ShareSaveLifestyleForbesLifeSouthern Corsica: The Perfect Three-Day Itinerary For SybaritesByLauren Mowery one of the most beautiful beaches on Corsica Corsican hoteliers are hoping to turn the balmy beautiful island into a year-round destination Whether you’re planning a getaway next spring or summer here’s my detailed guide to a quick Corsican holiday this wild French island appeals to travelers with a variety of sybaritic interests I focused my agenda around the southern tip near Porto-Vecchio and Bonifacio My goal was to create the perfect itinerary for first-time visitors that encompassed stays at luxury properties Accommodation and Dinner at a 2-Star Michelin Restaurant (Casadelmar) Already traveling in France, I flew easyJet from Lyon to Figari The airline has great connections to all three airports on the island from major cities across Europe Several international car rental agencies have representation at the airport You’ll absolutely need a vehicle to explore Corsica Traveling from the airport to Porto Vecchio takes about 30 minutes Given my late afternoon arrival, I drove directly to the hotel where I lingered all evening. I selected Casadelmar for its reputation as one of the island’s most esteemed properties the red cedar-shingled building gracefully blends in with its surroundings well-appointed common areas in contemporary décor accented in vibrant colors of purple and orange The color scheme carries over to the rooms An expansive infinity pool and patio lounge contribute to the feeling of Casadelmar being bigger than it is the experience remains mostly intimate (except when a large corporate group invades and swarms the breakfast buffet all at once The hotel has two dining options: a waterfront grill steps away from the private dock and affording sunset views or a slightly more formal gastronomic restaurant a 2-star Michelin kitchen (the only one in Corsica) I expected the high prices but hoped for complex One can order a la carte or take advantage of the menu du jour (common throughout France) set at around 62 euros for an appetizer and entrée or 80 euros to add a cheese or dessert course the maître d’ lifted the glass encasement to release its fragrant plumes The wine list featured a number of Corsican producers I tried a few by the glass to get acquainted with the styles before committing to buying and lugging around bottles later in the trip The French have perfected the art of creating casual-chic seaside experiences The beachfront restaurants around Corsica evoke the clubs of St Tropez but with superior sand and swimming If you know of one Corsican plage from the pages of a travel magazine Arrive early or reserve a chair in advance (have the hotel concierge call) at beach clubs Playa Baggia or Tamaricciu Parking is free if you spend the day at either spot front line loungers get booked first (and cost a few more euros) While most of the restaurant menus look similar I chose Playa Baggia for its generous salads and tuna burger Finding vegetables at restaurants in France had proven maddeningly difficult fellow patrons sucked down one bottle after another with most tables lingering several hours into late afternoon I noticed a line of cars parked on the side of the narrow road An ant trail of people disappeared over the edge of the cliff I ditched my vehicle and followed the procession when I find a slew of cars in an unassuming location At the bottom of a hundred steps and around the bend of a wooded trail (go left I stumbled onto a sparkling white strip of beach framing a teal-hued pool a single pine tree rivaling California’s lone cypress sprouted from a stone wall Plage Tamaricciu is probably the second most photographed beach in Corsica Sunset over Corsica's famous boulders For dinner, I reserved a patio table with water views at L’Antigu The concierge at Casadelmar rightly warned that most restaurants in town were “poor and touristy.” I took the menu du jour and tucked into a fish terrine (the French love forcing food into loaf shapes) citrusy Clos Canarelli Blanc made from Vermentino View of Roccapina Beach from the mountain above dinner at a Corsican farmstead (Pozzo di Mastri) Taking advantage of my southern Corsican location, I scheduled a trip to Domaine de Murtoli The 2000-hectare private estate offers discerning travelers accommodation in rehabbed I didn’t have the pleasure of staying overnight through a lunch reservation at the beach restaurant The drive to Domaine de Murtoli from Porto-Vecchio takes about an hour and passes through exhilarating scenery that begins just past the hamlet of Pianottoli Ragged fingers of coastline protruded into the sea and jumbo boulders sat seemingly poised to tumble down the mountainside Hidden gate to Domaine de Murtoli .(Photo by Lauren Mowery) Finding the turnoff to Murtoli proved tricky the owner doesn’t post signage announcing its whereabouts a fair number of guests arrive by boat or helicopter dusty road that deposited me at another remarkable beach I’d seen its glittering arc and protected bay dotted with white sailboats from the highway three kilometers above and wondered how one got there The turn is right before Auberge de Coralli Domaine de Murtoli also requires a fifteen-minute excursion down a rugged road but a gate at the reception desk forces would-be visitors to check in first the restaurant is an exercise in barefoot luxury Wood branches woven into an organic latticework create a pergola; several levels and recessions afford varying degrees of privacy Royal purple is the accent color of choice Most of the food comes from fresh off the estate – e.g. veal – and fish is caught off the nearby coast The wine list showcases Corsican producers along with other French regions The beachside restaurant at Domaine de Murtoli I strolled the generous stretch of sand splayed out at the foot of the restaurant But for a few wooden lounge chairs available to Murtoli guests at one end punctuated by juniper trees and backed by distant mountain peaks A quartet of guests of a yacht moored in the bay had shuttled their own chairs and umbrella to shore with a zodiac hippie-era -- carrying backpacks strung with hiking boots had somehow wandered onto the beach likely having hiked along the shore from Roccapina I took dinner that night along the road from Murtoli back to Porto-Vecchio at an auberge, a farmstead with guest rooms, called Pozzo di Mastri and make the wine to offer a set menu each day The entertainment: two young Corsican men crooning ballads to acoustic guitar The first course came in a wicker basket: a selection of raw vegetables I had the best heirloom tomatoes I’d tasted in a two-week trip through France and a presentation of fresh and funky cheeses before dessert That evening, I switched hotels to check out another one still in the vicinity of Porto-Vecchio, Hotel Isulella It bills itself as a boutique property and sits practically adjacent to Casadelmar comes with less lavish breakfasts or common spaces than its five-star neighbor (if that's what you are used to)  the main draw to the small hotel are the rooms which are spacious and have large balconies with views to the sea Good for a glass of wine and a cigar at sunset calm waters surrounding a pretty outcropping of boulders and its Corsican-heavy wine list I reserved a chair in advance yet still couldn’t manage a front line assignment my line of sight wasn’t far off the glassy was the specialty of the house for this lunch-only restaurant Steaks cut-to-measure and weighed tableside for approval before cooking The carte de vins listed plenty of reds for a meat-focused menu that also included a burger and tartare such as tuna tataki and an excellent fried fish sandwich Bottles were sourced from the island’s notable winemakers like Canarelli many of which can be visited by appointment (for those with more time than I had.) A little over halfway down the road to Bonifacio from Porto-Vecchio a sign marks the turnoff for a horseshoe-shaped bay called Rondinara Regularly considered one of the isle’s top beaches for its fine sand and green hills blanketed in aromatic maquis a towel and bottle of water sufficed for a quick dip I parked below and spent 5 euros for a seat on a gilded trolley to the top for dinner Widely considered the best food in the vieille ville (old town), the management at Stella d’Oro whisks guests parked in the marina (who haven’t already ascended) up to the restaurant in a Mercedes the menu focuses on local specialties like tuna carpaccio Wine bar with an extensive local list inside Bonifacio wandering the warren of alleyways past shops selling colorful straw beach totes and artisan foods Locals had stopped painting and repairing facades long ago and the decay had the transporting effect of not only place but time casting deep shadows across the paved stone streets I could almost imagine encountering a 9th century Tuscan or any number of ruling peoples who had once inhabited the city since its founding just over a millennium ago When she's not in a vineyard or the ocean Follow her around the world on Instagram and Twitter With the guiding principle of the project being the preservation of the landscape, Dominique Coulon & Associés drew up a precise survey of every tree and every rock of the proposed site in Porto-Vecchio. ‘The shape of the building is deduced from these characteristic elements, which we were anxious to preserve,’ explains the french architecture studio The project embraces the trees and rocks through its concrete curves forming outdoor and indoor spaces that enhance the landscape’s natural beauty a sweeping curve encloses the open air garden accessed via a ramp that makes its way through the trees This open space features an area for reading The project is developed to provide users with generous and comfortable spaces linked both to urban life and the surrounding landscape The interior is defined by fluidity and transparency with functions following one after the other in a harmonious coexistence the library’s spaces feature abundant natural light while offering panoramic views of the city. ‘It is the elements of the site that produce the plasticity of this project echoing the landscape by revealing its beauty,’ notes Dominique Coulon & Associés the animu media library is designed to preserve the site’s natural beauty the building appears to float above the ground a gentle ramp leads users towards a special garden the curves of the structure envelop the landscape the ramp preserves the original topography the project is merged with rocks and trees present on the site large openings allow abundant natural light within the library architect: Dominique Coulon & Associés collaborator: Amelia Tavella Architectes location: Porto-Vecchio France client: Town of Porto-Vecchio [Corsica] area: 1200 sqm AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style 2013©Serge DetalleSave this storySaveSave this storySaveCorsica’s secret is out Savvy travelers are discovering this once-under-the-radar its diverse landscape ranging from snowcapped mountains to red-rock sea cliffs to chestnut forests It also boasts sugary white-sand beaches and turquoise waters none more appealing than those found near Porto-Vecchio That’s where Corsica’s newest luxury resort, the 15-room La Plage Casadelmar debuted in August Designed by Jean-François Bodin (the architect behind the renovation of Paris’s Picasso Museum) which resemble mod versions of Corsican shepherd huts border a placid beach ringed with fragrant pines highlighted by a red-cedar terrace overlooking the water offers plates of grilled fish and roasted game There you’ll find standards like Corsican lobster and côte de veau in addition to more experimental offerings Continue Reading: Peloponnese, Greece My grandmother was born here and a lot of my family still lives in Venaco where nothing is artificial and everything is in harmony with nature Something speaks to me about this way of life Mathilde LaurentWHAT’S YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF THE ISLAND?‘Stepping off the plane – I must have been about three years old. The airport then was just a strip in a field, so we landed straight in the heart of Corsica, right among the trees. What I remember most are the smells: the air was filled with them. It’s very different from the rest of France there are plants that can only be found here: types of chamomile and orchid; wild eucalyptus It’s such an evocative place for olfactory memory.’ ‘I usually connect with my family in Venaco – I have my own home here and I can just open the front door and see my cousins – but I like to travel around and visit different spots, too. One of my favourites is L’Ile-Rousse on the north coast, with its pretty white beaches and cobbled streets. Villa Joséphine is a small boutique hotel set in the hills and Hôtel Minera Both are quiet and completely immersed in nature Villa Joséphine hotel in L’Ile-RousseSylvain AlessandriMOST INTERESTING SPOT FOR A CULTURE FIX?‘The Citadelle in Corte with its 15th-century castle and barracks – it’s breathtaking because it’s so high up sitting on a steep rock overlooking the town It was built under Spanish rule and serves as an interestingreminder of the island’s political history There’s also a wonderful museum that traces the traditions of Corsica There are lots of rivers all over Corsica; I often head to the Vecchio with my family and sit by the Pont de Noceta bridge in Venaco and you can go for ages without thinking about the time – you just watch the light changing as the sun moves through the sky.’ Restaurant terrace at Hôtel MineraFrancesco CapparelliWHERE ARE YOUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO EAT?‘I like really fresh, healthy food. Corsican cooking is Mediterranean, with influences from Italy and France a leek pastry that’s similar to a doughnut My grandmother used to make them but I can never get the recipe quite right a hotel and restaurant in the Vivario district I prefer restaurants in the mountains to those by the sea – you get the best cheeses an old stone farmhouse in the countryside around Murato is an exceptional showcase of local food including ham cheese and savoury pastries with fresh tomato and wild herbs I remember my aunt picking wild mint and oregano on the hillside – she knew exactly what she was looking for – then cooking them with vegetables and serving them on pastry with olive oil Corsica is the place that awakened me to fragrance a bakery and pastry shop owned by my good friend Edmond Casanova It’s in a historic building on the main street in the town of Corte Another must-try pudding is falculelle – little cakes made with cheese that are simply delicious.’ It’s busy at any time of day and the centre of village life People come here for a coffee in the morning or have a drink and a pizza in the evening I have a virgin Mojito with fresh mint and lime at bar Le Rex Ferme-Auberge de Campo di Monte in MuratoSylvain AlessandriTHE LOVELIEST STORES YOU HAVE DISCOVERED?‘I’m very fond of Corsican products – I try to shop locally when I’m here a fantastic beauty brand with a store in Bastia a flower that soothes the skin and is especially good for after-sun rehydration an organic cosmetics company that works with plants found in the maquis a shrubland of aromatic herbs that’s unique to the Mediterranean with stalls selling various toiletries made from natural ingredients where I pick up organic soap with patchouli which you can only get in Corsican pharmacies.’ CorsicaGetty ImagesIS THIS WHERE YOU WERE FIRST INSPIRED TO MAKE PERFUME?‘Corsica is definitely the place that awakened me to fragrance In every one of my scents I have kept that purity found in plants and flowers immediate – is something that is always there in my work.’ Where to stay in Corsica Where to stay in CorsicaGallery13 SlidesBy Charlotte SinclairView SlideshowMisíncu: Corsica's chicest hotel Misíncu: Corsica's chicest new hotelGallery19 SlidesBy Richard GodwinView SlideshowWhat to do in Corsica Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Migrants in Lampedusa's Porto Vecchio wait to be transferred by ferry to Porto Empedocle from where they will be sent to reception centers across the country a period when Lampedusa declared a state of emergency due to an influx of about 7,000 migrants in a few days Italy — The small harbor in Lampedusa is crowded with a fleet of dilapidated wooden and metal smuggler's boats filthy clothes and plastic water bottles float in the sea It's the debris of thousands of migrants who recently arrived on the shores of this small Italian island Lampedusa is the closest piece of European territory to North Africa so many migrants who make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean land there first aid workers and medical staff — pale from lack of sleep — help men and families clamber out of two more boats that just arrived from Tunisia Some 12,000 people — more than twice the population of this island — arrived here in a single week this month walked into Lampedusa town in search of help They crowded streets lined with restaurants and trinket shops for tourists Boats used by migrants to arrive at Lampedusa are transported to the port Lampedusans attend a public assembly in Freedom Square to protest the management of migration flows by local and national authorities on Sept Many opened their doors to give the migrants a place to wash And the owner of one ice cream shop handed out gelato What else are we meant to do?" says Mario Verde a resident sitting with friends on a stone bench in the main square Migrants enter a ferry boarding under the control of police and Italian Red Cross workers who distribute water and basic items in Lampedusa Two Syrian migrants wait to be transferred to Sicily by ferry in Lampedusa In Lampedusa, although there's sympathy for the migrants, the topic is also very sensitive. In the local hospital, there are separate gynecologists to treat migrants and local women. The decision is intended to show all patients are equal, "so that no pregnant woman comes across as superior to the other," explains Moussa Koulibaly. Koulibaly works for the local authority as an interpreter between the Italian emergency services and migrants, many of whom speak French and tribal languages. He arrived in Italy from Guinea in 2017 and has since coauthored a book about how he managed to integrate into society through taekwando. "Sport helps unify people," he says in his now-perfect Italian. "But still, it was extremely difficult — psychologically, physically, culturally — to start a new life." Now he tries to help those he meets through his work. Moussa Koulibaly offers help at the port of Lampedusa, Sept. 20. Migrants in Lampedusa's Porto Vecchio wait to be transferred by ferry to Porto Empedocle, from where they will be sent to reception centers across the country, Sept. 20. "When the migrants arrive at the port, they sometimes tut and hiss and kiss their teeth to catch someone's attention. This is normal in lots of African countries," he says. Laughing warmly, he says: "I tell them: 'Hey, don't ever do that, brother; it's rude here!'" Even as Lampedusans help the migrants, the situation has infuriated many who want the Italian government to do more to stop the arrivals. At a café in town, a group of local men and woman are in a heated debate. "We have to unite the people to take action," says a bearded, black-haired man wearing a shell necklace. He's Giacomo Sferlazzo, a musician and puppet master originally from the island, who made headlines days earlier as he and others blocked the convoy of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. She was visiting the island with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyden, in response to local panic after some 7,000 migrants landed in a single day. Meloni campaigned on a promise to reduce migration to Italy — a commitment she hasn't been able to keep. With the road blocked by protesters, she stepped out of the car to speak with Sferlazzo. Migrants in Lampedusa's Porto Vecchio wait to be transferred to Porto Empedocle, Sept. 21. Migrants in Lampedusa's Porto Vecchio wait to be transferred by ferry to Porto Empedocle and then sent to reception centers, Sept. 22. "As usual, I face up to things," she told him, and vowed to do everything possible to let islanders enjoy their annual festival of the Madonna of Lampedusa without interruption from more migrant arrivals and visits by politicians seeking photo ops. Later, Meloni announced a decision to extend the time some migrants can be kept in detention centers before being repatriated. But the policy only applies to those who have been through the lengthy asylum process and are slated for deportation — a tiny minority of those who land in Italy. Sferlazzo describes himself as a Marxist-Leninist, but on the issue of migration, he's formed what might seem an unlikely union with Lucia, the town's deputy mayor, who is with the right-wing Lega party. Their plan is to stop Lampedusa from becoming what he calls "a military zone." Attilio Lucia, the deputy mayor of Lampedusa, in his office on Sept. 20. Lucia is with Italy's right-wing Lega party. Sferlazzo lists the many military, naval and police outfits that have a presence on the island because of the migrant arrivals. He says the island lives off tourism and fishing and he doesn't want that to change. Migrants who land on Lampedusa now are swiftly taken by Italian authorities to larger reception centers in Sicily or Italy's mainland. But Sferlazzo and Lucia fear that the government wants to expands Lampedusa's capacity for housing migrants — possibly leading to the island becoming a reception center for migrants, who could spend years waiting for requests for asylum to be processed. "We, an island of 11 kilometers by three, cannot carry the weight of the world," says Sferlazzo. There's little evidence that this is the government's plan. But islanders are so sensitive to the possibility that when authorities sent a shipment of tents intended for migrants this month, Sferlazzo and Lucia immediately mobilized. "We decided to go down to the street and call on the population of Lampedusa," says Lucia. Alongside hundreds of islanders, they marched to the port and managed to stop the ship from docking. "We will not let Lampedusa become Alcatraz," Lucia says. The puppet show organized by Giacomo Sferlazzo revisits the 16th century story of Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto, a love story set against the backdrop of an invasion of Europe by armies from the Middle East, and a battle for Christian survival. In the main square, crowds gather to watch a puppet show Sferlazzo has brought to the island. It recounts the 16th century tale of Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto, a love story set to the backdrop of an invasion of Europe by armies from the Middle East, and a battle for Christian survival. Introducing the show, Sferlazzo says he's against war and wants "dialogue with the people of the Mediterranean." But his decision to put on this show feels to some in the audience too much like coincidence, and the underlying message is clear: Just like the response to the migrant crisis by many of Europe's governments, for all the sympathy they offer, Lampedusans won't let their island become the migrants' new home. 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The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers When you purchase through links on our site This fiercely proud Mediterranean island dazzles with its diving opportunities I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice “One of these days I’ll actually listen to what I’m being told,” I chide myself as the first naked couple walks past me birthday suits nut-brown in the soft light of a Corsican dawn the lady from Hippocampe Dive Centre who was about to spirit me to the nearby Cerbical Islands had mentioned something about diving naturists in a nature reserve but I only caught the “nature reserve” bit having passed more unreserved natural bits and fully clothed in my Englishman-abroad attire I am rapidly disrobed by Germanic dive master Karin and spooned into a wetsuit to join the awaiting divers in the Zodiac rib a dolphin not 20 metres away wheeling in the silky deep I spot the distant specks of the Cerbical Isles; one of the best spots around Corsica for diving I’m here in Corsica’s extreme south to dive For years I’ve been tempted to come to this mountainous island southeast of the French mainland but have either been put off by the rumour it’s astronomically expensive or the suggestion that Corsicans are not particularly welcoming I quickly discover I’m wrong on both counts a five-minute walk from Porto Vecchio’s swaggering harbour on the south-east coast with its pavement bars and bobbing millionaires’ yachts A former wine storage house with Cyclopean-thick walls my apartment is all Gustavian greys and Scandinavian simplicity polished cement floors and industrial-chic lighting The balcony overlooks a salt-marsh nature reserve back-dropped by the Ospedale Mountains In the dawn light its water reflects the peach sky gracefully silhouetted by the frames of storks alighting upon boulders Visitors at this time of year are likely also to be greeted by flamingos But the real drama had been above me on the hill Punctuated by the spire of St Jean Baptiste Church built by the Genoese in the early 16th century is today a confection of narrow streets spilling with fresh produce cafes and restaurants piping refreshing mist across checked-cloth tables and gorgeously classy boutiques and cobbles that predate Bonaparte (who was born in Corsica) I had sought refuge from the fierce midday sun in the stained-glass serenity of the citadel’s granite 19th-century St Jean Baptiste church I took a seat beside an old carousel ride in tiny Place de la République and people-watched a cosmo crowd of French mainlanders sinewy Corsicans and the occasional well-heeled Brit Much of the citadel’s charm is in sampling its local cuisine the locally brewed beer blended with chestnuts to produce a distinctly nutty taste U Spuntinu Restaurant served a tantalising array of local cheese such as brocciu (made from whey and goat’s milk) and traditional courgette beignets with mint old town Porto Vecchio concocted a vivid atmosphere – dressed-to-the-nines beautiful people restaurants clinging to the vertiginous cliff-face dishing up moules marinière – and all the while the carousel horses silently galloping around Place de la République with metronomic frequency while at the same time French… though essentially Corsican You see everybody from the Genoans to the French (and even briefly the British) have taken an interest in shaping the island’s history and in their eyes that’s decidedly not French In a history spanning 4,000 years the Gauls appear as a mere 200 year-old footnote was my first encounter with perfection; its sand indulgently fine between my toes a cow wandered diffidently down the beach towards me I made a mental note that a week was not going to be long enough here nearby A Chabraca Restaurant fired up delicious pizzas served to beautiful sunset views and by the friendliest staff My next destination was to Corsica’s oldest town the cliff-top citadel of medieval Bonifacio half an hour's drive south of Porto Vecchio the place is an enchanting warren of Escheresque streets its buildings look as if they’re an extension of the striated 70m-high cliffs they surge from I could have taken the punishing climb up the Montée Rastello and Montée St-Roch steps which head into the old town and on through the Genoa Gate for the celebrated view of the Grain de Sable a limestone sea stack; but now lazily in sync with Corsica’s sleepy rhythms I instead drove up the to the top of the hill parking by the Mariners’ Cemetery with its ornate mausoleums glowering seaward Bonifacio is abundant with street-side cafes Stomach rumbling and tempted by its white stone interior and panoramic sea views Dauphinoise potatoes and glass of house wine cost a reasonable €25 If you’re lucky you can bag a table on the balcony though be prepared to leave your stomach inside To appreciate fully the visual feast of this little town perched upon cliffs it’s best to see it from the water and catching an excursion boat from Bonifacio marina to the nearby Lavezzi Isles is the best way to do it These uninhabited outcrops are quiet off-season their protected marine waters home to scorpion fish It was around the Lavezzi Isles Odysseus is said to have come across the cannibalistic Laestrygonians the tightly packed houses of Bonifacio looked like tiny ornaments upon the ragged cliffs their pastel shades a burnt amber in the setting sun The remainder of my week took on a turquoise complexion 22km south of Porto Vecchio toward Bonifacio was a favourite; its horseshoe-shaped bay threaded with teal and aquamarine and perfectly sheltered for paddle-boarding and swimming More cows wandered photogenically across the sand Once I’d found Rondinara I gave up looking for anything better So back to my last day and I’m 18m-deep in navy Med beneath me a canyon disappearing into the murk of the Cerbical Isles Stacked at polite intervals like planes waiting to land as a string of large barracuda swim menacingly past my Hippocampe dive master shines her torch upon starfish and recesses in the cliff wall lighting-up submarine dramas of scuttling shrimp and moon-eyed pink fish And then like all good things my enchanting dive is over Richard Waters travelled as a guest of Corsican Places (01489 866 931; corsica.co.uk) which offers holidays to Corsica from £349pp including flights and car hire or transfers Hippocampe Dive Centre (hippocampe.de; 00 33 60 999 3633; dives from €51 including equipment) visit-corsica.com Find hotels and resorts in Corsica and book your holiday today! Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Balzac's The Vendetta painted the islanders as stubborn and courageous mountain people of a constitution not dissimilar to the island's granite cliffs; and that stereotype still exists today The novel's title suggests something of the volatile machismo that occasionally erupts here; the mafia is an enduring presence - not that you'd know it But the benefit of such wariness - developers can find themselves tied up in red tape for years - is a paradise that looks barely touched by the 21st century: lush and wild industrial parks or any of the urban clog that despoils other Mediterranean isles The lounge bar at La Plage CasadelmarWhere to stay in Northern CorsicaVisitors traditionally stick to the south coast so the north remains an insider's secret - a charmed part and peaks give way to small fishing villages and perfect bays of powdery white sand lapped by opalescent waves a 30km peninsula at the very tip of the island every bend revealing a beach more beautiful than the last a lovely village of stone houses and terracotta roofs and the location of a smart hotel A 17th-century villa wedged into the hillside this grey-and-white temple to minimalism is the work of Nathalie Battesti a protégée of Andrée Putman and Christian Liaigre Although it resembles a Florentine palazzo modern sculpture in the lobby and not a hair out of place They resemble yacht crew or chic Nurse Ratcheds but of course far kinder and more solicitous serving my husband and me drinks as we loll on white sofas on the wooden deck beside the small restaurant - also white they bring tapenade with geometrically placed crispbreads including no-frills La Ferme de Campo di Monte in Murato and Michelin-starred Le Pirate north of Bastia delicious Corsican fare: freshly caught tuna The terrace at Pietra NovaCamille MoirencThe next morning, after croissants and coffee at the hotel, we head down to Saint-Florent, an elegant little town of cobbled streets, pink-plastered houses, cafés, boutiques and, at the marina's edge, Paris-wannabe cocktail bars and sushi restaurants Saint-Florent's attempt at urban cool is charming rather than off-putting I buy a foldable straw fedora from a modish lifestyle boutique called Orangerie and we jump on a taxi-boat to Saleccia beach in the Désert des Agriates national park rather a protected stretch of coastline comprised of secluded beaches and gently crumbling watchtowers backed by forests threaded with hiking paths and hidden rivers Saleccia is a dream: a long bar of Champagne-coloured sand and mirror-clear turquoise sea. I feel like we've landed in Zanzibar But the voices that drift towards us are distinctly French as is our picnic - jambon sandwiches bought from a Saint-Florent snack bar we swap flip-flops for trainers and hike the 40-minute trail to the adjacent Loto beach passing through woods of oak and pine (where the silence is total like a held breath) and ruined shepherds' huts This native brush is called the maquis; its distinctive fragrance is said to have haunted Napoleon's dreams while he was captive on Elba and the water inviting a last swim before we get back on the boat The sitting room at Pietra NovaCamille MoirencThe next day we drive along a twisting hill road (not to be endeavoured on a hangover) to a villa called Pietra Nova in the heart of the Balagne - a gorgeous area of beaches and mountains that stretches along the coast between Calvi and L'Ile-Rousse cubic block of concrete with retractable glass walls and spacious rooms full of antique curios The house is hidden in the valley beneath the hilltop village of Lumio; and from a wraparound terrace shaded with oak we can see the shadowed peaks and the curling sea bright gold as the afternoon sun spills across its surface a fortified citadel trimmed with an eight-kilometre beach It is reputedly the birthplace of Christopher Columbus though quite why he would want to leave such a spot is a mystery there's an outside shower set into a natural rock basin and at night Balinese lamps cast a glow over the low-slung seating a Relais & Châteaux hotel with seven acres of palm-fringed gardens and a private beach club.) a stylish restaurant serving swordfish-and-mango salad and elaborate desserts The restaurants lining the streets that run upwards from the busy marina offer interchangeable menus of sea bass where we spy revellers dancing on a terrace high up on the city walls a barefoot beach diner in the bay adjacent to Le Pain de Sucre distinguished for its location and the photographs of model and actress Laetitia Casta that line the walls at 9am the bay is already busy with little boys in masks and snorkels we stroll along to a remarkable spot where flat slabs of rock meet the sea and giant boulders smooth as pebbles gather like Anish Kapoor sculptures a sweet market town and busy port with dozens of biscuiteries artisanales tucked down cobbled alleys and a local's favourite hidden beside the miniature railway track that connects the coastal villages of the Balagne Mariko JesseLunch is steak-frites at a snack bar on the rocks at the head of the bay - delicious but possibly inadvisable because afterwards we drive up an extremely twisty road into the mountains The Route des Artisans leads to weather-beaten medieval villages strung together like pearls each home to a community of craftspeople: ceramicists At Pigna we buy pottery the colour of the ocean In Sant'Antonino we stop at a church that has a staggering view and a floor laid with the most stylish handmade tiles this side of Paris architect- designed winery and art gallery This place is evidence of the quiet changes afoot here in northern Corsica I feel like we have only scratched the surface There are hiking routes in the nearby Bonifatu forest where according to Nathalie Bourgogne 'you can walk for days and days' 'I went to school here as a child,' says Bourgogne That's what makes it magic.' In a world in which change is the only constant Northern Corsica is the off-radar place to be but two of the island's loveliest hotels are in the south Our review of Misíncu Corsica Misíncu: Corsica's chicest new hotelGallery19 SlidesBy Richard GodwinView SlideshowSmall hotels in the South of France The best hotels in the South of FranceGallery15 SlidesBy Sarah James and Lanie GoodmanView SlideshowThis feature first appeared in Condé Nast Traveller September 2014 Next: Back to Intro >> the Casadelmar is a modern riff of gray stone and cedar cladding with views over Porto-Vecchio’s bay in the region that includes Bonifacio and Porto-­Vecchio are the preferred mooring spot for celebrity yachts in August when their owners shuttle between Corsica and Sardinia the best way to see this part of the island is by boat and it’s easy to find rentals that range from a day-trip to a weeklong excursion (see “Bonus,” below) Don’t miss natural wonders like the islands of Lavezzi and the white-chalk cliffs of Palombaggia is where Ulysses purportedly took refuge from a huge storm only to find that he had holed up in a colony of giants but outside the high season it is easy to find a quiet beachside hideaway a refurbished resort on a quiet cove with a little beach and a very helpful staff (33-4-95-73-05-58; doubles from $255) Porto-Vecchio’s Casadelmar led a new generation of intimate hotels Davide Bisetto is executive chef at the Hotel Casadelmar Bisetto's specials have included seiche a l’encre et vitelotte poire (squid in blue ink with vitellote purée) Bonifacio is where Ulysses purportedly sought refuge and where sun worship now gives way to shopping and dining an Italian real estate promoter built a large resort on the shore of Corsica’s Cala Longa beach It operated for two years before a sudden bombing destroyed the property Information regarding the incident is limited and the source and motive behind the bomb is in question a local law requires an agreement with the local nationalists (who are known as a kind of mafia) before building a villa or resort It is speculated by some locals that the proper agreement was never made A preserved portion of an ancient Athens barrier is displayed in a hotel basement This lonely tower survived the landslide that devastated much of a Mexican mining town A riverside park built around the ruins of a massive dam that collapsed in 1909 Ancient ruins hidden underneath a modern luxury hotel The worst flood disaster in Welsh history might have been a lot worse if it had not happened on movie night George Martin's Caribbean recording studio now rots within the shadow of an active volcano The ruins of a megalithic monument sit right in the garden of a luxurious Maltese resort Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times tFollow me on Twitter @mbytimeinc gFollow us on Google+ A leisurely meander around the the Tyrrhenian Islands fortuitously concludes with a fishy feast for Gilbert and Maire Park Originally my wife, Maire, and I had planned to cruise our Nimbus 365, Let’s Go, from its home berth in the South of France to Corsica but since our friends Janet and David had a holiday booked in Sardinia we decided to extend it to take in both Tyrrhenian Islands We had been to Sardinia before in a previous boat and loved every minute of it and now we had the perfect excuse to revisit it The plan was to meet our friends near Olbia and take them to a fabulous restaurant for lunch on the island of Tavolara a few miles further south It was a long way to go for lunch but every good cruise deserves a rewarding destination window._taboolaSlots=window._taboolaSlots||[];window._taboolaSlots.push({"mode":"thumbnails-a-mid","container":"taboola-mid-article","placement":"Mid Article","target_type":"mix"}); It had all looked so easy on paper but inevitably when May came and we wanted to leave our base in Aigues Mortes (near Montpellier) to cross the Gulf of Lyon – the windiest place in the Mediterranean – the area experienced its longest period of sustained high winds for many years Then suddenly a one-day window appeared in the forecast which would be followed by another four days of gales scurrying around the eastern edge of the Gulf to Saint Mandrier We have visited this marina several times before and love the laid-back atmosphere and regular local events There is a colourful Saturday food market awash with homegrown produce and a Sunday flea market for the bargain hunters A water bus shuttles back and forth to the city of Toulon every 30 minutes at the princely sum of two euros for a 20-minute ride After four nights the gales abated and we were off again to the Ile de Porquerolles where we planned to refuel the boat and be ready to leave the next day for the crossing to Calvi in Corsica The crossing is 118 miles through open sea and although we have done it before there was still a sense of anxiety about setting out to sea alone in a relatively small boat The best way we have found of relieving this is a good meal and a bottle of wine the night before to send us on our way The restaurant we chose was L’Orangeraie in Place d’Armes and the deciding factor was the blackboard outside describing their commitment to customer service the service and the sunset were all first class there are no tidal gates to worry about in the Mediterranean and the forecast was for little wind and a calm sea so we slept well and rose at a reasonable hour ready for our departure The sea was as kind as predicted and we cruised at about 17 knots taking our time to enjoy the pods of dolphins that appeared on our bow and even the occasional whale “We were treated to the amazing sight of the citadel bathed in glorious spring sunshine against a stunning backdrop of snow-covered mountains” Corsica started to appear on the horizon and we debated what it was we could see on the mountain peaks – was it cloud or was it snow even though we were well into May it had snowed the day before As we entered the bay of Calvi we were treated to the amazing sight of the citadel bathed in glorious spring sunshine against a stunning backdrop of snow-covered mountains Calvi needs more than a one-night stopover to enjoy fully so we booked the berth for four nights and spent the days exploring the town and its surroundings as well as a bakery 50m away from our berth where we could buy our morning croissants still warm from the oven A train trip to L’Ile-Rousse on Friday took us to a huge street market where we stocked up on fresh fruit and vegetables On previous visits we’d enjoyed an all-day bus trip around the northern part of the island but feeling we’d already ticked that box we chose instead to wander around the old town discovering restaurants and bars as well a commercial area a little further out of town that had everything on our shopping list After four nights it was time to set sail again stopping briefly to refuel (we had used 351 litres of diesel on the 118nm crossing from Porquerolles to Calvi – 2.97 litres per mile) before leaving for a two-hour trip north to Saint Florent The Capitainerie welcomed us in and helped with our lines making docking easy It’s a pretty town and our evening walks along the promenade looking at the boats with an ice cream in hand made it a very pleasant two-day stay The next part of the trip was around Cap Corse with its fearsome reputation for rough weather Despite the forecast of low winds and calm seas We got round it alright but not without a fair bit of water being thrown right over the top of our Nimbus Let’s Go coped admirably with the conditions who has tested every sea sickness cure known to man didn’t feel as bad as she’d expected to in the circumstances it was with some relief that we pulled into the marina at Macinaggio Although it’s a huge marina surrounded by masses of restaurants a supermarket and no less than three different chandleries there isn’t much else to see or do – other than the inevitable boules court the old capital of Corsica until Napoleon moved it to his home town of Ajaccio We arrived just before midday in the old port and could get no reply from the Capitainerie (the office shuts from 1130 to 1400) so we found an empty berth and moored up When the office reopened we were told we could stay where we were – good