A nature-filled Corsican hotspot
A town with a hilltop citadel in the heart of Corsica, ringed by rugged peaks, Corte makes for a dramatic base from which you can explore this picturesque island. Corte holidays are a good choice for nature lovers who want to enjoy the great outdoors, with a side of buzz, too, as the city has both a spectacular setting and lively university. Days can be spent exploring magical gorges, granite cliffs, pine forests and meandering valleys nearby.
And after you’ve had your fill of adventure, there are many cafés and bars to unwind in afterwards. As it’s in the centre of the island, Corte is ideally located for day trips to the port city of Bastia or Napoleon’s birth city Ajaccio, while hikers can easily drive to Monte Cinto, the island’s highest mountain. The combination of gorgeous vistas, fine bistros and wine bars mean holidays to Corte are both a visual and a gastronomic feast.
Your Corte questions, answered
Corte is so spectacular that you can lose hours just enjoying the landscapes nearby, but having a car does mean you can explore the rest of Corsica easily.
You’ll certainly experience peace and quiet when you’re out in nature, but Corte’s student population and a steady stream of hikers, bikers and climbers give the city a nice buzz.
With Calacuccia, the Tartagine-Melaja Forest and Restonica valley nearby, Corte is ideal for nature lovers and, basically, anyone who wants to combine time outdoors with a cultural hit.
Best things to do in Corte
Visit the citadel
The hilltop Musée de la Corse in the citadel is worth seeing for its architecture alone, but also has an anthropological museum dedicated to Corsica.
Go to the valley
The beautiful Restonica valley is close to Corte. Visit its pine forests, gorges and cliffs, and stop for a picnic at Lac de Melo or Lac de Capitello – two of Corsica’s prettiest lakes.
Explore the Castagniccia
East of Corte, the Castagniccia region has the world’s largest chestnut forest and villages linked by old mule footpaths from where you’ll catch glimpses of nearby islands in the distance.