9 Things You Need To Know About Corsica

Get ready to learn a thing or two about this stunning Mediterranean island.

Who knew Corsica had so much going for it? Well, the French as it is part of France, but Corsica has been under the radar for way too long for island-loving Aussies.

Here are some enticing titbits about the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean. Before you finish reading, you’ll be making plans to visit.

1. It sports some of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean

Corsica has more than 1000 kilometres of coastline with granite headlands punctuated by a wide array of gorgeous beaches and aquamarine waters. Here is just a tiny sampling.

a drone shot of a white sand beach and emerald blue waters at Plage de Roccapina, Corsica — Plage de Roccapina is a beach lover’s dream. (Image: Mario Von Rotz)

In the north, there are the champagne-coloured sands and aquamarine waters of Lotu and Saleccia beaches of the Desert des Agriates and the cliff-backed black sand beach of Nonza on Cap Corse.

the black sand beach at Nonza, Corsica — Set foot on the beautiful black sand beach, Nonza. (Image: Alessandro Venturi)

On the east coast, there’s the fine white sandy Pinarello Beach with a boardwalk, a pine forest behind and a few beachside restaurants and the two-kilometre-long sweep of dove white-coloured beach at Palombaggia, south of Porte Vecchio.

Not far from Bonifacio in the south is the lunar-like landscape with sculpted chalk cliffs and a giant sea cave next to Saint-Antoine Beach where you can swim with translucent fish.

While in the southwest, there are many tucked-away beaches of biscuit-coloured sand in the Sartene region (Roccapina Beach with its lions-head-shaped headland and Tizzano Beach).

an aerial view of the waters and rocky coast on Tizzano Beach, Corsica — Admire the turquoise waters at Tizzano Beach. (Image: Niko C)

You can even take a day boat to the Lavezzi Islands, a group of tiny granite islands off the coast of Bonifacio, which is a perfect spot to go snorkelling with lots of fish.

limestone rocks on the Lavezzi Islands — Take a day boat to the Lavezzi Islands. (Image: Kevin Et Laurianne Langlais)

2. It has some of Europe’s most dramatic mountains and one of the most spectacular long-distance walks on the continent

Corsica is mountainous (really mountainous) with jagged red rocks forming rugged cliffs and headlands, particularly in the west. In fact, there are 472 named mountains and 20 peaks that are higher than 2000 metres, with the highest peak being Monte Cinto at 2706 metres.

the towering mountains in Monte Cinto, Corsica — Monte Cinto is the highest point on the island. (Image: Getty Images/ValerioMei)

It also has one of the most famous and toughest long-distance hikes in Europe: the 180-kilometre GR20, which traverses the island from north to south with a vertical elevation range of 10,000 metres.

the lake of Capitello in Corsica — The lake of Capitello is part of the GR20. (Image: Getty Images/joningall)

It’s special because it leads experienced hikers into the sort of terrain usually only accessible to mountaineers and along the way offers rugged cliffs, sea views, secret mountain lakes and spectacular panoramas.

Day trekkers can also enjoy one of the island’s best day hikes up the Restonica Gorge to lakes Melu and Capitello in the Rotondo Massif, which is part of the GR20.

a scenic landscape at Restonica Gorge, Corsica — Restonica Gorge is one of Corsica’s most picturesque canyons.

3. It’s famous for its very own surf and turf cuisine

Corsica has a rich food culture that is tied both to the land and the sea. Inland, it’s all about lamb and veal stews, charcuterie, sausages and hams made from wild boar as well as a wide range of flavourful cheeses (try the ricotta-like brocciu) made from goats and sheep milk.

Other local specialties include olive oil, chestnut pastries and honey flavoured with the flowers of the fragrant maquis-covered landscape. There is also a wide range of delicious local Mediterranean fish including dentex, scorpion fish, corb, sea bream and sea bass.

crispy golden beignets de fromage, ham, salami sausage and goat cheese — Discover Corsica’s rich food culture. (Image: Getty Images/Maleo Photography)

4. It has delicious wines made from indigenous grape varieties you’ve never heard of

More than 30 different grape varieties are grown in nine AOC regions that cover more than 8000 hectares under vine. This makes for some pretty interesting wine touring all over the island.

Be adventurous and discover some of the indigenous grape varieties such as sciacarello, nielluccio, and mamolo (for reds) and vermentino, malvoisie and biancu gentile (for whites). Patrimonio in north east Corsica, the island’s first wine region, has the largest number of wineries.

a wide expanse of vineyards in Patrimonio in north east Corsica — Vineyards are spread across Patrimonio. (Image: Getty Images/Maleo Photography)

Also check out Domaine Saparale in Sartène, which also offers accommodation in traditional bergerie huts, while Domaine de Peretti della Rocca in Figari has a terrific cellar-door restaurant and accommodation overlooking the vines.

5. It has mysterious prehistoric archaeological sites with a variety of megaliths

Corsica has numerous archaeological sites with prehistoric stone dolmen structures and menhirs (standing stones).