job too as a few minutes later we heard the Capitainerie telling other boats the port was full Being inveterate tourists we went on an evening bus tour to see the Holy Stairs at the Chapel of our Lady Monserrato The faithful climb these steps on their knees We also walked the length of the high street to the other marina which though well situated opposite a hypermarket and a laundry The weather was settled so we took the opportunity to take a short diversion to the Italian island of Elba Our first stop was Portoferraio and that evening we strolled around the old town with its narrow cobbled streets terraced paths and grand fortress before settling on a tiny restaurant in the main square and the tables were covered in plastic gingham but the food was exquisite the service impeccable and the cost amazingly low Elba is a must-see for Mediterranean cruisers The following day we picked up a hire car and drove out to see Napoleon’s country house only to find it was shut so instead we went for a drive around the island Despite the rain we did get to see some wonderful coastal scenery Once we’d exhausted our sightseeing opportunities on this side of Elba we cruised our boat round to the other side of the island to Porto Azzurro the ice cream shops and the welcoming people made it a fantastic place to be We ate in a harbour-front restaurant (Calafata Osteria) and I had the best pizza I have ever eaten called a Livorno that was topped with a delicious mixture of onions and cream wonderful coastal walks just a stone’s throw from the boat and you can see why we liked it Having read the pilot books and trawled the Internet we decided to cut out the middle section of Corsica’s east coast and headed straight for Porto Vecchio instead some 90 miles further south When we first arrived it was a bit of a disappointment The cobbled town square was being dug up and it was all a bit of an anticlimax electric shuttle bus that not only takes you to the old city but also to and from the supermarkets – bliss I did walk to the chandlery and in the process saw what looked liked a rather lovely waterside hotel restaurant called Le Goeland with its own dock for visiting boats but we ate there that night and the food was every bit as excellent as hoped setting us up nicely for our passage across the Bonifacio Straits to Sardinia the following day Leaving Porto Vecchio bound for Sardinian shores The crossing from Corsica to Sardinia drifted by at a leisurely pace passing the Madalena islands en route before peeling off from the channel to pick up a mooring buoy in Cannigione This small Italian seaside town was one of our favourite places The marina staff were the best we came across helping us with the buoy and on our return trip when we were reversing into our berth in a Force 6 crosswind they even used a dinghy to ease us safely in Then it was off to Porto di Punta Marana to meet up with our friends Despite being the most expensive marina we stayed in it was also the most disappointing – water you couldn’t drink it was offset by a fabulous lunch with our friends This was followed by a few hours at anchor in the afternoon in a nearby cove to let dinner settle before heading back to base A perfect day and worth all the effort and every cent Porto Marana is located on the north-east coast of Sardinia After four nights it was off to Cannigione and back to Corsica stopping this time at Propriano to hire a car and see the famous standing stones dotted around the area The first ones we visited at Filitosa are more than 8,000 years old and have carvings of faces and weapons chiselled into the rock There are also Bronze Age buildings called Castelli whose exact function remains unknown is a 20-minute walk down a track and protected only by a few old posts and wire Walk a little further and you come to another row of standing stones at Renaghju where you will find an intact burial chamber Stopping off at Propiano for a stroll among the famous stones and walked down a track for 20 minutes to a tumbled down wall with wire sagging across it and a little arrow on the rocks Fifty metres on we came to the incredible sight of 268 orange menhirs in the middle of scrubland After all this excitement we needed a bit of relaxation so we pootled off in Let’s Go anchoring first in Campomorro where we were joined by the classic motor yacht Malahne that has hosted Hollywood stars such as Elizabeth Taylor We bypassed Ajaccio and anchored in the Baie de Sagone for a bit of snorkeling and paddle boarding The time was rapidly approaching for our crossing back to the mainland Cargèse – a town famous for its two churches one Greek Orthodox and the other Roman Catholic that face each other across a small valley By now a heatwave was starting and we wended our way up to the village first for lunch and then on to see the churches and marvel at the internal decorations not because of the food but because of the traditional Corsican music that accompanied it The next morning we set off back across to Hyeres where we refuelled (362L 128 miles) on the mainland After that we went off to another favourite spot Calanques are narrow valleys with deep sides formed by erosion or the collapse of a roof in a limestone cave We picked up a buoy and rowed across to attach a stern line to one of the rings on the cliff wall (the drop off is so steep that some boats simply back up to it and thread the line while standing on the bathing platform) “A dip in the cool water of the calanque was a necessity so too was following the local custom of an afternoon nap” The heatwave was really taking hold by now and a dip in the cool water of the calanque was a necessity – so too was following the local custom of a nap in the afternoon but here she was tempted by the promise of the Michelin starred restaurant As we watched the sunset over the Mediterranean eating delicious food and drinking equally good wine I knew this was a fitting end to a wonderful holiday We had intended to visit Sausset Les Pins on the way out because it was said to be bustling and filled with style So we thought it would be a good place to end our trip When we got there the visitor’s pontoon was almost empty we visited the town and were disappointed by how quiet it was The annual Sardine festival at Sausset Les Pins That is until the evening when the harbour really started to buzz it was the night of the annual sardine feast for the town when the fishermen all bring in fresh sardines that are cooked on a huge communal barbeque – a truly delicious ending to the trip Lowest: Sausset les Pins (€33.78 per night) both on the buoys (€25/night) and in the marina (€50/night) including clearing a fouled propeller at no charge Mediterranean France and Corsica Pilot by Rod and Lucinda Heikell Italian Waters Pilot by Rod and Lucinda Heikell Bloc Marine – Cruising Guide (If you are going to France this is worthwhile for the large scale maps of the entire coast) some include swell that can be a problem at anchor Charts: Navionics of the whole area; instruction books are on my Android memory card for everything on the boat from the bilge pumps to the anchor light First published in the November 2019 edition of Motor Boat & Yachting POWERED BY TRIBOO Made In Chelsea is almost back on our screens and the cast is swapping West London for the French island of Corsica Corsica has almost 200 beaches and a nature park that occupies over 40 per cent of the island While Corsica is known for its natural beauty it wouldn’t be a season of MIC without boujee nightlife and expensive villas- so of course the island has a whole lot of that We've done some digging and tracked down the cast's fave beach clubs dining spots and beaches- so you don't have to the cast is staying in the fanciest of villas off the coast of southeast Corsica near Porto-Vecchio featuring a private pool with panoramic views of the sea just east of Porto-Vecchio sleeps six guests with three bedrooms and has a private pool and garden area that overlooks the ocean Prices start at £205 a night onAirbnb.com and the town is just a five-minute drive away so it’s best to grab your friends and split the cost for this one Located in Porto-Vecchio on the east coast of the island is the popular beach club Sea Lounge This beach club has the MIC seal of approval as the cast has been spotted here multiple times with Miles even saying that it is the “best beach bar they’d been to” we’ve got very high expectations about this place The wooden terrace right on the beachfront houses their Da Mare restaurant which specialises in upscale cuisine such as steak tartare and ceviche and the beach club has live music and DJs in the evening If you’re wanting to carry on the party elsewhere head down south to B’52 Bonifacio (another favourite of the cast while filming) for a night of strobe lighting smoke machine atmospherics and a variety of resident DJs Just be prepared for a hangover on the beach in the morning Even though its old-town dates back to medieval times Bonifacio is most known for its lively marina sophisticated Italian feel with lots of maze-like cobbled streets it’s the perfect place to rent a boat for the day and explore the hidden beaches only accessible by boat or foot Bonifacio itself is encircled by citadel walls that sit almost dangerously close to the cliff edge the walls make a great walking trail and will give you stunning views across to the nearby island of Sardinia Home to lots of celebs’ holiday properties Cala Rossa is the most exclusive area in Corsica With bright turquoise waters and white sands the beach overlooks the bay of Porto-Vecchio whilst being away from the hustle and bustle of the town The cast was spotted at the Petite Plage de Cala Rossa (the smaller beach in the area) with its recognisable bridge out over the rocks that makes for a fab Insta pic We’ve done some digging and tracked down lots of the restaurants that the cast dined at. Imogen Bloom posted a pic of herself outside popular beachside restaurant Le Tiki Chez Marco in Lecci The restaurant serves up a range of fresh salads and pizza on the terrace and delicious cocktails on the rooftop Make sure to book in advance as it can get busy Dining in Porto-Vecchio town centre was a popular choice for the cast, with Liv, Temps and Freddy all spotted at al fresco restaurant Les Beaux Arts They were later seen just down the road at Chez Anna – a small Italian restaurant serving up pizza and pasta Lots of the restaurants in this area are smaller and locally run serving up a mix of both French and Italian-influenced eats outside on the cobbled streets Made In Corsica starts Sunday 13th August on E4 Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141; Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed before the spectre of terrorism came to haunt so many tourist destinations Corsica had a reputation as a slightly dangerous place to take a holiday Years of occasionally violent separatist campaigning against France together with a proud and well-documented history of inter-family blood feuds exceeding in ferocity even those of Sicily one of the most stunning islands in the Mediterranean has been largely spared the mass tourism that has ravaged so much of southern Europe The combination of breathtaking beauty with emptiness is unnerving I spent two hot June days with my family by the River Solenzara just a few miles inland from the town of the same name on the east coast of the island sometimes slows into large pools wide and warm enough to make them perfect for a swim serrated granite ridges give way to thick pine and chestnut forest apart from goats clambering across the rocks and the fish which swarmed around our legs as we swam we saw just two couples during the entire time both of whom moved quickly on to find their own Corsica fills up during the high season with French and Italian holidaymakers But none of the resorts we visited in the southern half of the island displayed any of the scars of mass tourism There are no high-rise developments along the coast There is little of the concrete scurf of cafes and shops that disfigures so many Mediterranean beaches we had the roads that snake around the southern tip The twisting routes between the coastal plain and the mountains that rear dramatically upwards into the centre of the island make travelling laborious with journeys between coastal towns deceptively long But the scenery is superb - from the deep fjords of the western coastline round to the stunning beaches on the eastern seaboard through the maquis - the scrubland of thorns juniper and broom that covers the lowlands - to the range of jagged granite peaks that form the island's spine Porto Vecchio has enough of its sixteenth-century Genoese port remaining to make it worth a visit even if its surroundings are becoming marred by the kind of road junctions and industrial buildings which now ring so many mainland French towns But its tiny shaded square and warren of narrow streets make it a fine base with dozens of reasonable restaurants selling fresh seafood (the ubiquitous fish soup is a must) and pasta dishes some offering views across the neighbouring salt flats to the port The shops are fun too - my daughter spent hours (and lots of euros) buying minute glass animals made on the spot by a family of Italian craftsmen set amid a sprawl of small stone holiday cottages spread across a hillside a few miles from the town jumbled pile of pink concrete walls and marble floors with its own courtyard and tiny pool carved out of the hillside large pool set among the pines and cork trees and enjoyed fabulous views across the hills towards the town Just a few miles south of Porto Vecchio is the beach of Palombaggia a gorgeous semi-circle of pale sand fringed by pine trees and curious pink rock outcrops it is impossible to find space on the beach considered the finest on the island - in June it was deserted If there are few humans to spoil the spring beauty of Corsica At first the bugs that drop down from the trees act as an amusing diversion for the children Then you realise that the whole tree above you is alive with tens of thousands of wriggling caterpillars and that the rustling you can hear is the branches of the trees - many of them cork oaks whose trunks have already been stripped to make corks for wine bottles - being denuded of their remaining leaves Then you see that bright green foliage covering the mountainsides has been eaten away across great swathes of the southern half of the island Locals shrug their shoulders and say that after a few seasons the insects will move to another region A few hours' drive from Porto Vecchio is the Renaissance citadel town of Bonifacio perched on top of a