If you call yourself a true wanderer, a wander luster, a traveler, or simply the one who prefers to explore as much as the hearts’ desire. One of the important components in your life’s bucket list would be Solo traveling. Many of your plans might not have worked because your friends canceled out at the moment. Solo traveling doesn’t have such disadvantages. Once you are traveling alone in peace or your favorite music as your only companion then nature, surroundings or the different kinds of people whom you meet on these adventures are your mate and become memories.
But the choice of the place where you want to simply go, leaving behind all the regular life is very essential as well. You might simply want to research a bit, check out all the details carefully, and then set your heart to the journey. Despite being few of the most known places in your list, if you want to go someplace where you can spend time alone with yourself, hearing your beating heart match it with blowing breeze or crinkly waves. Then CORSICA could be the place where you want to go and spend some “me” time. Dusting away all your doubts here are 13 reasons why CORSICA would be a good choice for your solo traveling plans. After all, “what happens in Corsica, stays in Corsica.”
SAFE TRAVELS
AIRWAYS: It is very easy to travel through and to Corsica. Direct flights are available to this Island which are Corsican airlines and are super comfortable. As the weather of this island is super supportive, you will never face any situations like lightning or thunder in the air, which can scare you or make you uncomfortable during your journey to Corsica. The flight options which are available to this dream island are :
Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport
Bastia-Poretta Airport
Calvi – Sainte – Catherine Airport
Figari – Sud Corse Airport.
RAILWAYS: Even though this is an island but considering the amount of tourism it attracts, the ways to reach the island have been varied and made cheap. Therefore, Corsica has 144 miles of meter-gauge railway. The major lines run from other major cities of France like Basta, Ajaccio, and a branch line from Ponte Leccia to Calvi which is the main and the capital city of this island.
WATERWAYS: You can expect this means of transport considering you are heading towards the island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. More than half of the tourists or passengers go for the water lines as it is well connected with the city of Bastia, which serves as the major or main airport for the tourists who come from all over the world.
As most of the economy in Corsica relies on tourism, there is a variety of stay- ins and luxury hotels which are available for you. All of them prioritizing the service of visitors. These hotels and rooms are a sight to see and define a different height of luxury living. The well-adorned walls, ceramic and melamine interior – decors can give a relief to your eyes. A 24 X 7 available room service is always an addition to your stay. There is so much to do in Corsica, that you definitely might need an evening or relaxation in your hotel. A hot water bath, an in-house masseuse, on- house spa sessions, and beauty regimen courses with fun activities all available at one call. Going from one place to another while on the island is very safe as well. As most of the local transport opportunities are always available. There are local cabs, local carts, and ferries available all the time at the cost of pennies. Apart from everything, tourists of Corsica boasts about the safety on the entire island. Hence it is a heaven for Solo- traveling.
WILDLIFE
A solo – traveler with a camera in their hands and want to capture the magnificence of mother nature. You might wonder where you would find the rarest creature on the pant to make your picture book and memories stay out than any other people in the entire world. In that case, Corsica can be your ultimate destination with a lot of surprises. As this little piece of land is full of flora and fauna.
Corsica is the home for some of the endangered species which were almost extinct from the lands of France. The Hermann tortoises which were considered to have almost left the land made Corsica their beloved place to survive. Apart from Hermann, the fresh waters of Corsica gave life to small freshwater turtles and small European pond turtles. The tall European rabbits which might remind you of easter’s bugs bunny. Different kinds of whales, bats, and dolphins all live in harmony in Corsica. Apart from Seawater mammals, you will find Afr4ican Wild Cat, Corsican red deers, etc. I am sure the flora and fauna of Corsica can amaze your eyes with its beauty.
WEATHER
Corsican weather is one of its kind. And no matter to which part of the world you belong to, Corsica can be your dream destination, mainly because of its sunlit weather and the soothing breeze which travels throughout the island and specifically on the beaches. The best time to visit this beautiful island is from May to September. That is when you would look at Corsican beauty to its peak. With an average temperature of 27 degrees Celsius throughout the year, Corsica has become a prime vacation spot for not only the world tourists but local French people as well.
