Corsica: Part 3

Before our return to the mainland (France), we built in an extra day in Bastia in order to explore a bit of the northern part of the island, more specifically Cap Corse. Bastia is the 2nd largest city in Corsica and its location on the northeastern coast gives it extraordinary views of the Mediterranean and great access to Italy. In fact the Italian island of Elba is perfectly visible from the coast, leading one to wonder what Napoleon had thought as he looked back at his beloved Corsica during his exile there.

Just a short drive north of Bastia following the scenic coast, lies the old fishing town of Erbalunga, where we spent part of the morning. We were charmed by its historic center, the 15th century Genoese tower on the water’s edge, and by the seascapes. The proximity to the water adds another level of appeal to this little village and it made for a fun promenade with the girls.

Back in Bastia for lunch, we auspiciously met up with our good friend Laetitia who was in town for a work trip. It was great to align our visits and catch up in a totally new location! Our lunch place was near the marina which offered us the opportunity to visit Bastia’s colorful old port and the nearby citadel.

From there we headed west into the mountains of the Cap Corse where some of Corsica’s most scenic views are accessible. Cap Corse is a narrow peninsula that protrudes into the Mediterranean Sea and possesses beautiful coastlines; it is home to numerous villages and it also happens to be known for its wines. As such, we paired a trip to the mountaintop town village of Patrimonio with a wine tasting at Domaine Montemagni. Patrimonio is home to numerous tasting rooms as wine seems to be a common denominator there. Our host and 5th generation winemaker made our experience one of a kind and we loved his red, white and rosé offerings. As a result of the tasting, we also learned about the Bronze Age menhir that was uncovered in his vineyard and now stands as a shrine of sorts, a reminder that Corsica has served as home to civilizations for a very, very long time.

The following morning, an early go, we embarked our Corsica Ferry to Nice en route home. We had plenty of time during the 6-hour trip to reflect on the experiences we had on the two Mediterranean islands.