If you think that France is only about the romance of Paris, the chic of the French Riviera, and too refined cuisine, just know - you are fundamentally wrong! Want to turn off the beaten path a bit? Pack your bags and set foot on lively Corsica, the "Isle of Beauty" which certainly lives up to this name.
Set in the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, actually closer to Italy than to France, Corsica has always possessed its special status and unique spirit, perfectly reflected and embodied in its capital, Ajaccio. The city can rightly be called the cultural center of the island and Corsica tourism too as Ajaccio has it all: remarkable historic heritage, hypnotizing natural panoramas, and brilliant recreational facilities!
Probably the most prominent chapter of the city's biography is that Ajaccio is the motherland of Napoleon Bonaparte. In fact, the memory of the former French leader is actively maintained here which means that you literally won't walk several quarters without noticing Napoleon's portrait on some poster, in souvenir shops or somewhere else. Plus, you can enhance your Ajaccio travel itinerary with a visit to Maison Bonaparte, the house and museum of this prominent figure in French history.
As for the other significant Ajaccio attractions, the majority of them, one way or another, are connected with Napoleon. Thus, walking around Ajaccio, stop by the Baroque Ajaccio Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Saint Mary, the place where the future commander was baptized, as well as go inside the Palais Fesch, the former house of Napoleon's uncle which is now the central Museum of Fine Arts of Ajaccio.
Corsican cuisine deserves a separate mention as it is one more thing that distinguishes the island from the rest of France. So while walking along the quay of Ajaccio, pop in one of the seaside restaurants to try goat cheese Brocciu (produced only on Corsica), various dishes from chestnut, and tasty desserts.
.jpg)
.jpg)
