Corsican Escape with Villa

Day 1  Calvi        
On arrival in Bastia pick up your car and begin exploring Corsica. It won’t take long to discover why this incredible island is known as the ‘Isle of Beauty’. En route to Calvi pay a visit one of the beautiful sandy beaches of L'Île-Rousse. Stop for a delicious ice cream and perhaps call in to one of the bustling boutiques around the town square.        

Day 2  Calvi        
This morning wander Calvi’s old town, which lies below the imposing walls of the spectacular 13^th Century citadel. Every cobbled passage and brightly painted building has a story to tell, thanks to the town’s fascinating naval history. In the afternoon take a trip back in time at one of the traditional perched villages of La Balagne in the mountains high above the town. Full of medieval streets and artisanal workshops they also boast incredible views across the coastline and the olive terraces below.        

Day 3  Calvi to Ajaccio      
The journey south from Calvi takes you through the mountains of Corsica’s rugged interior. The dramatic citadel at Corte rises up from a rocky outcrop amongst the sheer rockfaces, its narrow, cobbled streets extending out into the gorge beyond. After a spot of exploring, perhaps take some lunch at one of the numerous pavement cafés before continuing to Ajaccio on the west coast.  

Day 4  Ajaccio        
Corsica’s capital is best known as the birthplace of French Emperor Napolean Bonaparte in 1769, and every part of the town is connected to his legacy. The ancestral family home now houses a fascinating museum, while the Palais Fesch, built by his uncle, houses a fine art collection dedicated to the Bonaparte family, alongside masterpieces by the likes of Titian, Bellini and Botticelli amongst others.        

Day 5  Ajaccio to Southeast Coast
Leave Ajaccio behind and continue towards your private villa in the island’s southeast. En route, visit peaceful Filitosa, home to a series of mysterious granite menhirs thought to have been placed by the first Corsicans over 8000 years ago. The UNESCO World Heritage listed statues bear enigmatic carvings of human forms and faces. Check in to your home-away-from-home that will serve as a perfect base to explore the beautiful south of the island.        

Days 6-11  Southeast Coast        
After settling in why not take a short walk to the local beach before returning for a spot of alfresco dining on the terrace? Spend the following days relaxing at your well-appointed villa or exploring some of Corsica’s most celebrated beaches and sights, from the orange rocks and umbrella pines of Palombaggia beach to the spectacular medieval clifftop town of Bonifacio, the island’s southernmost point.  After a day exploring return to the comforting serenity of your villa. Choose to prepare dinner in the well-equipped kitchen using fresh local produce, fire up the barbeque by the pool or take a short walk to the restaurants of the nearby village. For the ultimate indulgence, why not take advantage of the in-villa cook service?        

Day 12  Figari        
Enjoy a final morning exploring the beautiful beaches of Corsica’s south coast before heading to Figari airport to drop off your car before your onward flight.