steep limestone peninsula that juts out into the sea from the southern tip of the island The town is a fascinating jumble of cobbled streets with views through the citadel's battlements across the sea towards Sardinia The restaurants that line the southern fringe of the haute-ville are overpriced and ordinary except in one stomach-churning respect - many of them overhang sheer white cliffs that plunge down hundreds of feet into the sea below It is the hint of menace that you feel in the back alleyways of Bonifacio that gives a clue to one of Corsica's attractions its gorgeous but wild mountain ranges and great deserted stretches of coastline in such stark contrast to the cultivated beauty of so much of the European Mediterranean Paul Webster and family travelled with Something Special Villa Holidays (0870 165 2601) One week in the three-bedroom/three-bathroom Villa La Lezardiere just outside Porto Vecchio costs from £557 per person per week (1-14 June) including flights from Gatwick and car hire This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media news of financial meltdown blazed across the headlines and it felt appropriately self-denying to spend two days on a journey that by air would have taken two hours languorous journeys are supposed to be a treat in the manner of the belle époque But the reality of spending two days faffing about between train and ferry terminals hoiking my suitcase on to luggage racks and leaving things in interim hotel rooms sounded as fun to me as camping my fantasies of train travel come mainly from TV adaptations of Agatha Christie and also a long-ago BBC drama called Carrie's War adapted from the Nina Bawden novel about a girl evacuated by train during the second world war I remember her gazing through the window on the way back from Wales having many sad epiphanies about the nature of her time there That was when carriages were private enough to be murdered in and spacious enough to let your thoughts fly out without snagging on the conversation of the people opposite and I was hoping for such an experience (epiphany not murder) on the train from Paris to Nice which I've always found strangely soothing; the grey and yellow upholstery is like being inside a school jumper The train gets into the Gare du Nord late morning and the connection to Nice The path of least resistance is to cross the road to the Brasserie Terminus Nord was once a regular haunt of Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway's (Make sure you get the right brasserie; there are lookalikes on either side but none has the art deco splendour or the flaming desserts of the Terminus Nord.) The restaurant is used to people piling in with luggage and a waiter in a white apron secretes our cases in an alcove some tourists but also a lot of French business people drinking over lunch in a way that seems redolent of a more louche and glamorous era Then we lumber to the Gare du Lyon for the TGV to Nice suffering under the delusion that we will never be hungry again At the Hotel Palais de la Méditerranée the following morning It's a new day and we're feeling extremely chipper The absurd wedding cake of a hotel is sumptuous in every detail and full of sun-withered old Brits dragging their dogs along the seafront by their jewel-encrusted collars But once you turn off the Promenade des Anglais and into the old town pedestrian-only alleys that wind up the hill I could happily have stayed there for a few days particularly since the hotel staff were so patient when I repeatedly locked myself out of my room But we haven't arrived at our destination yet we go to the port to get the ferry to Corsica It's dark by the time we reach the port of Bastia the island's second biggest town after the capital and a hairy 90-minute cab journey on unlit mountain roads to the Hotel la Villa in Calvi There is still an active separatist movement on the island and Corsican independence graffiti shows up on the side of stone buildings as the headlights sweep past One of the best things about Corsica is that it feels properly foreign The insularity of the culture has been compared to that of Sicily and the people are famously suspicious of outsiders Banditry was a problem until relatively recently and long-standing vendettas still exist within communities In-fighting even destabilised the independence movement which was put back in 1998 when one of its members murdered the island's representative in the French parliament; after that it was seen as too violent to negotiate with seriously after a war of independence with the Genoese (Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio a year later.) Its language is officially a dialect of Italian and the French spoken is Italian-accented It's a bonus that you don't hear much English Corsica is a popular holiday destination with the French middle class and while I'm sure they bicker around the pool as much as the British Corsica is just 90km off the coast of Tuscany and 170km from the Côte d'Azur Along with Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio in the south Calvi is one of the main tourist centres and it's small enough to explore in a day You can walk down the hill from the hotel in 15 minutes The marina is full of yachts and high above the town is an 15th-century fort built by the Genoese and attacked by the British at the end of the 18th century You can walk along the ramparts and look out across spectacular sea views The town below is a mixture of high-end shops selling designer clothing and small artisan outlets that probably haven't changed for decades with views over the bay and the distant fort corner baths and that cream and leather decor of standardised luxury The breakfast terrace overlooks an infinity pool bordered by olive groves We hire a car and drive three hours south to a hotel in Porto Vecchio but still big enough to get the sense of a road trip it feels as if you have travelled farther than you have and for long stretches it's impossible to pass so there are frustrating delays while you crawl behind cement mixers and trucks carrying soldiers (the island hosts a large training base for the French Foreign Legion) There is nothing standardised about the Grand Hotel de Cala Rossa one of the island's most prestigious hotels The atrium has an adobe Mexican feel and outside the garden runs unbroken down to the sea It looks like an exclusive resort in the Caribbean a private beach with pristine loungers and towels no visible roads and the air smells of pine slouchy chairs and local musicians who play in the evening The dining room has a Michelin star; the local chargrilled prawns are amazing and there's a dessert buffet full of tiny cakes and crème brûlée welded into individual ceramic ladles Porto Vecchio itself is a 15-minute drive away chaotic roads snaking through it and a classic French square arranged around a church Contrary to the Corsican reputation for surliness while we listen to the church bells and sit in the sunshine the waitress suggests remedies for my cold and brings me a hot citron pressé Another 20-minute drive farther south is Bonifacio a beautiful port named after an Italian marquis who passed that way in 824 winding steps and over a drawbridge to the Haute Ville the fortified old town built mainly in the 16th century and with endless views over the sea tottering apartments connected by improvised washing lines Ferries from France go to this side of the island once a week so if you can finesse your arrangements you'll save a three-hour car journey north again whereupon I crack at the thought of another cab ride and five-hour return voyage and take a 20-minute flight in a tiny plane back to Nice from Calvi airport the Côte d'Azur looks beautiful and the train winds up through the Midi where the countryside is so stunning it makes you see why you might go to all that bother in the first place but I do manage to gaze uninterrupted from the window for five hours Return fares from London to Nice start at £109. To book, call 0844 848 4070 or go to raileurope.co.uk. Corsica Ferries and SNCM operate ferries from Nice to Corsica (directferries.co.uk) We took a five-hour boat from Nice to Bastia and got a taxi to Calvi but it's worth organising your travel around a direct ferry unless you want to have a small breakdown when you get the quote from the cab driver Nice. Palais de la Méditerranée, Nice, The Leading Hotels of the World, 00800 2888 8882, lhw.com The TimesCorsica is small enough to drive everywhere in a day but you’ll spend a lot of time behind the wheel: it’s a much better idea to book a two-centre stay and focus on the adventures that appeal to you the most That might mean exploring such the white-sand beaches of the Agriates Desert and the red-ochre cliffs of the Calanches de Piana in the north or marvelling at Bonifacio’s caves and sailing to the Lavezzi Islands in the south.History buffs could combine Cap Corse with Filitosa while outdoor lovers could pedal through the hill villages of La Balagne and hike the Col de Bavella and Coscione Plateau — or attempt the GR20 Be sure to dip into Corsica’s wines and food while you’re there — the olive oil cured hams and brocciu ewe’s cheeses are exceptional — and try to catch a concert of polyphonic singing if you can Become a subscriber and along with unlimited digital access to The Times and The Sunday Times you can enjoy a collection of travel offers and competitions curated by our trusted travel partners Lavezzi Islands Nature ReserveALAMYThe mostly uninhabited Lavezzi Islands in southeastern Corsica boast some of the island’s finest beaches and offer superb snorkelling opportunities schools of rainbow wrasse will swim up to inspect you you can board any hourly voyage back — during summer the last one departs at 6.30pm — following a quick circuit of private Cavallo ensuring reasonable space for early arrivals Don’t forget to bring supplies and your snorkelling gear Canyoning in Le Cap CorseGETTY IMAGESVia ferrata hydrofoiling and paragliding are available around the island but the most established high-octane sport here is canyoning Take an expert-led adventure in the pine-perfumed Verghellu Canyon south of Corte where you’ll navigate rope courses abseil down rock faces and leap off into transparent plunge pools Pause to admire Gustave Eiffel’s impressively minimal • Discover our full guide to France The Agriates Desert represents Corsica at its wildest — the air carries the sweet scent of the maquis shrub while rocky scrublands give way to Castaway-style coves some of them pristine white and eerily empty Boats from Saint-Florent can take you to the western coves but those further east often require a challenging hike Guided day trips from Calvi also offer this adventure including stops at caves and abandoned villages before a four-hour visit to Ghignu Beach where couples may find themselves leaving the first footprints in the sand Calanches de PianaALAMYEmbark on a half-day boat trip from Marine de Porto (or from Ajaccio in France) and encounter three unforgettable sights where peaks and pinnacles in russet-red hues take on a pinkish shade in sunlight — a UNESCO World Heritage Site the charming coastal village of Girolata is accessible only by boat or on foot continue to the osprey-patrolled Scandola Nature Reserve where coastal caves and sea stacks dot the landscape keep an eye on the shoreline for passing pods of dolphins Bastia Old TownALAMYBastia serves as an excellent starting point for many island breaks and is less touristy compared to its charming rival You can arrange a three-hour walking tour led by a local guide and customise what’s included This could involve exploring the mazy Old Town nestled along the harbour visiting the twin-towered Church of St Jean-Baptiste or ascending to the 15th-century citadel above Of particular interest is Bastia’s wine scene — ask your guide to take you to a specialist bar or shop for a fully immersive experience Rondinara beachALAMYCorsica has several stunning beaches often hailed as one of Europe’s most beautiful you’ll gasp in awe at the tantalizing glimpse of the white sand and crystal-clear waters Rondinara’s twin headlands curve dramatically towards one another to form a perfect horseshoe Once in situ you’ll also find that such shelter from the ocean yields calm lagoon-like turquoise water whose shallowness suits families Arrive before 10am to enjoy thinner crowds and the shadiest parking spaces Loungers and parasols can be hired and there’s a good restaurant The Col de BavellaALAMYHiking trails litter the Col de Bavella in southern Corsica escaping the crowds and venturing into valleys blanketed with Laricio pines A scenic picnic spot provides a marvelous viewpoint offering glimpses of Sardinia and a chance to spot Corsican mouflon sheep with their lean brown bodies and distinctive curving horns — the island’s most emblematic animals Megalithic-era menhirs at FilitosaALAMYAt Filitosa you’ll find a plethora of granite standing stones — some dating back up to six millennia and virtually unchanged except for minor weathering that will truly amaze you at Corsica’s pre-eminent historical site These stones feature intricately detailed faces and depictions of weapons Guided tours in English are available and afterwards you’re free to explore the adjacent museum Farinole beach in Cap CorseALAMYMany of Corscia’s tipples hail from the Patrimonio region of Cap Corse — a spindly peninsula that extends 25 miles northeast of Bastia and St Florent Vineyards are just one reason to visit: you’ll also discover pretty ports Nonza’s black-pebble beaches and especially well-preserved Genoese watchtowers a conical cute white windmill below a red-tiled roof Devote a day to lazily driving the Cap’s wiggly roads and proceed anticlockwise from Bastia to enjoy the sun’s gaze on both coasts BonifacioGETTY IMAGESNowhere on Corsica can fire up the imagination quite like Bonifacio its citadel overlooks the sea from a narrow ledge atop precipitous white bluffs Take a private personalised walking tour with a local and check out the focal shop and café-lined lanes various viewpoints and the white-walled tombs of Campu Santu on the cliff edge — as beautiful a graveyard as you’ll ever see Descents down (and back up) the rock-carved King of Aragon’s Stairway Sartène town in summerALAMYDespite Sartène being five miles inland After an attack by Barbary corsairs in 1583 in which 400 people were kidnapped and enslaved the red-roofed hill town suffered constantly from the same foes’ hands for centuries Learn more in the town’s Musée Départemental de Préhistoire also has artefacts from prehistory as well as the Bronze Age and the Iron Age wander through