Corsica
Turquoise waters and thousands of gorgeous beaches to chose from, natural homemade foods, quaint villages, luxury hotels, rugged mountains with treacherous yet rewarding hikes... Corsica is a destination I recommend over and over again. There are so many absolute musts, and we only covered the south end of the island.
We flew into Ajaccio and immediately drove north to Piana to see the sculptural red rock mountains, Calanques de Piana. This is the only part of the island where the rocks are a burnt sienna color, and they form dramatic spire-like peaks. From Piana, it is a lovely 3.5-hour scenic drive south to Bonifacio, a city perched so close to the edge of a cliff you think at any moment it will fall off into the sea. It deserves its title as "one of the most beautiful ports in the world." If you have time, play in the waters of the Lavezzi Islands (regretfully, we didn't).
We continued our journey to Lecci, where we discovered as many beaches as we could and spent our days sunning, swimming, drinking rose and eating. The pork on Corsica is incomparable. The tagged "wild" boar clearly rule the island and go wherever they please, often in the middle of the road. They eat a local shrub which gives their meat a distinct flavor. Every shop, roadside stand, and restaurant serves a variety of dried sausage.
The final leg of our journey was into the mountains to Bastelica so we could hike the Pozzi. Beware, it is a long, uphill climb, full of precarious twists and turns, but also a satisfying dose of clear mountain views. When you finally reach the Pozzi, a surprise valley full of small, reflective pools, you are rewarded with a memorable experience unlike anywhere else in the world. Go early and bring snacks, lunch, and lots of water.
In Piana I recommend Hotel Les Roches Rouges / In Bonifacio I recommend Hotel Genovese / In Lecci we stayed at La Plage Casadelmar / In Bastelica we stayed at Hotel Artemisia
