7 Days in Corsica: Ultimate 7-Day Itinerary

France Travel Guide

Camille L.

Visit Corsica in 7 days: Recommended Itinerary

Have you chosen to leave for 7 or 8 days in Corsica?

Good idea!

In order to help you organize your stay, I have prepared a 7 or 8 days Corsica itinerary which will allow you to discover the towns and places of unmissable interest in Northern Corsica.

Small note: If you prefer to visit the South of Corsica ( Bonifacio, Porto-Vecchio, Ajaccio ), it is in my other article: Visiting South Corsica in 1 week (click here).

And if you prefer to spend 1 week in Corsica staying in one place, click here.

During your circuit in Corsica, you will have the opportunity to visit Cap Corse, Saint-Florent and the desert of Agriates, Calvi, Porto, Corte and Bastia.

In this guide, I give you all my best advice for 7-8 days Corsica itinerary, with for each stage, the visits of the day, travel times and my selection of the best hotels according to your budget.

So, what to do and see in Corsica in 7 days? 

Arrival in Bastia

To visit Haute-Corse in 7 days, the most practical is to arrive in Bastia.

It is the best served city in the North of the island, it has an airport and a port. You can compare the prices of flights to Bastia or ferries at the end of the article in the section “Leaving for Corsica”.

Boats or planes really arriving at random times and sometimes very late (I arrived at 11 p.m. on my trip), you may have to spend a night in Bastia before really starting your 7 days Corsica itinerary. That’s why I’m giving you my list of the best hotels in Bastia below.

If you have decided to leave for 7 days in Corsica, it is also imperative to rent a car to go around this part of the island.

If you arrive early enough in Bastia, I advise you to go directly to Cap Corse and spend the first night in Macinaggio (only 1 hour drive to the North). It will be more convenient for the next day.

Accommodation in Bastia

Bastia

Day 1: Cap Corse

To start your 7-8 day tour in Corsica, I suggest you start in style with a hike in Cap Corse.

From Macinaggio (which you will have reached the day before or this morning), 1 hour by road from Bastia, you can take the famous coastal footpath.

The “long version” of this hike is 19 km (from Macinaggio to Centuri), but I suggest you do only part of it: from Macinaggio to Barcaggio. 

You can walk by the sea and walk along this part of Cap Corse. The landscapes and viewpoints are truly superb, as are the various beaches and coves, where you can swim to refresh yourself along the way.

The departure of the customs trail is from the end of Macinaggio beach and it takes about 3h30 on foot to reach Barcaggio. I still advise you to plan a little more with the swimming and picnic stop!

For the return, from Barcaggio, you have 2 options:

Spend the night in Macinaggio.

Tips for your Corsica itinerary:

If walking isn’t really your thing, you can replace the customs officers’ path hike with a commented cruise.

Still departing from Macinaggio, this boat tour allows you to discover Cap Corse and its Genoese towers, the Finocchiarola archipelago and Barcaggio. A swimming stop is also on the program!

Information on this Cap Corse cruise can be found here. 

Do not hesitate to go through the tourist office which is located on the port of Macinaggio to get a map of Cap Corse.

Stay at Cap Corse / Macinaggio

Le Cap Corse, the path of the customs officers from Macinaggio to Barcaggio

Day 2: Cap Corse / Saint-Florent

The next day, for the continuation of your stay of 7-8 days in Corsica, I suggest you drive along the other side of Cap Corse by car and reach Saint-Florent quietly.

During this day, you can take the time to discover the pretty typical villages of Cap Corse and enjoy the panorama of the sea.

I advise you to follow the following route:

Cap Corse panoramic wheel

From Patrimonio, then join your last stage of the day: Saint-Florent.

You can take a walk in the alleys, along the port and climb up to the citadel which offers a beautiful view of the Gulf of Saint-Florent.

And if you want to end the day at the beach, head for Roya beach, to the left of the port. In Saint-Florent, you can also practice several activities such as jet skiing, parasailing, paddle or flyboard.

Spend the night in Saint-Florent.

Tips for your Corsica itinerary:

To visit Saint-Florent, it is best to park your car and do everything on foot.

You will find a parking lot at the port level (paying in summer) and a free parking zone at the level of the citadel or the stadium. South of the port, you can also park for free along the D81 road.

