Corsica: Our 8-Day Itinerary

Corsica is an island that’s vibrant in every way.

To start, the landscapes are diverse and outrageously brilliant. From the layered blues of the Tyrrhenian Sea to the burnt red rocks of the Calanques to the muted greens and yellows of the shrubland, every area practically explodes with color. Then there is the hiking, which is rocky and rugged, and the very best way to explore the island’s slightly untamed beauty. The food? Earthy, hearty, full of flavor. Corsica is famous for its charcuterie, made from the wild boars that roam the island and forage for chestnuts. Which, unsurprisingly, pairs perfectly with Corsican cheese and Corsican wine. But perhaps the most vibrant aspect of Corsica is the identity of Corsica itself: While technically part of France, Corsicans are proudly distinct, with their own language, flag, and fiercely independent spirit.

If you can’t tell, our trip to Corsica last year was one of my favorites. 

We had been debating between Corsica and Sardinia for a spring holiday. I was personally leaning toward Sardinia, but Raunaq had been wanting to visit Corsica ever since he read about Asterix and Obelix’s adventures there as a kid, and who am I to deny a childhood dream? I relented, Corsica won out, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In fact, I loved this trip so much, I ended up writing an old-school, long-form narrative of our whole trip (click here for Part 1: The Central West, and here for Part 2: The Southeast). But if you’re just here for the bare bones itinerary, that’s ok! No hard feelings.

Itinerary

Here’s our day-by-day overview for 8 days in Corsica. We drove from Zurich and took a car ferry over (with Corsica Ferries), so our time on the island was bookended by two full travel days:

Day 1: Drive from Zurich to Italy, stopping in Lucca and Pisa along the way
Day 2: Morning ferry from Livorno to Bastia, then a scenic drive to Porto (via Île-Rousse and Calvi)
Day 3: Hike Capu d’Orto, beach near Piana, Calanques de Piana at sunset
Day 4: Explore Porto + afternoon boat ride
Day 5: Drive through the mountains via Corte to Santa Giulia
Day 6: Beach day at Santa Giulia
Day 7: Day trip to Bonifacio
Day 8: Hike Aiguilles de Bavella loop (G20 alpine variant)
Day 9: Morning at Palombaggia Beach, drive to Bastia for overnight ferry to Savona, Italy
Day 10: Drive back to Zurich via Genoa and Milan

We did this trip in late April and early May. The crowds were minimal, which was amazing, but the tradeoff was slightly unpredictable weather. The sea was still pretty cold, the wind could make things feel chillier than expected, and we had a few rainy days. That said, I’ve heard Corsica gets very congested in the high season. Plus, I think I would burst into flames if I tried to do some of the more exposed hikes in the summer sun. So, all in all, I thought this was a great time to go.

Route Organization

I warn you: if your time is limited, it is hard to decide where to go. First: Because every region of Corsica looks amazing, and it’s a bit overwhelming to plan. And second: Because it takes a while to get around. While the island may not seem that big, because many of the roads are very narrow and very windy, the driving times are long. I personally didn’t want to spend hours in the car driving every day (even though the drives are incredibly scenic!), so we focused on two main regions: the central west and the southeast. In each region, I picked a base city: Porto in the West, and Santa Giulia in the South. And then, with those as bases, I organized each day’s activities in terms of driving times (low, medium, high), so that we weren’t doing 4-5 hours of heavy driving every single day. I think it worked out pretty well, if I do say so myself.

So that’s the overview - and if you're planning a trip yourself, I hope it gives you a helpful starting point. Corsica is one of those places that manages to feel both wildly dramatic and deeply relaxing. We barely scratched the surface, but even in just over a week, the island left a big impression.

And remember, if you are hungry for more Corsica content, I’ve written up full, detailed posts on both halves of our trip: the Central West and the South East. They’re longer, journal-style pieces, full of the small moments, beautiful views, and unexpected turns that make trips memorable.