Bastia (Corsica)

France

Things to do in Bastia (Corsica):

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Bastia (Corsica) Restaurants

Cheap (13)

Croq 'O' Pain

Hearty sandwiches, salads and pizzas are available to eat in or take away from 7am-11pm. read more
Affordable (12)

Le Bosco

The only Lebanese restaurant on the island serves a huge variety of delicious mezze. Savour a piece of homemade baklava while watching the ferries go by. read more
Good quality (9)

La Citadelle

Locals come to this gourmet restaurant to see and be seen. Prices are a bit steep, but worth it for some of the best food in Bastia. Save room for one of the excellent desserts. read more

Bastia (Corsica) Nightlife

Chilled (13)

Caf� Casale

Stop inside this�warm and inviting caf� for a�serving of decadent chocolat a l'italienne served in eclectic china cups. There's also free Wi-Fi so you can surf as you sip. read more
Live Music (9)

Bar de l'Ombrage

The karaoke on Thursdays and local bands playing at the weekend give this place a great, fun vibe. read more
Clubbing (12)

Bar La Suite

At first glance, this is Bastia's attempt at a classy cigar bar serving aged whiskies and cognacs, but then it all kicks off when the DJ arrives and plays dance music. read more

This Month in Bastia (Corsica) (March):

By Cara Straforelli

Shopping: Santa Catalina offers every kind of natural Corsican product one could think of. The aromatic local teas and herbs make great gifts (8 Rue des Terrasses, tel: 04 9532 3069).

Sightseeing: The seventh annual Festival E Teatrale takes place on 15-24 March. As usual, it gathers the best of Corsican theatre from all over the island (Place du Donjon, tel: 04 9534 0735).

Key areas: Head south on Rue Napol�on from Place Saint Nicolas and you will run into Terra Vecchia, the oldest and quirkiest part of Bastia. The Place du March�, a lively produce market, is open daily from 7am-2pm. Also deserving of a look is St Jean Baptiste Church, further south near the port.

Day trips: Spring in Corsica is a great time to take advantage of the island's scenic walking trails. St Florent is a good base to start from, and is just half an hour from Bastia. Take a picnic and head up the Sentier de Douanier to Mortella Tower (two-and-a-half hours) or all the way to the famed Plage de Loto (another hour's walking).

Bastia (Corsica) Trivia

March: Corsica, the fourth-largest Mediterranean island, has about 1,000km of coastline and more than 200 beaches.
February: Dubbed "the toughest long-distance trail in Europe", the GR20 is a world-famous footpath that crosses Corsica from the north-west to the south-east. The trail is 180km long and takes about 15 days to traverse.
January: For a tumultuous two years, 1794-1796, Corsica was under the protection of the United Kingdom.