The rich flora and fauna are very prominent in the entire island just because of its glorifying climate. The structure of this island supports the climate and preserves its natural beauty. You will find more freshwater reservoirs here as compared to any other parts of France. Hence, the wildlife is very different from Corsica. All I can say is if you ever feel thirsty throughout your visit to this island, feel free to drink water from any of the water bodies near you will love the taste of it.
CULTURE
Being the French island the culture of Corsica is mostly French and the local shop owners and residents will speak french. But you don’t have to learn french to visit Corsica. People here speak English very fluently and you won’t face any linguistic issues ever. If you are an anthropological maniac or have a pinch of interests into the culture around the world. Corsica can offer you celebrations, festivals, cultural lore and a lot of memories. Though the island celebrates an abundance of traditions, it’s the artwork of the locals that can surprise you and amaze you. Walking through the lanes of Corsica, you will find people making handicrafts, pieces of jewelry and art materials made up of natural clay and paints. A sneak peeks into the local life of the island will give you artists producing cosmetics, accessories, and usable crockery by hand. You might want to buy some to keep the memoirs.
HISTORY
Corsican history is mostly a mystery just like the name Corsica. It was under the Greeks at some point in time, an abundance of products for the basic goods like wax, honey, etc. used to take place in this region and this part of the land also provided a lot of slaves to the Roman empire. Despite being a slaver’s bay it was a major source of different kinds of wines in the earlier times till now. It was integrated under the Roman king and was considered part of Roman Italy. With the collapse of the Roman Empire and with the passing off of the long passage of time, the island of Corsica came into the hands of Pope Stephen II. Though it was once in the hands of Italians majorly but after the division and the long war, it came in the hands of the french empire.
Half of the population here speaks Italian as well signifying its history and culture while the other half is french. Though french participated in bringing the glory to the island and renaming it from simply a slaver’s bay. It is a home for the most proclaimed general of the French revolution that is Napoleon Bonaparte. This island has the ancestral home of Napoleon in its lap. It has also been said that Napoleon spent most of his childhood here, hence a separate museum has been made to honor the memories of him. Here you will find all the accessories, medals, portraits, furniture, and other pieces of art that represent the life of the Great French ruler. You can check out the museum’s website or just confirm with the locals about the timings of the museum. You are meant to float around the streams of history once you will visit the place.
CALVI – THE PURE CORSICAN TOWN
Being considered as the main city or the industrial city of Corsica, Calvi gives you a lot of reasons to visit here. Or you might find Calvi to be your starting point of Corsica exploration. It is located on the northwest coast of the island. Hence it allows you to explore the beaches of Corsica. It is best known for its multiple buildings of roman architectural marvel all around. The profound market gives you a taste of the regional french culture and the bars and restaurants spread around the city gives you full-flavored meals and cuisines. Watching the bay and the harbor life from Genoese Citadel is one of its kind experiences which only Calvi can offer you.
CUISINE
Corsica was known for its wine back in history and is still famous for its wine. Different kinds of wines that Corsica offers in its French Chalices in local bars and restaurants set the major taste in Corsica. If you are an expert at a wine tasting the variety of wines that you are going to find here starts from Nielluccio which is a local grape wine, and is also known as the cousin of Tuscany Sangiovese, a brunch of Vermentino variety of White wine, and last but not the least the unique taste of the island comes with the Sciacarello grape wine. And if you want to indulge in the winemaking process and set out to visit a vineyard, you can visit Domaine Orsini which is considered the best on the island.
Coming from the history of Romans, French, and Italians, Corsica is very rich in cuisine. If you are a seafood lover or a vegetarian then this is a place for you. It has a wide variety of french delicacies at most of the prominent restaurants but Italian delicacies are no less behind. With most freshly prepared red meat and seafood, Corsica is set to give your taste buds delight. A fine variety of dairy products on the menu, this island comes with a lot of local dishes that come with chestnuts. And don’t forget to taste the cheesecake with a hint of lemon in it.