Accommodation in Saint-Florent

Saint Florent

Day 3-4: The Agriates desert / Calvi

Today I invite you to discover one of the essential places of a 7-day Northern Corsica itinerary: the Agriates desert.

To get there, it’s very simple, you just have to take a sea shuttle from the port of Saint-Florent. In barely 30 minutes, you will reach one of the 2 splendid beaches of the Agriates desert:

Fine sand, turquoise water, don’t forget your swimsuit and sunscreen to enjoy a moment of relaxation and swimming on these beaches ranked among the top 10 of the most beautiful beaches in Corsica!

As the boat will drop you off at one of the beaches, you can then walk to the other either:

The option of staying only on one of them is of course possible if you don’t feel like walking.

And if you want to treat yourself with a great day on a boat in the Agriates desert, I advise you to choose this luxury sailboat cruise.

The captain will take you swimming in the most beautiful places of Agriates and you will enjoy an excellent lunch consisting of typical Corsican dishes (concocted by one of the best farm inns on the island).

This sailing cruise being extremely popular, it is imperative to book (very) in advance!

To book your sailing cruise in the Agriates desert, just click here.

Finally, always to visit the Agriates desert during your 7-day stay in Haute-Corse, you can also embark on a zodiac. The outing, which lasts about 5 hours, includes stops for swimming on the 2 beaches of Agriates.

You have all the information by clicking here.

Tips for your Corsica itinerary:

To make your day in the Agriates desert truly unforgettable, I recommend that you opt for a private VIP day trip.

This is the best way to make the most of your visit!

You rent a boat with a skipper, and he will take you to the most beautiful corners of the Agriates desert.

Motor boat, sailboat, catamaran or even yacht: it’s up to you to choose the boat that suits you to spend a dream day!

In any case, I recommend that you rent your boat with skipper as far in advance as possible, because as you can imagine, this type of VIP day at sea is extremely in demand, and it would be a shame not to have room!

After enjoying this heavenly setting, take the boat back to Saint-Florent, then get in the car to reach your stopover for the next 2 nights: Calvi, about 1h30 by car.

Depending on the time you spent in the Agriates desert, you can make a few stops on the road between the 2 towns.

Halfway, I advise you to go and see Ostriconi beach. This large sandy beach bordered by marshes is really pleasant and very nice. You will have a nice view of it from the top of the road.

Between Saint-Florent and Calvi are also the 2 seaside resorts of Ile Rousse and Algajola. 

Finally, just before arriving in Calvi, you will cross the pretty balcony village of Lumio, which, for the record, is the place where Laeticia Casta spent part of her childhood.

Spend the night in Calvi.

Agriates Desert – Lotu Beach

Today, for the continuation of this 7-day Corsica itinerary, I suggest you visit Calvi and its surroundings.

Start by climbing to the citadel of Calvi. Overlooking the city and the sea, it offers beautiful views. 

During your walk, you will be able to discover:

On leaving the citadel, continue your discovery of Calvi through the lower town which is full of souvenir shops and local crafts. You can also walk past the Sainte-Marie Majeure church and take a trip to the covered market located just next door to find some Corsican specialties.

Finish your walk by the marina whose quay is lined with restaurants and cafes. Perfect for eating on the terrace at lunchtime!

bald

For the rest of the day, I let you choose according to your desires and centers of interest:

1) A quiet afternoon at Calvi beach.

At the end of the port and bordered by the pine forest, it offers more than 4 km of fine sand where you can lay your towel. You can take the opportunity to treat yourself to a session of nautical activity: paddle, kayak, windsurfing, towed buoy, the choice is yours!

2) A hike in the forest of Bonifatu, 30 minutes by car from Calvi.

There are several trails of varying difficulty and duration.

In any case, at the end of your walk, be sure to join the river to swim in the natural pools. The place is really great and ideal if you are doing this 7 day trip to Corsica with your children.

3) Another nice walk, that of the tip of Revellata, 10 km northwest of Calvi.

You can take the coastal footpath that leads to the lighthouse and contemplate the view of Calvi and the coast all along the route. And to top it off, there are small coves where you can swim and a pretty, fairly quiet white sand beach : the Alga beach.