Filitosa is the most impressive, about one-and-a-half hour’s drive southeast of Ajaccio. It was inhabited continuously from the 9th millennium BC until 300 BC when Corsica came under Roman control.

the megaliths of Filitosa — Be mesmerised by Filitosa. (Image: Getty Images/x-drew)

You’ll discover wooden implements from the Mesolithic Age; flint tools, ceramics, dolmen and grindstones from the Neolithic period; and carved menhir statues and stone towers from the Bronze Age. The sixteen sculpted granite menhir statues, with human faces, shoulders and arms as well as swords, daggers and helmets, are the most mysterious.

a menhir statue in Filitosa, Corsica — The sixteen sculpted granite menhir statues are incredibly mysterious. (Image: Getty Images/Yvonne Wacht)

6. It has one of the richest marine diversity hotspots in Europe

The Scandola Nature Reserve is both a land and marine reserve located on the Gulf of Porto in the north west. It’s a global benchmark for biodiversity protection and is one of the richest marine diversity hotspots in Europe.

the Scandola Nature Reserve in Corsica — Scandola Nature Reserve is one of the richest marine diversity hotspots in Europe.

Between its cliffs of red granite lie aquamarine coves with nearly 200 species of fish including some that have almost disappeared from the Mediterranean, as well as more than 450 species of algae. It’s also home to gannets, moray eels, red coral and gorgonian fans and is renowned for its successful restocking of ospreys and groupers.

The Scandola Nature Reserve, along with the nearby Calanques of Piana and the gulfs of Porto and Girolata, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

the Calanques of Piana in Corsica — The craggy peaks of Calanche de Piana were chiselled by erosion. (Image: Getty Images/Mor65)

You can drive two kilometres along the road between Piana and Porto to admire spectacular red granite rock formations or take a boat trip to marvel at the cliffs and pillars from the sea. You’ll see plenty of marine life too.

Calanques of Piana and the mountains of Scandola in the background — Calanche de Piana overlooks Scandola’s mountains. (Image: Getty Images/digital chateau)

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7. It has a desert that frames 37 kilometres of exquisite, protected coastline

Located west of Saint-Florent in the Balagne region of northern Corsica, the Desert des Agriates is Corsica’s largest territory of uninhabited wilderness. Not really a desert, it’s more a landscape of rocky ridges covered with maquis scrubland that frames sublimely beautiful beaches and headlands.

The endemic flora includes holm oak, olive trees, myrtle, sage, juniper, strawberry tree, rock rose and other aromatic plants while the beaches of fine powdery champagne-coloured sand rimmed with crystal clear aquamarine waters are possibly the most beautiful and unspoiled in the Mediterranean.

The easiest way to access some of these beaches is on a short ferry or jet-boat ride from Saint-Florent. Lotu and Saleccia beaches are the most popular and both have rustic restaurants offering seafood and other classic Corsican fare.

You can walk the Sentier des Douaniers between the two, or if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can hike the entire 37-kilometre trail, between Plage de l’Ostriconi and Saint Florent, over three days (there are only primitive camping facilities). Route D81 is the only road, which marks the southern limits of the Agriates, while branching tracks are accessible to four-wheel-drive vehicles.

a clear blue sea and deserted beach on the coastline of the Desert des Agriates — The Desert des Agriates is Corsica’s largest territory of uninhabited wilderness. (Image: Getty Images/joningall)

8. Its polyphonic choral singing is an acapella tradition unique to the island

Corsican polyphonies are a part of the island’s identity and culture and are sometimes linked with political agitation for the island’s independence. This singing tradition, which originates from shepherds’ songs of daily life in the mountains, had almost become extinct until its revival in the 1970s.

These days, you’ll see flyers advertising choral groups in many towns across the island. There’s an annual polyphonic singing festival in September in the heart of the Calvi citadel, where you’ll not only hear the finest Corsican choirs but also polyphonic ensembles from all over the world.

the citadel of Calvi with pine trees in the background — Calvi’s massive citadel is perched atop a rocky headland. (Image: Getty Images/joningall)

9. It was the birthplace of Napoleon

Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio in 1769, a year after the Republic of Genoa ceded Corsica to France. Bonaparte ruled France for over a decade until his defeat at Waterloo in 1815.

Today you can visit where he was born at the Maison Bonaparte, which is also a museum dedicated to his legacy; the Ajaccio Cathedral where he was baptised and where members of his family are buried; and the Salon Napoleonien at the Ajaccio Town Hall, where portraits and busts of the family are on display. There’s also a monumental statue of the emperor on a horse, surrounded by his four brothers, on Place du Diamant as well as a marble statue of him dressed as a Roman Consul at the Place des Palmiers.

the Ajaccio Town Hall with palm trees on the side — Portraits and busts of the Bonaparte family are on display at Ajaccio Town Hall. (Image: Getty Images/Richard Villalon)

In another nod to history, the members of the French Resistance took their nickname from the maquis (the scrubby bushland fragrant with aromatic sage, juniper, rosemary, laurel and immortelle (everlasting flowers) that covers the Corsican landscape) because the Corsican rebels were the first to repel the German occupiers during the Second World War.

the Ajaccio Cathedral in Corsica — Napoleon was baptised in Ajaccio Cathedral. (Image: Getty Images/eugenesergeev)

Temperatures are soaring this summer, breaking records across Europe and the UK.

Euro summer is a feeling like no other. But when a heatwave hits? The dream trip quickly turns into a sweaty mess. Extreme heat is sweeping Europe and the UK this week, with record-high temperatures impacting travel plans across the continent.

And while Australian summers are typically hotter in absolute temperature, many European cities aren’t equipped for high temperatures, resulting in unbearable weather.

Why is it so hot in Europe?

Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.

France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.

In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.

The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.

Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.

How travel is impacted

A pharmacy sign displaying 40 degrees Celcius — A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)

During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.

If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.

Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?

people swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris — People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)

With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.

Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.

How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave

Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.

Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.

Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.

9 things you need to know about Corsica