Introduction

In the past Corsica has been a plaything of other powers throughout the region. Only since 1768 it is a French island. Before that time it was administrated by Genoa for 500 years and before that by the Kingdom of Pisa. It is a beautiful island with a variety of landscapes, where both water sport fans (beaches, diving, sailing), hikers and mountain climbers can have their fun.

Population

Corsica has more than 300,000 inhabitants. More than half lives in the cities Ajaccio and Bastia (both more than 75,000 inhabitants).

Location

Corsica is more than 180 kilometers long and maximum 83 kilometers wide. The island lies north of the Italian island Sardinia. It is separated from that by the Strait of Bonifacio. At the narrowest point the islands are only 11 kilometers apart. Corsica is a very mountainous island with Monte Cinto (2,706 m) as its highest peak. There are twenty other mountain peaks of more than 2,000 meters. The largest part of the inland is protected nature reserve (Parc Naturel Régional de Corse).

Economy

The pleasant climate, the beautiful inland and the attractive beaches make Corsica a touristic top attraction. The tourism is mainly concentrated in and around Porto Vecchio and Bonifacio in the south and near Calvi in the north-west. The rest of Corsica is almost unaffected by tourism.

Corsica produces wine, special cheeses and excellent honey. The honey is even officially classified to origin, just like French wines.

Airports

Corsica has three important airports for tourism. The airport near the capital Ajaccio lies five kilometers east of the city. The main road N194 runs from the airport to the city center. Furthermore there are airports near Bastia (twenty kilometers south of the city, along the main road N193) and near Calvi (seven kilometers south of the city). This last airport is mainly used by budget airlines.

Public transport

The island has good bus connections between the most important places on Corsica, but on some bus lines buses only run twice a day. Furthermore Corsica has a railroad network; there are train connections with Bastia, Corte, Ajaccio, Calvi and Ponte Leccia.

Traffic and parking

If you really want to explore Corsica, it is best to rent a car. With your rental car you can reach places where few tourists come and enjoy the impressive nature of this island. Corsica has main roads, but there are no highways. Also bear in mind that the island is mountainous and the roads are curvy. The main roads are in condition, but the secondary roads may have surprises. In summer it can become very crowded in the centers of the touristic towns.

Hotels

There is a good offer of hotels and apartments in the tourist centers. Outside these tourist centers you can find basic guesthouses or rooms in private houses. There are also a lot of camping sites in Corsica. August is the busiest month on the island, since it accommodates two or three times as many tourists than in the busy month of July. If you want to travel to Corsica in August, you must reserve your room long in advance.

External sources

For more information about Corsica, we recommend Google and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Corsica
• The Official Tourist Website of Corsica (multilingual)