Part of the spirit of traveling is discovering and be surprised. This feeling is even more fascinating when you can do it so close from your one country. I just arrived from Corsica, and I’m was amazed with the diversity of this island. Corsica resembles a miniature continent, with astounding geographical diversity. Within half an hour, the landscape morphs from glittering bays, glitzy coastal cities and fabulous beaches to sawtooth peaks, breathtaking valleys, dense forests and enigmatic hilltop villages. Holidays in Corsica will therefore be incredibly varied: from hiking and canyoning to working your tan, enjoying a leisurely cruise, delving into the island’s rich history and sampling local specialties. Shamelessly seductive and fashionable, Porto-Vecchio is dubbed the Corsican St-Tropez, and it’s no wonder. Sitting in a marvellous bay, it’s the kind of place that lures French A-listers and wealthy tourists. Its picturesque backstreets, lined with restaurant terraces and designer shops, have charm in spades, and are presided over with grace by the photogenic ruins of an old Genoese citadel. Although there is no beach in the town proper, some of the island’s best, and most famous, beaches are close by. With its glittering harbour, dramatic perch atop creamy white cliffs, and stout citadel above the cornflower-blue waters of the Bouches de Bonifacio, this dazzling port is an essential stop. With a Sardinia neighbor Bonifacio has a distinctly Italianate feel: sun-bleached townhouses, dangling washing lines and murky chapels cram the web of alleyways of the old citadel; down below on the harbourside, brasseries and boat kiosks tout their wares to the droves of day trippers. Bonifacio’s also perfectly positioned for exploring the island’s southerly beaches and the Îles Lavezzi. But if you go to Corsica, do not miss the Col de Bavella (Bavella Pass) is overlooked by the imposing silhouette of one of the most striking and beautiful landscape features in the south of Corsica: the sharp points of Aiguilles de Bavella, also called the Bavella Needles. And food, yess, food. Please do not miss the Brocciu cheese. Mild, crumbly and white, not a million miles from ricotta, Brocciu made from the petit-lait of either goat’s or ewe’s milk. Brocciu can be eaten fresh, as a creamy fromage frais, baked with the zest of oranges or cédrat (a sweeter type of lemon) in a fiadone cheesecake, or drained, salted and aged for use in savoury dishes. Be sure to try an omelette of Brocciu with some Pains des morts (Bread of the dead!)…. its amazing!
