Visit Ajaccio

The theme of the week is Corsica, so we take you to visit Ajaccio, the biggest city of the island. Called "the island of beauty" for centuries, Corsica is full of places to visit. Already in ancient times, the Greeks referred to this mountain in the sea as the most beautiful island in the Mediterranean.

Ajaccio : the city of Napoleon.

The first thing to know about Ajaccio is that it is the city of Napoleon. But who is Napoleon?  Napoleon was born in Corsica. The French Emperor had one of the most important impacts on France, and Europe in general, in history. The empire he built ruled over Europe for years before collapsing in 1815. He was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, in 1769. Today, many cultural places, streets and squares are named after him. The house where he was born can be visited and named Casa Buonaparte. The house now houses a museum dedicated to the Bonaparte family. You can walk through the different rooms (bedrooms, living room, dining room, boudoir) where some of the furniture is original, but also discover the history and the family tree of the whole family.

The Fesch Palace / Museum of Fine Arts

The Fesch Palace is a must-see in Ajaccio for all art lovers. It was built by Napoleon's maternal uncle, Cardinal Joseph Fesh, who wanted to make it a place dedicated to art and to develop the artistic and intellectual training of the island's youth. The place now houses the Museum of Fine Arts. Its collection of paintings includes masterpieces by great Italian artists such as Poussin, Botticelli or Titian. It is one of the most important in France, after the Louvre Museum in Paris. A section of the museum is also dedicated to the Bonaparte family with several portraits and another section presents Corsican paintings. Your ticket for the Fine Arts Museum also entitles you to visit one of Ajaccio's other places of interest, the Imperial Chapel.Listed as a historical monument, it is located just next to the museum, in the south wing. It was built in 1857 by Napoleon III.

La Parata

During your vacations in Ajaccio, we advise you to go for a walk on the side of La Parata. The whole peninsula of Parata and the archipelago of 4 islands, the Sanguinaires islands, which are located in extension, is labeled "Great site of France". On this archipelago, you will be able to see a Genoese tower of defense. The latter is part of the 90 Genoese towers built to defend Corsica from barbarian attacks.

The Capo di Feno

After visiting the city center and discovering the Sanguinaires islands, if you don't know what to do in Ajaccio, we recommend you to go and discover the Capo di Feno. The place is known for its 2 very beautiful beaches: the Grand Capo beach, a large sandy beach, quite wild and not developed. It is popular with surfers, and the beach of Petit Capo or Sevani beach, separated from Grand Capo by a field. Count on 3 hours of walk there and back and more if you plan to swim at the beach.

The lake of Tolla

The lake of Tolla is located at 30 km from Ajaccio. During the summer, it is a very pleasant place to practice nautical activities such as kayak or pedal boat. You can also take a nice walk around the lake or go fishing and catch perch and pike. The road that leads to the lake from Ajaccio is also very nice with many beautiful viewpoints, passing through typical villages and the Prunelli gorges. A good idea to change a little from the sea and to visit the surroundings of Ajaccio.

Scandola reserve

Offering spectacular landscapes, the boat trip in the reserve is considered as one of the must-do's of a trip in Corsica. Listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, the Scandola nature reserve is both a marine and terrestrial reserve with strictly regulated access. It is part of the regional natural park of Corsica. The tour includes a visit to the ancient fishing village of Girolata, with a beautiful bay. The cruise then reaches the Scandola reserve. The reserve offers a splendid landscape shaped by erosion. Of volcanic origin, the red rocks of the ancient caldera plunge into the sea and contrast with the intense blue of the water. You will also pass by the island of Gargalu where there is a lighthouse and a Genoese tower.

 

We hope to have given you the desire to visit Ajaccio!

-JADE