Corte
Corte
The dramatic Corsican hinterland of Corte offers an alternative holiday in Corsica, with a warm climate and an impressive mountainous region for hiking activities. The majestic granite mountains surround the town of Corte, which is an independent and proud town, that has for long epitomised Corsican nationalism – for a short time in the 18th century it was the capital of Pascal Paoli's short-lived Corsican state. Now a university town it remains dominated by the Haute Ville (upper town) and its forbidding citadel, site of the Musée de la Corse, the islands premier museum. It's easy to spend a morning here wandering around the narrow cobbled streets or soaking up the atmosphere in one of the many bars and cafés that line the main street. Corte is an excellent base for exploring the island's wonderful mountain scenery. A few miles to the southwest, near Bergeries de Grotelle, walkers will find a number of glacial lakes and around Valée de la Restonica are a series of stunning natural gorges and basins with refreshing swimming spots. Buses and trains connect Corte with Ajaccio, Bastia and other towns on the island.
