Beautiful Corsica

The incredible blue sea and the beautiful blue sky throughout my 7 night stay in the lovely town of Calvi in the north-west of Corsica was just mesmerising – whether I noticed this more as the summer of 2024 just didn’t seem to want to make an appearance in the UK and an escape from the grey skies of North Wales was a very welcome one! As our aircraft came in to land, the gorgeous colours of the coastline stood out and our excitement to visit a new destination was bubbling. The airport is small and the processes were efficient, so in less than an hour from landing we arrived at our lovely boutique studio apartment, dropped our bags and headed straight out to a beachside restaurant where we were immediately wowed by the view. To the front we had the soft white sand and calm blue sea, to the left the Citadel stood high and to the front and right the mountains – we immediately felt happy and relaxed. Over the course of the week, we meandered the 20 minute stroll along the seafront through the harbour and into the centre most days. There was a good selection of restaurants on the front and in the cobbled streets below the Citadel which also offered independent boutiques, beautiful delicatessens and ice cream parlours. On strolling along the cobbled streets one day, we entered a small deli to look at the local produce and as we carried on into the store noticed the back of the shop opened into a fabulous balcony set with a small number of tables and chairs and the most stunning view of the marina, sea and citadel – we immediately found an appetite in order to enjoy a long lunch of Corsican meats, cheeses and wines – well it would be rude not to! We took the tourist train one day which runs along the coast from Calvi to L’Ile Rousse, with a few beach and village stops along the way. L’Ile Rousse is a lovely seaside town, we enjoyed visiting the local produce market and wandering through the cobbled streets lined with boutiques, cafes and restaurants. We stopped off at the beach of Ghjorghju for an hour or so on our way back, such a pretty cove and really quiet as there are no facilities there – bliss! A full days car hire allowed us the opportunity to see different parts of north-west Corsica – the roads are windy and steep, but the views are amazing! We enjoyed getting out and about especially as we wanted to visit one of ‘the most beautiful villages in France’ – the hilltop village of Sant’Antonino, it was so pretty. There are a good selection of tours available so it isn’t essential to drive. We felt so relaxed during our time in Calvi, whether it’s because it was so calm and clean there, or whether it’s the stunning blue sea and sky which are so uplifting – what we do know is that we will return, Corsica is beautiful. Top Tip…..brush up on your French language skills before going!!