Sartène’s tangle of shopping streets and admire glorious views over southwestern Corsica before lunch on the focal Place de la Liberation • Best small-ship Mediterranean cruise lines• Best no-fly holidays Another boat trip from Bonifacio focuses entirely on the various picturesque grottos lining this limestone coast in either direction the Saint-Antoine Grotto is memorably shaped exactly like Napoleon’s bicorne hat; west of Bonifacio the Sdragonato Grotto abounds with white stalactites while its vivid green waters are full of fish Allowing for their illuminate is an opening said to mimic the island’s shape precisely with ample time taken so everyone can capture a zillion photographs You’ll also pass the King of Aragon’s Stairway Porto-VecchioGETTY IMAGESCorsica’s most chichi town is undoubtedly Porto-Vecchio its old town lanes are full of natty clothing shops and restaurants built into the ramparts each with a candlelit sea vista better than the last Shoes clack on stony floors and noise emanates from the central piazza almost every inch covered by café terraces and a great place in which to while away a few hours So too is the old defensive Bastion de France’s rooftop; its views are the best of all Below sparkles one of Europe’s foremost yacht harbours Known to all as the Trinichellu (Little Train) Corsica’s limited Chemins de fer de la Corse rail network impressively traverses its rugged interior Most scenic is the two-hour ascent from Ajaccio to Corte — a riot of soaring views Gustave Eiffel’s famous viaduct and the Bridal Veil waterfall the line to Ponte Leccia bisects flatter mountain valleys; continue to Calvi and you’ll pass river rapids and eventually follow sandy beaches right into town L’Île-RousseALAMYSant’Antonino has quite the CV Not only has its good looks earned membership of the Most Beautiful Villages of France association but this hilltop hamlet is Corsica’s oldest inhabited settlement Here in the Balagne region most neighbouring villages are equally handsome and well situated or sign up for an all-day driving tour from there or Calvi AjaccioALAMYAjaccio was where it all began for the Little Corporal Napoleon Bonaparte was born on the capital’s Rue Saint-Charles in 1769 living there with his Republican family for almost a decade and briefly returning years later his old house is now Corsica’s national museum with its most famous son the understandable focus Visitors can enter what’s thought to have been Napoleon’s bedroom and see a trapdoor through which he supposedly reached the port in 1799 Reservations are compulsory; the site closes on Mondays La Citadelle de CorteGETTY IMAGESDuring Pasquale Paoli’s short-lived Corsican republic It’s easy to understand why when visiting: aloft on pinnacle and fortified for more than 2,000 years what remains of its original stronghold is regally circled by high peaks The Musée de la Corse up there has more history while things are far mellower in the newer connected via steep stairways and cobbled alleys It’s where you’ll find Corsica’s only university (founded by Paoli and reopened in the 1980s) Although there’s excellent grilled seafood to be devoured around the coast The most totemic dish is civet de sanglier (wild boar stew) nutty meat usually slow-cooked with carrots such as A Casa di L’Orsu (4 Rue Mgr Sauveur Casanova) see if fiadone — a lemony cheesecake minus the biscuit base made with ricotta-like brocciu — is on the menu PatrimonioALAMYBack to those Corsican wines dry climate and constant range of altitudes make for optimum viticulture across nine designated AOC (Appellation d’origine contrôlée) areas That may come as a surprise: with relatively few getting exported the excellent wines here have something of an under-the-radar vibe dry whites at Lumio’s hangar-sized Clos Culombu — one of a few in La Balagne — alongside earthier and buy from Ajaccio’s La Cave du Cardinal shop Nustrale pigs raised on the pozzines of the Coscione PlateauALAMYWonderfully wild the 1,500m-high Coscione Plateau is a little-visited mesa of rocks and spongy Numerous streams crisscross it to form distinctive shallow pools known as pozzines Adding to the winsome vibe are herds of free-ranging pigs A rutted road leads from Quenza to a car park at the Bucchinera refuge and from there several walking trails can be followed Those coming on three-hour tours can leave navigation to their guide nestled among picturesque valleys like Spelunca and Tavignano the Restonica River winds through forested gorges perfect for exploring by both road and foot blue-green pools are especially enjoyable on hot days Smooth grey granite boulders provide spots to leave your clothes or bask in the sun while pine trees and green-flowering hellebores add fragrance and shade Just remember to keep your shoes on to avoid slipping francethisway.com/places/gorges-de-la-restonica There are more than 100 Grand Randonnée hiking trails in Europe; the G20 in Corsica is reputedly the toughest the 16-stage trail follows the granite spine of the island from Conca in the south-east to Calanzana in the north-west (or vice versa) with lots of exposed ridges and steep ascents and descents along the way from the needle-like peaks of the Aiguilles de Bavella to the glacial Lac de Nino sleeping and eating in mountain refuges or carrying your own tent and food Polyphonic singing at the Holy Cross church BastiaALAMYThe haunting sound of a Corsican lament or lullaby sung in a mountain village or ancient stone church Traditionally performed a capella by groups of four to six men the indigenous folk music was in danger of dying out until the 1970s when it was revived alongside the independence movement the vogue for World Music (especially Bulgarian chanting) brought it to the attention of an international audience while groups such Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses A Filetta and I Muvrini — who recorded a version of Fields of Gold with Sting — popularised it for modern tastes The art form is celebrated every September at the Polyphonic Song Festival in the Calvi citadel which brings together musicians from home and abroad when they governed Corsica in the 16th century decreed that each family should plant four trees annually the hilly region southwest of Bastia was covered in the majestic trees and today Castagniccia (“Chestnutland”) has a fraction of its former population With its winding lanes and charming villages and chestnuts are still harvested in October and November to make cakes and other delicacies Head to the Fiera di a Castagna in Bocognano in December to taste them and other Corsican treats ewe’s cheeses and cured ham from chestnut-fed pigs • Best places for summer sun• Best family-friendly villas in France Sign up for the Times Travel Newsletter here SEARCHThe global authority in superyachting One of the delights of exploring the Mediterranean on a superyacht is the opportunity for wonderful dining Some of the best restaurants in the area use simple techniques and local ingredients to produce stunning food Here four Michelin-starred chefs — Marc Fosh Giancarlo Morelli and Antonio Mellino — give their take on some of the best rustic restaurants in the Mediterranean Fabio Bragagnolo says: “If you are prepared to leave the sea and have your feet on the ground for a day it is worth heading into the Alta Rocca region in the heart of the island Levie is an hour from Porto-Vecchio (or 30 minutes from Propriano on the west coast) and A Pignata is an authentic farm inn that serves traditional Corsican cuisine: roast lamb Need to know: The restaurant was opened in 1988 by Antoine and Lili de Rocca-Serra in the village where they were born The beautiful open-air restaurant has a large fireplace and lovely views It is also popular with locals in the evening so it is worth booking a table Giancarlo Morelli says: “One of my favourite restaurants is 20 minutes inland from Porto Cervo which the Giagoni brothers have transformed into a restaurant such as culurgiones (potato- and mint-stuffed ravioli) and small They also serve arguably the best lobster on the island.” Need to know: The restaurant is in a typical stone house of Gallura and it overlooks the square of the church of San Pantaleo It is open from March to November and if you don’t fancy supper you can just pop in just for an aperitif and there’s a place in a nearby village called Sa Cuina de n’Aina We have very good lamb on the island and Aina roasts it in a clay oven – it’s delicious I go there for arroz brut: rice cooked with stock local sausage and perhaps some rabbit or game; it is typical of traditional Mallorcan food Need to know: The restaurant is a family run affair With the father (José González Haro) acting as director and supervisor while his wife (Aina Carbonell) is the chef and their son (David González Carbonell) David’s wife is also a cook and their daughter was awarded the national best young cook prize How to visit from your superyacht: Sa Cuina de n’Aina is in the village of Sencelles about a 30-minute drive from Marina Port de Mallorca Antonio Mellino says: “Our neighbour in Nerano Peppino de Simone says he is a fisherman and farmer first and then a restaurateur He cooks traditional dishes in which produce is respected.” Need to know: The restaurant is run alongside a small hotel and it trades on its family atmosphere The place is filled with the children and grandchildren of the De Simone family How to visti from your superyacht: Lo Scoglio da Tommaso is located right on the waterfront in Nerano. Depending on how close you anchor the restaurant has been known to serve guests on board. Nerano can be enjoyed as past of a private cruise or superacht charter on the Amalfi coast. SubscribeSign up to our newslettersSign up to BOAT International email newsletters to get the latest superyacht news Boat International Media Ltd © 2008 - 2025 Content presented under the "BOAT Presents" logo is an advertising feature and Boat International Limited has been paid to include this content when Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome comfortably took the top two spots on the podium who has won seven Grand Tours on the road – although two of them were struck from the record for a positive clenbuterol test at the 2010 Tour – missed last year's Tour because he was still serving his ban And despite being beaten by Froome at the Critérium du Dauphiné recently he believes he is close to returning to his best "We've seen Froome going very strongly but I wouldn't have the motivation to even be at the Tour," he said "At the Dauphiné I was more or less at 75% which was my objective for the start of the Tour given how the parcours is this year." Contador also dismissed suggestions that the Tour would be a two-horse race saying: "This Tour will have more actors than Froome and me." He promised: "There will be more action this year than last year." The Spaniard tried to spice things up at the Dauphiné without much joy But Contador believes that the assistance of Michael Rogers who rode for Team Sky during last year's Tour will prove invaluable over the three weeks of the Tour "Michael will be our road captain and guide," he said Later it was Froome's turn to speak to the international media When he had stopped blinking from an assault by the flashlights of hundreds of zoom-lens cameras he promised that he was in "super condition" "I have the support of a super team around me and I just want to get the race started now." He admitted that he is likely to ride conservatively on the opening three stages on the narrow roads of Corsica to lower the risk of crashing "A lot of my objectives in the first few stages are about limiting losses," he said "That's definitely the objective in Corsica." That theme was picked up by the Team Sky general manager who warned: "This race won't be won with something exceptional but by the team that makes the fewest mistakes." Un parcours mythique et inoubliable avec un départ pour l'épreuve du semi au port de commerce de Porto-Vecchio et une arrivée à Santa Guilia après avoir longé les plus belles plages de la Corse du Sud.. C'est la course hors stade la plus importante de la Corse Plus de 1 000 coureurs au départ de cette deuxième édition dont une grande majorité venus spécialement sur l'Ile pour l'évènement.  Les résultats sont disponibles ICI dans la rubrique résultats Porto Vecchio recently celebrated its fifth anniversary with a Notte Sangiovese an exclusive event in which proprietor Chris Cassar’s son paired some great wines with five equally dishes prepared by the restaurant’s chef Matthew Sammut and his team Among the guests was the grand dame of Tuscan wines owner of the Casato Prime Donne and the Fattoria Del Colle who was accompanied by her husband Carlo Gardini The occasion was also the launch of the DOC Orcia and Brunello wines of Cinelli Colombini in Gozo where she has a house and feels very much at home the reputation of Porto Vecchio Restaurant and Vinoteca situated at the seafront in the yacht marina in Mġarr harbour Its varied menu features the best in Mediterranean cuisine both local and imported directly from the Friuli region of Italy The concept of the night was to show the difference in blends of the Sangiovese grape when paired with different foods All wines during the evening were from Abraham’s Supplies Ltd please register for free or log in to your account 15.09.2020 – 10.00 – “For reasons as much geographical as historical The city has played a fundamental role in the relations between Western and Eastern Europe and in the same way has formed a natural connection between Europe and Asia…” the ESOF 2020 Champion Stefano Fantoni motivated the appointment of the Julian capital as the venue of the EuroScience Open Forum referring to the scientific context of Trieste and Friuli Venezia Giulia It was the ESOF 2020 Dossier of the Trieste International Foundation; and from those first steps the Convention has developed in its current form while remaining faithful to its motto “Freedom for science and science for freedom” One month after the conclusion of ESOF 2020 and looking to an (uncertain) future it is possible to summarize the experience of the Convention The event takes on special importance this year because after the cancellation of the Barcolana it was the last considering the worsening of the health emergency Trieste All News interviewed ESOF Champion Stefano Fantoni: a look at the future not only of Trieste’s science to summarise the experience of ESOF; now that after a month the memories have “settled” making a more objective judgement possible ESOF’s experience has been extraordinarily positive: positive attendance positive feedback from the public and critics