LOW BUDGET, BIG FUN
Despite having a lot to offer, there are a few people who head towards Corsica, for a serene and mind-blowing experience all at the same time. It certainly has attracted a lot of tourists from around the world but it spends all the little less on its advertising. Most of the beauty that you will visit here is very natural, this factor and a lot more make a trip to this Italian turned french island a less costly experience than only other visits. You don’t need to have big pockets for a 3-day visit here. Major expenses include your traveling to the island and stay. You can always bargain your stays in low season and food is comparatively less costly than any other part of Europe. Apart from a lot of fun on this land, Corsica can always promise not to burn a hole into your pocket but is certainly meant to give life long memories.
HUB OF WORLD TOURISTS
My dream is to meet a lot of people from different cultures and different parts of the world. It is so much fun to know them and talk to them, share my culture, and know more about their homelands. And if we share this dream then why not give Corsica a chance to make our dreams come true a little bit. Despite being a local hub for the french and Italian population, Corsica welcomes a lot of tourists from around the globe. And it is so beautiful to spend some time with them on Corsica beaches and city centers. For a Solo traveler, such trips are no less than an adventure spree. As people in different varieties and from different cultures come here, you might find yourself in friends with souls from different continents. As the environment of Corsica is mostly safe, secure, and protected people do not feel any hesitations or apprehensions to talk to each other. The wine tasting, Corsica festivities are a great part to indulge in such kind of meet and greet sessions with the people. When there are people, coming from different backgrounds, stories are meant to be made. And you might never know this could be your brightest chapter of life just like the soothing sun rays of Corsica.
NIGHTLIFE
Being a hub for tourists from the sound of the world Corsican nightlife is no less than the serenity of daily life. If you have spent a day batches batching in the freshwater and rejuvenating spa sessions. Then you are most welcome to shake some legs in Corsican pubs and discos. It is a rainbow of color which comes at night on this island. It is beautiful with colorful fountains, the meetings of different people, light shows, well- lit surroundings, etc. There is a wide variety of both open-air and closed night out destinations where you can simply go and enjoy. Ajaccio considering one of the big towns of the island has a good number of bars and clubs for night outs. Though the timings of the bar in the main city like Bonifacio are till midnight a handful of them stays open after that as well. It also depends on the season in which you visit the place. If there is a festive season and a lot of tourists are coming for visits then you might find yourself stuck in this place whereas the time flies by and you won’t even know it. The major city of Calvi surrounded by a beach also known as Calvi Marina has a large number of both shack bars and restaurants along with closed restaurants. You might want to grab a beer and sit in a full moonlight on the beach for a tranquil night.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Despite being considerably bigger and so much to explore, some of the adventure enthusiasts always need more to do. Therefore, outdoor activities in Corsica adds a feather to the touristic tale here. There are a lot of Corsica specific adventures that you will find here with the name Corsaventure, Corsaventure Canyon, along with Corsica Forest Canoeing. There is an abundance of boat riding, paragliding, white rock exploration at Calypso marine, or watching the sea life from near Corsica Nautic. You can go on a long walk or trekking to the highest peaks of the island or shorter treks at the ancestral home of Napoleon. You might want to set your pace as per your destination cause the long list of adventures never ends at this island.
SCENIC VIEWS
The island of Corsica has almost everything to offer but what adds a cherry to this cake is the beautiful delicate scenic views that change every second of the day, in all seasons of the entire year. Nature breathes at its best here but it’s not only natural sources that keep the experience at Corsica so pure yet so deep. But the proximity of the people living here with the mother earth makes it all the more admissible. Whether you want to watch the sunsets from the peaks of the mountain or watch the twilight skies which are always of different color here, Corsica might never disappoint you. The lush green mountains on all the sides with a little dot of the architectural beauty of human creations, adorned with white rocks spread around the island and soporific breeze make everything stop for a while.
Let me know what else you would prefer in a place where you are solo traveling and all the places that you would like to visit.
