The region is divided in two departements:
Cap Corse peninsula
An animated island, past and present, Corsica "always conquered, never subdued" has been successively Pisan and Genovese and has been French since 1768. It enjoys a special constitutional status.
Mountain in the sea, Corsica is also called '''Island of beauty''', not without reason. The diversity of its scenery, and its preservation from the aggressions of development and tourism, makes it one of the pearls of the Mediterranean sea.
The places of interest to tourists in Corsica are various: Sea (beach, scuba diving, sailing), mountain (hiking, with the famous ''' GR 20''').
Most visitors come to Corsica in the summer months, and particularly in August, when the number of tourists double or triple from the already large populations in July. If you can only go to Corsica in August, planning ahead is essential, as hotels, campsites, car rental agencies, and ferries are all likely to be pre-booked.
From France, the simplest and fastest solution is the NGV (High Speed Boat, Navire a Grande Vitesse): it takes 2:45 to 3:30 to go from Nice to Calvi, l'Ile-Rousse, Ajaccio and Bastia, and you can enjoy the view of the Corsican seashore and arrive practically downtown. It is also possible to take regular ferries from Marseille, Nice and Toulon. You can also get to Corsica from Italy, leaving Genoa, Livorno, Savona, Naples or Sardinia.
It's advisable to rent a car when in Corsica, as the public transportation is very poor. There are only 3 train lines connecting the major cities, the rest is by bus - which at most leaves twice a day!
All walks will need topographical maps, despite usually excellent trail marks. The IGN maps may be found in many of the bigger cities, and at the airports, including Bastia airport. Additionally, you can purchase these maps (more expensively) from the internet ahead of time.
Other trails include the two Mare e Mare (Sea to Sea) trails which cross the island, and the Mare e Monti trails (Sea and Mountain).
Mare e Mare Nord: Cargese to Moriani la Plage. Suggested time - 11 days. This trail intersects with the one of the Mare e Monti Trails. The trail is only lightly traveled from Corte to Moriani, as this is perhaps the less interesting half, with uniform scenery, and Gites that may not be open unless you call first.
Mare e Mare Sud: Porto-Vecchio to Propriano. Suggested time - 5 days. Considered an easier trail than the other trails on the island.
Mare e Monti: Calenza to Cargese. Suggested time - 10 days. This trail includes the beautiful fishing village of Girolatta, unnusual in that it is only accessable by boat (from Calvi) or on foot.
There are additional Mare e Monti trails.
Once the sun goes down, many people stay on or near the beach, enjoying gelato or one of the many beachside bars and restaurants.
Sightseeing in Corsica's major towns is also an excellent activity, though those who wait to do this on cloudy/rainy days may find the roads in and out of town completely overwhelmed by summer traffic, with traffic jams up to 2 hours in August. On cloudy days, your best bet is to avoid the centers and head into the mountains, for a walk along a marked trail or a meal in a small village.
Corsica is usually a very safe place especially for tourists. Spending the night outdoors in the towns or villages will not be a problem. Be polite and respectful, and there is nothing else to worry.
From here, you can go to Sardinia, an Italian Island just to the south. Ferries leave from Bonifacio every few hours for San Teresa during the summer, and cost approximately ?15 per foot passenger and can easily accommodate cars, light trucks and motorcycles. The ferry ride is approximately one hour. A weekly ferry also leaves Porto Vechio for Palau, Sardinia once a week.
You can also leave the ports of Ajaccio, Calvi, L'ile Rousse. or Bastia for mainland France (Nice, Toulon, Marseille) or Genova. However, it is essential to book far ahead on these ferries, even if you are on foot, as they tend to fill up very fast in the high season--especially those leaving for Nice! It is rather pricy as well so do nt be surprised to pay 50 euro or more, even without a car. Book with Corsica Ferries or SNCM.