Not very happy about how 2020 is going, we decided to spoil ourselves by taking the dream holiday we always craved: going to Corsica.
Afraid about a new lockdown, we used the first summer week that we had available and we left for the perfect vacation.
Total comfort and no stress is the mood that we need in order to take all the year’s tension off our shoulders and to charge our batteries.
We actually always imagined visiting Corsica by renting a car or a van, but as long as we are so addicted to cruises, this time we did it by catamaran. First experience for us both in this kind of boat and we can truly say that we are really satisfied.
At the beginning we didn’t’ really want to “leave” the sail experience to try a new one, cause a lot of people told us that we were going to have small cabins and a not private bathroom; but Giacomo never gives up and he found an amazing brand new catamaran by Dream Yacht Charter. It couldn’t be more luxurious than this.
The outward journey to the Ile de Beaute wasn’t really easy, but when we arrived we just had to enjoy an apéritif to feel much better. The “Dream Palma”, leaded by Damién and helped by the chef/skipper Hugh, has sailed from the Ajaccio’s harbour just before dinner, in time to let us enjoy our first sunset.
10 most beautiful beaches in Southern Corsica
Anse Stagnola
Anse Stagnola was our first stop where we enjoyed the sunset and we had a delicious dinner on the first day. A taste about this relaxing holiday, surrounded by a deep blue sea and rounded cliffs in this beautiful bay. First thing in the morning was jumping into the sea, a great way to start this regenerating vacation!
Cala d’Orzu
Cala d’Orzu is Giacomo’s favourite: a huge beach with super white sand and a turquoise sea that we didn’t even saw in the Carribean (the ones you can find on the web, of course 😛 ). This beach stretches between Capo di Muro and Capo Nero, in the middle of the two Genoese towers that dominate the two ends. We had fun diving, swimming and kayaking to the shore where we took a nice walk. We were lucky to get there by sea, because we heard that getting there by car is not that easy, but not impossible.
Tivella
Tivella is easy to remember because of its characteristic rounded cliff in the middle of the bay, the one from which kids dive. Maybe this beach is one of the most beautiful that we have visited; funny here is even the sand made of tiny little pebbles that massage your feet.
Bonifacio
The famous Bonifacio: an absolute stunning city standing in an amazing location. Weird that Game of Thrones didn’t use it as a set!
Leaving us speechless was the entry to the bay: a long corridor of white cliffs leads us to the marina of the city, a place full of life, where most of the restaurants are.
The Upper town of Bonifacio, on the other hand, stands on the large rocky walls that are the characteristic symbol of the place, that can be reached by car or on foot by a stairway.
The view that you can see from up there is worth the effort, and once you caught your breathe, is so nice to lose yourself in the old streset, visiting all the typical stores and drinking the excellent corse beer: Petra. From above, it is possible to reach the ends of the city: the marine cemetery and the staircase of the King of Aragon, from which you can observe Le Grain de Sable, a characteristic stack of the place.
The staircase was built in 1420 by the king Alfonso V of Aragon in order to have access to a source of drinking water, its peculiarity is that he had it carved directly into the rock and is therefore overlooking the sea: recommended for those who want to experience strong emotions!
Lavezzi Island
My dad always talked to me about the Island of Lavezzi and its beautiful marine reserve, so I was looking forward to visit it! We actually didn’t have the chance to explore it under water, but we enjoyed our walk by land. A charming path led us to visit it far and wide: thanks to the walks immersed in this very particular nature composed of dry and yellowed grass bundles, from which, like stars, the typical flowers of the Mediterranean, emerge.
Since the climate is very hot and dry, you better bring plenty of drinking water, sunscreen and a hat, also because there is no type of service. And that’s why it is good manners to remember to take away from the island any type of garbage created.
The very suggestive walks on the island lead you to every beach that surrounds it, where you can swim to refresh from the heath or, these walks lead you also to visit the only few buildings present: a small church, the lighthouse and the cemetery of the Sémillante.
Piana Island and Sperone gulf
You definitely don’t want to miss the connection between the Piana Island and the Sperone gulf: a nice walk into the water that crosses the bay. It’s about 300 meters made by a sandbar with the water up to the chest. The encounter between the two streams of water coming from opposite sides is really special, you absolutely want to take a video here! However, we actually preferred to play in the water like two kids.
Cala of Roccapina
My favourite beach was Cala of Roccapina, a true beauty with waters colours that Maldives would just envy: light turquoise spots match with the deep blue ones, which means that the seabed is full of seaweed, a protected species where you can not anchor.
This beach offers also two nice walks to do, an advice: bring with you trekking shoes.
One walk lead to one of the characteristic Genoese towers that you can find all along the Corsica shore, the other walk lead to the famous Roccapina Lion: a set of stones arranged to form the figure of a lion with a crown on his head, an image formed over thousands of years thanks to the combined action of wind, air, water and sand.
Once you get to the top, after twenty minutes of trekking, you can admire a breathtaking view: on one side the leopard-print sea of Cala of Roccapina, on the other the endless beach of Erbaju, a dizzying 360 degrees
Tralicetu
We did a beautiful swim, helped by the flippers due to the current, towards the beach of Tralicetu, on which we then enjoyed a relaxing walk along the seafront. The sandy beach stretches for 1 km in a totally unspoiled environment, with some dunes at the edges. That day there was a bit of libeccio and the beach was completely deserted, which almost seemed to be a September morning, definitely perfect for some well-deserved relaxation 😛
Campo Moro
Campo Moro is a charming town where there is a very simple port and a beautiful walk to get to its Genoese Tower. Along the promenade you can admire villas framed by enchanting gardens typical of the Mediterranean scrub with bougainvillea and succulent plants as far as the eye can see. The peculiarity of the place is that the mountains fall steeply into the sea, making the view even more evocative.
Spiaggia di Cupabla
At Cupabla beach we enjoyed taking a lot of photos, perhaps because it was the last stop of the holiday, but the fact that it was completely deserted and wild certainly contributed to making it more special. The beautiful sand, the many shells and the grove that overlooks the crystal clear water make it an unmissable beach for a walk, but also simply to lie down and relax with the sound of the waves and the rustle of the leaves of the trees.
I would say that it is an excellent conclusion for a very special holiday; exactly what we needed to shake the stress of.
We had a formidable crew willing to satisfy our every single culinary and turistic wish. The chef spoiled us by preparing a rich breakfast every morning and we couldn’t wait to know what to expect for lunch and dinner (not to mention the aperitifs). The captain was also very kind, friendly and sociable while maintaining his role. It was always a pleasure to chat with him.
Last but definitely not least, the boat is truly a marvel! Completely new, clean, with attention to every detail and equipped with every comfort. Everything was organized in an impeccable way, from the drinks fridge always stocked and available, to the sun loungers, from the indoor and outdoor relaxation area, to the spacious bedrooms with private bathroom.
Before leaving for a boat trip, however, you need to know that you must adapt to some things, one of these is obviously the other boat’s companions. Living in a small place, for seven days, with unknown people, can in some cases not being easy and certainly, is not suitable for all types of people. This year we were particularly lucky because our travel companions, simply exquisite, made our holiday even more special.
Do you like sailing holidays? Also take a look at our experience in Montenegro or the Tremiti Islands!
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