After the Revellata, be sure to reach the chapel of Notre-Dame de la Serra which is opposite. It offers one of the most beautiful panoramas over the entire bay of Calvi!

And if you don’t feel like walking, I advise you to do this quad ride with a 2-hour guided tour. You can book it by clicking here.

4) Discover La Revellata from the sea by opting for a cruise departing from the port of Calvi.

The outing also includes a swimming stop at Alga beach and a Corsican aperitif to savor while watching the sunset over the bay.

To book this boat trip to La Revellata at sunset, just click here.

Spend a second night in Calvi.

Accommodation in Calvi

La Revellata, in Calvi

Day 5: Porto / Scandola / Calanques de Piana

We continue this 7-8 day circuit in Corsica by going down a little further south to the village of Porto. Allow 2 hours by road from Calvi.

Porto is the starting point for boat trips to discover 2 splendid natural sites listed as World Heritage by UNESCO:

The complete boat tour lasts 4 hours and also includes a stop at the old fishing village of Girolata, only accessible by boat or on foot. For me, this is the most beautiful boat trip to do during a 7-day stay in Haute-Corse!

These cruises are in high demand and it is imperative to book them in advance!

You will have the choice between 2 types of boats:

The cruise that I have selected for you is GetYourGuide Originals certified, which means that it is so good that it is guaranteed satisfied or refunded!

This excursion can be booked directly by clicking here.

You can book this outing by clicking here.

Spend the night in Porto.

Tips for your Corsica itinerary:

For the full 4-hour cruise to Scandola, Girolata and the creeks of Piana, departures are around 9 a.m. or 2 p.m.

Plan your departure from Calvi carefully so as not to miss the afternoon cruise. I recommend that you leave around 10 a.m. at the most to do the 2 hour drive, eat in Porto and board the boat.

Accommodation in Porto

Boat tour in the Scandola Reserve

Day 6: Corte

For the penultimate day of your 7-day Corsica road trip, this stage takes you back inland and central Corsica, to Corte.

There is a 2 hour drive between Porto and Corte but I advise you not to drive directly. There are several things you can do before arriving in Corte (it’s up to you according to your desires).

In particular, you can:

After passing the lake, you will enter the defile of Scala di Santa Regina where the road passes between narrow rock walls and gorges at the bottom of which flows the Golo. An impressive and wild setting, among the most beautiful landscapes on the island.

The Aïtone forest, in Corsica

Once in Corte, I suggest you visit the city on foot.

Head first to the citadel which houses the Regional Museum of Anthropology of Corsica on the history of the island. Well done, it is interesting to visit and it is also the only way to have access to the Eagle’s Nest and its point of view.

Leaving the museum, go to the belvedere to admire the view of the citadel and the surroundings of Corte.

Then go back down to the pedestrian alleys passing by the Ghionga grocery store, one of the oldest in Europe and you arrive at Place Gaffory where the Church of the Annunciation is located .

Then continue to the Sainte-Croix chapel, classified as a historic monument, then finish the walk in Corte by the Cours Paoli, the main artery of the city with its restaurants and shops.

Spend a night in Corte.

Tips for your Corsica itinerary:

For your dinner in Corte, I highly recommend the restaurant La rivière des Vins, which is located at 5 ramp Sainte-Croix.

They specialize in meats cooked over a wood fire, but all the dishes (the burger is excellent!) are delicious and plentiful, and a good extra point served with homemade fries.

And the icing on the cake are their delicious homemade desserts which are also really very generous: special mention for the tiramisu!

Accommodation in Corte

You will also find the list of all campsites near Corte and can easily book online by clicking on the button below.

Citadel of Corte

Day 7: Return to Bastia

Here you are on the seventh and last day of this 7-day Corsica itinerary and that unfortunately means that you will have to return to Bastia.

Count about 1h15 to reach the airport or the port.

Depending on your departure time, you can take the opportunity to discover Bastia a bit:

Tips for your Corsica itinerary:

For a 6-day itinerary in Northern Corsica, you can reach Saint-Florent directly from Bastia, without going through the east coast of Cap Corse (do not do stage 1 of this guide, the hike to Cap Corse).

To visit Northern Corsica in 8 days, I advise you to spend an extra day in Calvi or add a day in Corte to hike the Gorges de la Restonica. 

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