A mountain in the sea, fringed with beaches
Corsica is often called the mountain in the sea: a granite island where peaks rise straight from the Mediterranean. The coast alternates between red cliffs like the Calanques de Piana and white-sand beaches such as Palombaggia near Porto-Vecchio. Bonifacio's citadel hangs over sheer limestone cliffs at the southern tip, and Ajaccio keeps the house where Napoleon was born. Inland are chestnut forests, stone villages and the GR20, one of Europe's toughest long-distance hikes. Roads are slow and winding, so allow time.