir, Prince Victor. Currently, it is the national house-museum of Napoleon Bonaparte and overshadows the sights of Corsica with its majesty. The exposition includes a rich collection of weapons, picturesque portraits of the emperor’s family and documents that once related to the rulers of France.