Highlights of Corsica

We journey aboard Eurostar from London to Lille, and continue by rail to Nice where we check in at our overnight hotel.

After breakfast we take a leisurely ferry crossing to the Mediterranean island of Corsica. We arrive in the town of Bastia on the northern tip of the island, and travel onward to our hotel.

Enjoy a full day exploring Bastia, filled with understated elegance. The old port is the perfect place to begin, where you can wander through the quaint streets and admire the Italianate architecture clustered around the harbour. Above the port lies the citadel, built in a Genoese style, a climb up here through the shaded gardens is well worth the rewarding panoramic views. The new town offers wider boulevards and impressive buildings from the 19th century. Place St Nicolas is the social hub of the town and a great place to soak up the atmosphere with views across the sea and a statue of Napoléon.

After breakfast we board the train, enticed by its panoramic views, it’s an experience not to be missed. Following the coast, we are greeted with spectacular sights of gold red mountains plunging into the deep blue sea whilst passing through beautiful Ile de Rousse and village of Ponte Leccia. On arrival in Calvi we are transferred to our hotel, our home for the next two nights.

The small town of Calvi is in an idyllic location with a large sheltered bay to the front and mountains behind. You will have plenty of time to enjoy the many attractions as we spend the day at leisure. A walk around the castle walls offers wonderful views across the bay, after which you can venture into the cobbled streets to see the Cathedral of St Jean Baptiste and the house which is said to be the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. Down towards the seafront the popular area of Quai Landry links the marina and the port, and is filled with bustling bars and cafés.

After breakfast we join the little train for the rail journey to Corte, the small and ancient capital tucked away in the mountainous heart of Corsica. It’s a great place to experience the traditional culture during our overnight stay.

Corte is surrounded by amazing mountain scenery, with the cragged beauty of the citadel rising high up from a rocky outcrop. The town is a delight to explore, thriving with a cosmopolitan air along with the bustle of pavement cafés and bars, and if you follow the narrow streets up to the citadel you can enjoy wonderful elevated views. You will also find the Museum of Corsica in the citadel, which takes you on a fascinating journey of the history of the island (entrance not included). Later in the day we board the train for Ajaccio for our two-night stay. This route is ranked as one of the most scenic railways in the world, crossing the Vecchio viaduct engineered by Gustav Eiffel, of tower fame, before passing through the Vizzavona Forest, a swathe of lofty laricio pines and chestnut trees.

Enjoy a full day in Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica. There are many statues and streets named after Napoléon Bonaparte, who was born here in 1769, along with the National Bonaparte Museum. You can stroll around the squares and promenades, admire the fabled cathedral, or relax in one of the many pavement cafés and watch the world go by.

We leave Corsica behind and take the ferry to Toulon, where we continue by coach to our overnight hotel in Marseille.

We travel by TGV to Lille and join Eurostar for our return to London.

Please note: The trains on Corsica are used by local residents as well as visitors, giving a wonderfully authentic feel to each journey. You don’t have to worry about travelling with your luggage as our coach will transfer this for you - you can simply gaze out of the window and enjoy the view.