we managed to set up a “hybrid” ESOF2020 we might say almost a “paradigm” there were inevitable limits linked to the Covid-19 wave but we can say that the new solution adopted paved the way for the future: indeed it allowed us to have virtual guests that otherwise paradoxically we would not have had in the “physical” version Suffice it to say that the hybrid version we have experimented with is now being adopted by schools with an alternation of “live” and computer-based lessons that is very effective I confess that I feared possible cases of Covid-19 perhaps an outbreak; and instead it worked without any obstacles whatsoever The emergency linked to the world pandemic has also made it possible to accentuate the informative aspect had mentioned how the Convention would not be self-conclusive but how there were plans to continue the experience with scientific bodies or ad hoc foundations Has this continuity of action been achieved with specific reference to a scientific collaboration that was aimed at the Balkans The project of a post ESOF body that would guarantee continuity beyond the event itself was already present previously with a strong relationship not only with the Balkans It is no coincidence that there is still talk of a body from the North Adriatic My vision is that of a Summer Institute on the model of Santa Barbara or Santa Fé that functions as an “attractor” the heart of a stronghold of science in the Porto Vecchio It would be a concentration of high-level figures from the world of science but without large numbers: four or five high-profile meetings would work on a seasonal basis and would guarantee that science to business which is nowadays a fundamental prerequisite for the growth of the economy It would also be an important move to attract the necessary attention at an international level to attract big companies to Porto Vecchio: Google Apple… It would function as a key project to attract those big players without which science to business would remain a dead letter The timing would also be immediate; we can start immediately and in fact we are already doing so laying the foundations to move as soon as possible and it should not be forgotten also from the point of view of scientific education this Summer Institute would be the first in the world to be founded on sustainability It is no coincidence that environmental sustainability has been one of the major themes Did the idea of using the Porto Vecchio appear from the beginning or was it a subsequent novelty The Porto Vecchio in Trieste has always been a key element in winning the title of” city of science” Traditionally ESOF has functioned as a growth driver ensuring the recovery of disused areas; remember the industrial area of Copenhagen 2014 or the city of Toulouse itself the warehouses of the Porto Vecchio do not have a scientific “specificity”; yet it should be remembered that when the port was “new” it operated with modern technologies still preserved in the restored buildings After the inauguration of the Congress Centre I see the potential of a “stronghold of science” in the surrounding area that functions as a propeller for the overall recovery Clearly the Port is large enough to guarantee a variety of uses following the example of the American models; it is no coincidence that the ESOF model is inspired by them Do you think there is a danger in pushing science to business but science to business should certainly not damage basic research It seems to me that many companies want to “innovate” without engaging in real scientific research One cannot innovate without discovering something new even the close connections between scientists and entrepreneurs should not favour the latter Many of the greatest discoveries in science have come about by chance and certainly not in pursuit of short-term goals The history of science is littered with examples of discoveries made “by chance” the primary thrust remains basic research; after all the students themselves learn first the theory the same balance with the logic of economics You were president of FEST at the time; considering the importance of dissemination for ESOF together with Trieste Next (and many others) Trieste Next and FEST — of which I was president between 2007 and 2008 — have undoubtedly played an important role ensuring a “substratum” among the population an interest in the dissemination of science that should not be underestimated it is aimed — also in its academic format — abroad there has been a lot of preparatory work over the years in Trieste that has borne fruit in the occasion of ESOF 2020 ensuring a very strong interest on the part of the people of Trieste do you believe that it is always possible to “communicate” science or do you believe that there is a level that cannot be disclosed because of the complexity of the subject or discipline I am convinced that disclosure must always be present in the life of a scientist: it is natural that during the first years of a scientist’s career But the world of science must stop speaking in “Latin”; if the researcher is not encouraged it is natural that he remains in his ivory tower It is necessary to communicate the results of one’s research with a language that is comprehensible to the masses scientific dissemination and communication courses should be integrated during university years so that they go hand in hand with one’s own studies Dissemination is essential; a world-class scientist who is not able to explain (and justify) his research to relatives and friends is faced with a problem There is no subject that cannot be explained the dissemination from the world of science to the world of journalism is likely to lead to trivialisation And there are “borderline” arguments that are difficult to explain in detail it is necessary to try; bearing in mind that this is a difficult balance The scientific language — the “Latin” of the scientist — is precise by its very nature except in some cases of wide-ranging reflections; however It needs to be translated through the use of comparisons By making this passage we risk committing inaccuracies but these are necessary to understand the general concept what is your opinion on Scientific Museums In a while the Immaginario Scientifico will be (re)opened and you were the head of the Scientific Museums Commission I am a great supporter of Science Museums in Italy; among them of course the Science Museum interactive museums are the most suitable; and I hope that there will be a good synergy in this field with the Sea Museum in the adjacent area of Porto Vecchio The Museum should never be something passive I think that scientific museums work best when they address the younger generations especially children; they educate them to curiosity which transmits a “certain” approach — is already a born scientist that “wanting to know” that makes him an excellent pupil ESOF has had a close relationship with universities And you have worked with Anvur (National Agency for the Evaluation of the University System and Research) What is your opinion on the universities in Italy in particular with reference to the phenomenon of the so-called “barony” and some “corporate” logics I was the first president of Anvur; and it should be noted that Italy was one of the last countries to introduce adequate evaluation criteria in universities Now there is no longer the figure of the “emperor” professor on the chair The criteria for allocating funds are awarded on the basis of merit and the idea of rewarding those who work best I am against any form of “barony”; and I was pleased to see that considerable progress has been made in this area what was the best moment of the event and what objectively was missing Undoubtedly both in the Opening and in the Closing Ceremony I appreciated how the institutions that presented a common line of thought were present; in particular the presence of the Minister of Economic Development I did not have the opportunity to attend all the conferences but I appreciated the one on Quantitative Computers and Big Data; a light of hope for an economic revival There is nothing that I think ESOF has missed especially considering the situation… Perhaps I would have appreciated more participation from young people I was hoping for more interest on their part and instead the reaction from the university youth world seemed very cold But of course we are experiencing extraordinary circumstances [Stefano Fantoni is a well-known nuclear physicist and astrophysicist He received the Eugene Feenberg Medal for his contribution to Nuclear Physics in July 2007 with the development of the Fermi Hypernetted Chain Theory (FHNC) the development of a diagrammatic technique known as Fantoni-Rosati (FR) cluster expansion technique the Correlated Basis Function theory (CBF) and the development of a numerical simulation method for nuclear systems known as Auxiliary Field Diffusion Monte Carlo (AFDMC) A convinced supporter of the need for greater dialogue between science and society founder of the first Italian Master in Science Communication He is known both for his dissemination activities and for his research in the field receiving the Kalinga prize from UNESCO in 2001 We should also mention the Piazzano Prize in 2002 the Pirelli International Prize in 2004 for the multimedia initiative “Ulysses in the Science Network” the Rosa d’Argento Prize from the Trieste Trade Association for SISSA (2008) and the Barcola Prize from the city of Trieste (2010) He was Director of SISSA from 2004 to 2010 and President of the International Foundation for the development of freedom of Science (FIT) in Trieste from 2008 to 2011 and from 2016 to date] trieste.news testata giornalistica online iscritta presso il Tribunale di Trieste 2889/20 V.G +39-040-2608475 oppure [email protected] per la tua pubblicità [email protected]PEC: [email protected]+39-040-2608475 con Segreteria Remota Direttore responsabile: Laura FonovichSegreteria di redazione: Giulia Boscarol e p.iva: 01302060320 - REA: TS201838 - ROC: 35517 Tutti i diritti riservati e riproduzione riservata nel rispetto della proprietà intellettuale vengono riprodotte esclusivamente per finalità di cronaca critica e discussione ai sensi degli articoli 65 comma 2 70 comma 1 bis e 101 comma 1 Legge 633/1941 68 del 9 aprile 2003 emanato in attuazione della direttiva 2001/29/CE La pubblicazione di un testo in TRIESTE.news e conseguentemente in GORIZIA.news e UDINE.news non significa necessariamente la condivisione dei contenuti in esso espressi Gli elaborati rappresentano comunicati stampa interpretazioni e ricostruzioni anche soggettive nell'intento di fare informazione e di divulgare notizie di interesse pubblico Invitiamo i lettori ad approfondire sempre l’argomento politico trattato a consultare più fonti di riferimento e le persone citate nel testo e lasciamo a ciascuno la libertà d’interpretazione 17.09.2020 – 16.00 – Once again this year Trieste is taking part in the European Mobility Week which will fill the city from 16th to 22nd September 2020 with numerous initiatives focused on sustainability and improving the quality of life in the city the Municipality of Trieste (Department of Territory Environment and Mobility) held a videoconference with the engineering office Monplan Ingegneria — in order to talk about a very delicate topic which has been dear to public debate for several years: the “Trieste-Porto Vecchio-Carso metropolitan cable way” is technically and economically feasible and which could connect the coastal areas of Porto Vecchio with the hinterland of Trieste The winner of the competition for the design of this colossal reality is Studio Monplan Ingegneria which hopes to build a cable way linking Opicina and Trieste “The territory of Trieste is occupied by a hilly slope and therefore the northern part is located on a karst plateau and the connection to the Port is a very delicate issue – Gobber begins – so innovative solutions are needed to provide answers to the critical issues that have been identified for years” This is an opportunity to turn even more towards sustainable transport and to improve as much as possible the well-known road traffic problem in Trieste “There is a lack of a conjunction of transport systems that can provide continuity of service even for those arriving from outside the city“ “What we initially tried to evaluate – declares Gobber – was the possibility of joining the northern area with the seafront and the possibility of serving the Old Port and then connecting it with the Railway Station“ An idea that has already existed for several years but has never been completed and which continues to seek an optimal direction: passengers would start with the cable car from Opicina then arrive at the first intermediate station near the Bovedo (Barcola) car park then passing through Porto Vecchio and finally reaching the destination “This choice required the identification of suitable areas but it is the result of an in-depth study of a suitable route so that the project does not interfere with the already foreseen road network in the Porto Vecchio development plan“ “The aim – continues Studio Monplan Ingegneria’s representative – is to remove as many vehicles as possible from the road guarantee comfort and respond to both tourist and regular traffic” The data presented during the videoconference showed how the cable way allows to minimize and enhance space reduce traffic and give more opportunities for the development of green areas increase safety on the roads and reduce travel times with greater comfort Gobber’s project would allow an hourly capacity of 1800 people and to limit the impact on the landscape in the non-slope section of the route the height of the line and catenary supports would be below the skyline of the existing buildings in Porto Vecchio as would the travel time: from Opicina to Trieste Speaking about the integration of the cable car stations in urban areas we have not arrived at definitive solutions “but we have sketched out the necessary volumes and how they should be located” “An in-depth study on the subject will have to be carried out on the stations of Porto Vecchio and Trieste” A question that created several concerns about such a project is the characteristic Bora Triestina but Engineer Gobber reassured by pointing out that “in the case of phenomena related to the bora two statistical studies based on data from the last 40 years and the last 25 have been followed making an analysis of days with wind speeds over 80 km per hour: we have a forecast of plant downtime for the whole day for 20 days a year while for another 15 we expect plant downtime for a few hours or half a day” still immersed in the Odi