France / Corsica / Ajaccio (Corsica)Ajaccio (Corsica)
Napoleon's Birthplace on Corsica's West Coast
Corsica's capital on a wide gulf: Napoleon's family home, the citadel and the old town, beaches along the Route des Sanguinaires to the red islands at its end. The Calanques de Piana and the Scandola nature reserve (by boat from Porto) are a long day up the west coast, and the island's narrow-gauge railway climbs to Corte. Reached by a 1 h 40 flight from Paris, or by ferry from Marseille (overnight) or Nice. Roads are slow and winding; a hire car helps.
Highlights
- Maison Bonaparte
- Sunset at the Îles Sanguinaires
- Calanques de Piana red cliffs
- Boat trip to the Scandola reserve
- Corsican railway to Corte
- Corsican charcuterie and brocciu cheese
Things to do
- Old town, citadel and Maison BonaparteMorning · 2h 30m
- Route des Sanguinaires sunsetEvening · 2h
- Calanques de Piana and a Scandola boat tripApr–OctMorning · 9h
- Mountain railway to CorteMorning · 6h
- Beach day at Capo di FenoAfternoon · 4h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: May – June, September – October
Worth knowing
Peak Summer: Crowds and High Prices on the Coast
July and August are French school holidays: beaches, coast roads and trains along the Mediterranean and the Basque coast are packed, rooms cost 30-100% more and often need a minimum stay, and Corsica's ferries and flights sell out. Book months ahead, or come in June or September, when the sea is still warm.
Heads up
Corsica in Winter: Fewer Boats and Flights
Ajaccio stays open all year, but ferries from Nice, many boat trips (Scandola, the Sanguinaires) and beach restaurants stop in winter, and mountain roads can be snowy. Flights from Paris and the Marseille overnight ferry keep running.