Whenever you think of an island , the imagination flies and takes us to tropical paradises. However, it is not necessary to go that far. Near Spain, there are the Canary Islands. It is not the only possible destination. The Balearic Islands are also very close in the Mediterranean. A sea that also offers other possibilities. And one of them is Corsica . A destination that may not be among the first when it comes to making the list of probable places to go on vacation, but it is well worth a visit . And it is that this island is one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean and has places that, really, are dreamlike.
Nature
Although it seems that, initially, the islands are destinations that have little to see and do, this is not the case in Corsica. It is a destination with multiple possibilities thanks to its natural landscapes that invite hiking, without forgetting its culture and history and, of course, its nearly 200 beaches where the landscapes attract attention because most of them are surrounded by mountains, being possible see magnificent cliffs And all this despite being one of the smallest islands in the western Mediterranean.
Within nature, the pine forests stand out, which are found around high-altitude lakes, vineyards , alpine pastures … The wildest part of the island is the West Coast, which is precisely where the cliffs are located. in which you have to look at the red porphyry and the white limestone.
Nature is very present on this island in which most of its surface is a Regional Natural Park , in addition to including five Nature Reserves and an International Marine Park.
They are places that can be explored by doing activities such as hiking through various routes. The most important or known is the so-called GR20 , which crosses the island from northwest to southeast and consists of 15 stages . The route is beautiful, but it is also one of the toughest there is not only on the island, but in Europe.
Very interesting is the Da Mare a Mare route which, as its name suggests, goes from sea to sea, running from west to east, as well as the Tra mare e Monte route , that is, which runs between the sea and the mountains and It goes from north to south of the island.
For those less skilled or less used to hiking, there are simpler options such as the route of the needles Bavella, located in the Regional Natural Park and lets you enjoy the landscapes of the interior of Corsica ‘s most beautiful.
Beaches
Another of the highlights from the tourist point of view of Corsica are its beaches . As we have already mentioned, it has around 200 and they are of great beauty because their sand is white and their waters are turquoise blue , quite reminiscent of an authentic paradise.
Lovers of the beaches and the coast, have a must visit Punta de la Parata and the Sanguinarias Islands , which gain even more in beauty if they are observed with the sunset. The tour of Corsica also has to lead to Calanques de Piana to observe the large red granite rocks that are located in the Gulf of Porto.
You cannot leave Corsica without visiting Calvi , which is the perfect combination of heritage, port and beaches with crystal clear waters, and Rousse Island, where you should not miss the rocky areas and Marinella beach .
Other recommended visits are the Island of Pietra to observe its lighthouse and the Genoese tower , as well as Cap Corse , which is a mountain in the sea with many towers that were used to protect themselves from invading peoples.
These are just a few proposals to consider on your first visit to Corsica, although the island is a paradise to explore from end to end.