et Amo of public debate “With a view to sustainable mobility” Department Director Giulio Bernetti points out “the possibility of a cableway from the Karst to the heart of the city was well received and we have decided +39-040-2608475 oppure [email protected] per la tua pubblicità [email protected]PEC: [email protected]+39-040-2608475 con Segreteria Remota 11.04.2021 – 09.00 – The European Union If we want to choose an order of magnitude all three terms are often present and interconnected when discussing the former northern free-trade zone; yet they are rarely adequately contextualized European Union funds will guarantee the revitalization of Trieste; and in turn this will happen thanks to the Porto Vecchio according to urban planners and architects is the Municipality of Trieste moving in relation to such a vast and gigantic area as Porto Vecchio The perspective in which all three terms of the equation must be considered is the environmental one; more specifically we look at European Union funds through the vulgar filter of “billions coming in” European aid appears to be subordinate to a precise plan of environmental sustainability to a green turn that parallels American and Chinese efforts Green in this context is not just a coloring or a bonus with which to add a few more points to one’s proposal but a founding element in the general discourse This very issue was addressed on Wednesday through a conference with the significant title: “Porto Vecchio: prospects for sustainable development.” Coordinated by Jesuit Father Luciano Larivera the meeting analyzed the Porto Vecchio through a speech by architect William Starc former public manager and member of the network “Un’Altra Città – Trieste” Larivera recalled how that of Porto Vecchio was a topic already discussed twenty years ago; and in recent months the subtitle prefigures more than an evolution “a species leap”: it is necessary to change both the development model and the timing trying to foresee how the Porto Vecchio will be in 2030/2050 William Starc has basically retraced in parallel on the one hand the environmental path crossed in the last decade by the European Union and by the main supranational organizations with a green turn accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic; and on the other hand analyzing the ongoing redevelopment of the Porto Vecchio The two elements – the European/environmental one and the port one – should go hand in hand one supporting the other; but the directions appear divergent is characterized by being a two-faced Janus: on the one side there is a physical environment planned in the nineteenth century in all its aspects; on the other side there is the powerful idea of the Free-Trade Zone and the reality of a nineteenth-century port that was that of an empire of millions of people Today – after the hardships of the 1900s – both the commercial port and the Porto Vecchio can face their future development more serenely And in the case of the former northern Free-Trade Port this development extends luxuriantly for 65 hectares equivalent to 1 million cubic meters just a few less than the entire Porto Vecchio A legacy that cannot disregard a well-marked physiognomy with warehouses with two or more floors built with reinforced concrete and floors with iron crossbeams Starc pointed out that already in 1971 there was “Kenzo Tange’s project for the transformation of Porto Vecchio which envisaged the metamorphosis of the entire area into a business center with artificial islands and a development axis looking towards Monfalcone Considering how the Authority has recently included the Monfalcone port in its sphere of action there seems to be a lack of overall vision: “we continue to look at our region without having an international vision” even though “the European Union could guarantee us enough breathing space to give us incredible potential” of course: the warehouses are full of projects on the Porto Vecchio “not […] to do yet another project but to have a strategic idea of our territory” “The mountain has given birth to a mouse” The potential of Porto Vecchio seems to shrink in the distance to be enclosed within topographical boundaries who cited the example of the silos: bought at the end of the 1990s by the Municipality of Trieste they were to be transformed into a multipurpose center The agreement even envisaged a congress center that today In this context where there is a gap between local and international Starc has preferred to focus the intervention on two elements: housing and transport the Porto Vecchio “for its so marked identity can never become a fourth suburb” do not accept an excessive use of the land and on the contrary reward its conservation the transformation costs of the Habsburg warehouses would be incompatible with the European directives; besides being an excessively expensive operation next to the use of the warehouses for residential purposes 100 thousand cubic meters of building are foreseen; a proposal dramatically in contrast with what the European community asks to provide a new idea of sustainable living” seems “incompatible with the demographic profile” that sees a decrease that cannot be buffered by new minorities Starc’s judgement is lapidary: “To speak of residence in the Porto Vecchio is blasphemy” the problem of transportation is another burning issue in relation to the Porto Vecchio which sees the two blocks of proponents of the cable car and the rubber on the one hand and the railways and streetcars on the other noting that the variant approved by the Superintendence provided for the preservation of the “historic” track bundles but with the incongruous presence of “right angles” that would presuppose the use of turntables “all rail lines should be safeguarded for possible re-functionalization.” if one wanted to think of a cruise terminal in Porto Vecchio “what could be better than getting off the ship the ongoing recovery of the Porto Vecchio does not seem to correspond “to the canons of sustainability” required by the European Union but for objectively sustainable projects” “I don’t think there are entrepreneurs willing to risk in similar projects without having a way to calculate in how much time they’re going to amortize compared to the expenses” Even the private sector’s contribution the conference suffered – like many similar meetings on the Porto Vecchio – from a disproportion between pars destruens and pars construens: the criticisms were not accompanied by alternatives such as to replace on paper what was prefigured by the Variant considering the arrival of the European funds and the ongoing requalification does not allow pauses for reflection; the impasse must be circumvented unless we want to lose the prospected financing In this context it should be admitted how the Municipality of Trieste has in recent years started the work while previously that same road had always remained on paper; on technical paper of course and with beautiful drawings +39-040-2608475 oppure [email protected] per la tua pubblicità [email protected]PEC: [email protected]+39-040-2608475 con Segreteria Remota Javascript Menu by Deluxe-Menu.com FRA) - Team Sky's Australian rider Richie Porte won the second stage of the Criterium International who became the first Australian to win the Paris-Nice this month edged out Italian Manuele Boaro by one second with American Tejay Van Garderene in third In fourth came last year's Tour de France runner-up Porte heads the overall standings by 1sec over Boaro and Van Garderen 21.12.2021 – 09.50 – A drawing by the children of the recreation centre and a quote by the Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky. During the three days of conferences and the accompanying exhibition at the Auditorium Generali, Trieste’s City Council explains in a very simple way the extremely complex project of the future cableway between the Karst and Porto Vecchio According to the narrative that unfolds on the exhibition panels it was a group of children from Ricrestate who first drew a cableway that would connect the town to the Karst plateau The idea was taken up by a trainee from the sustainable mobility department of the municipality who came up with the idea of drawing a straight line connecting the Karst and the northern free point as the crow flies the idea was translated into the design of a monocable gondola with automatic vehicle coupling and 10 seats (a gondola without seats) This is essentially a cable car very similar to the cable cars used in the mountains and theoretically capable of guaranteeing extremely short waiting times (about 20 seconds) with the journey from the Karst taking a quarter of an hour as the crow flies The cable car goes from the Karst to three different stations the core of Porto Vecchio (congress centre the cable car would pass through the inner part of Porto Vecchio which corresponds to the centre line of the warehouses the main objective is to alleviate the pressure of car traffic from the northern entrance of the city The “participative” meeting with the Municipality of Trieste was opened with greetings from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region: The Regional Councillor for Local Self-Government described the cable car as “an important new symbol” and “a tourist attraction for the city” “the municipality has accepted the project very well” and received “funding from the NSRF” because 48 million euros “are not peanuts to give to anyone” expected the two sea cities to work closely together to build the cable car as Genoa had also received 77 million euros from the NSRF but “a unilateral no” is unacceptable the President of the Port Authority of the Eastern Adriatic brought greetings from the Port of Trieste noting that the “Porto Vecchio is a complex reality” to which it is not easy to respond because “Trieste is not a big city compared to Hamburg” The situation that has developed over the last twenty years requires a “one size fits all approach” “the real skill is not to predict or plan but to manage an increasingly chaotic reality” “it is important to be able to reprogramme everything” The Porto Vecchio “has in its DNA the ability to create traffic flows by train and by boat” It is an area with a momentum that cannot be static because “the best ideas can come from anywhere” Architect Andreas Kipar of LAND Srl presented his plan for the revitalisation of Porto Vecchio’s public spaces entitled “From Mobility to Spatiality” which has already been the subject of conferences and meetings promoted by the municipality in the past the novelty of the cable car requires a reassessment of Kipar’s landscape project Kipar reminded us that “just yesterday in Zurich we discussed the city of the future” in which “mobility is paramount” it is essential to design an Old Port that focuses “first on people and then on space” Kipar wanted to elaborate “an urban score” that aims to integrate buildings with public space we need “a new contract with our city and our neighbourhood” that emphasises the desire to inhabit the city to inhabit public space rather than run away from it we cannot talk about public space without green celebrating the mix of a city that always owes all its innovations and innovative “spirit” to the port But apart from the projects for the monumental park that have already been mentioned several times there was no lack of novelties: According to Kipar the masts of the cable car are built in a minimalist way to fit into the industrial substrate of the harbour light structures or those whose pylons are reminiscent of a (hydraulic?) harbour crane or similar structures from the port’s past The heart of the meeting that preceded the debate was the presentation by engineer Giulio Bernetti Environment and Mobility Department of the Municipality of Trieste Bernetti began by recalling that the city has invested 120 million in sustainable mobility most of which goes to Porto Vecchio (worth mentioning is the 15 million for the electric buses that will be operational in a year or two) The first step is to rebuild the route used by the citizens of Trieste As with the previous discussions on the “ovovia” the problem inevitably remains the northern access to the city which suffers from the geographical narrowness limited by the presence of the Karst ridge ambitious projects such as the “interval” or “large underground tunnels” had been formulated but are now not feasible for environmental and economic reasons For a city that has “15,000 cars per day at the northern entrance” of which “10,000 go to the city centre” there is nothing left but the cable car as a solution to bypass the coastal bottleneck and/or the two alternative roads Why should the cable car with stations be built in Porto Vecchio Because it is a new area that has no traffic problems but its growth will inevitably increase car traffic in Trieste but to be “a diversion from public transport” and to satisfy “the new demand to and in Porto Vecchio” following the example of similar gondola lifts could allow group buses to go directly to Opicina thus relieving the Largo Città di Santos junction the gondola has the advantage that it “uses little space runs electrically and reduces traffic” The gondola is expected to carry 3.6 million passengers a year which Bernetti does not think is impossible considering that bus lines like the 6 and 9 carry 2 million passengers a year Bernetti believes that the six masts on the karst ridge will not harm the flora although he admits that the gondola “is not compatible with tall trees” the Bora wind will not slow down the gondola which can withstand gusts of 70 to 80 km per hour and no more than 20 closure days per year are planned it emerged that there will be an additional 18 days for maintenance The presentation was followed by a heated discussion with a head-on confrontation between those for and against the gondola lift There was a lack of willingness on the part of both sides to discuss the issue together: a discussion is only a discussion if you are placed on an equal footing which was not possible given the lecture-like nature of the conference The city administration presented the criticism of the gondola lift as “fake news” and thus rejected a confrontation from the outset while the political element in the associations’ “no” to the gondola lift again intensified the discussion Now that the dust has settled from the verbal melee the gondola lift remains a preliminary project +39-040-2608475 oppure [email protected] per la tua pubblicità [email protected]PEC: [email protected]+39-040-2608475 con Segreteria Remota This website is using a security service to 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