Corsica is a beautiful island with a number of possibilites for a lovely short break. They do however involve hiring a car and driving a couple of hours to your destination and so need 3 nights booking to get the most from your trip.
If you literally only have 2 nights then the best bet would be to stay in Ajaccio which is a very pleasant town but not top of the list for a city break.
Three days around Porto on the western coast of Corsica
Our favourite part of Corsica without a doubt is the area around Porto and the Calanques de Piana, a wonderful rocky coast where the reddish rocks fall to the sea in lots of coves and inlets. This is a wonderful area for walking or driving and admiring the scenery
Day 1. Porto. Fly to Ajaccio airport and drive to Porto, a drive of about 2 hours. Porto is a small tourist town with a very pleasant atmosphere and enough hotels, restaurants and bars to make it an excellent base to explore this area. It also has a beach and a pretty river inlet.
Day 2. Drive to Piana. Take the corniche road to the village of Piana. The village is very pretty but it is the road itself that is the highlight. This stretch of road is said to be one of the most beautiful in Europe and it really is magnificent. If you are travelling in summer set off early as it gets busy! There are various places where you can stop and admire the rock formations or set off on walks to better explore the calanques.
In the afternoon if you have time do one of the boat trips around the coast to get a sea view of the calanques.
Day 3. Scandola Nature Reserve. Take a boat trip to the Scandola Nature Reserve for more beautiful views of the coast and different rock formations in the water. You may catch a glimpse of dolphins too.
Alternatively drive to the pretty village of Ota and walk to the Gorges de Spelunca.
Or spend your last day in Ajaccio. Ajaccio is a very pretty coastal city with a very pleasant waterfront walk along the harbour with views over the fishing boats and small yachts in one direction and the colourful buildings of Ajaccio rising uphill in the other. Ajaccio centre has a vibrant atmosphere with plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from.
Three days around Bonifacio on the southern coast of Corsica
Our second favourite part of Corsica was Bonifacio with its stunning hill top position and ancient citadel.
Day 1. Fly to Ajaccio airport and drive to Bonifacio, a drive of abour 2 hours. Bonifacio's lower town is built around a vibrant marina and harbour which is excellent for restaurants and bars and up above is the ancient citadel with a warren of medieval streets to discover.
Day 2. Take a boat trip around the Lavezzi islands and admire the beautiful Lavezzi coastline and Bonifacio from the sea. Alternatively head to Porto Vecchio, a lovely coastal town, for the morning. In the afternoon head to the pleasant nearby beaches of Petit Sperone and Grand Sperone. A little further away is the extremely beautiful Palombaggia beach - see our Corsica beaches guide.
Day 3. Spend the morning further exploring Bonifacio including the steep steps down to the sea, the Staircase of the King of Aragon. Alternatively head back to Ajaccio and spend some time in this lovely seaside town before your flight.
Three days around Porto Vecchio in the south of Corsica
If you are a lover of great beaches then a trip to Porto Vecchio is a great choice.
Day 1. Fly to Ajaccio and drive to Porto Vecchio. Explore the charming seaside town of Porto Vecchio.
Day 2. Spend the day on the beach. Palombaggia was our favourite but Tamaricciu and Santa Giulia are great too. See our guide to Corsica beaches.
Day 3. Spend the day at the citadel town of Bonifacio or the coastal town of Ajaccio.
Inspired to spend longer in Corsica? Take a look at our proposed itinerary for two weeks in Corsica.
