Bastia

Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. Bastia is the principal port of the island.

All of Bastia’s historic sights lie within Terra Vecchia, the old quarter immediately south of place St-Nicolas, and Terra Nova, the area surrounding the Citadelle. Tucked away below the imposing, honey-coloured bastion is the much-photographed Vieux Port, with its busy marina encircled by crumbling 18t century tenement buildings.

The spacious place St-Nicolas is a good place to get your bearings, open to the sea and lined with shady trees and cafés, it’s the main focus of town life.

Bastia's train station is located in the city centre and connects Bastia with Ajaccio and Calvi.

From April, a tourist train operates round Bastia, departing from Place Saint Nicholas (opposite Tourist Information).

Oratoire de la Confrerie de Sainte Croix dates back to the 15th century and is particularly noted for its black Christ and richly decorated interior.

The old port (Vieux Port), now the marina is a nice place for a stroll and has a good mix of cafes and bars.

To learn more about Corsica, head to the Musee de Bastia, however most of the information is in French.

The town beach is quite pebbly and is very busy in summertime. The Plage l'Arinella may be a better option, follow the main road out of town for about 1km.

Bastia is the gateway to Cap Corse, a long peninsula located at the northern tip of the island. Here you will find nature reserves and hidden single beaches as well as a small marina.

Patrimonio is one of the most famous in this area known for it's vineyards and is open for tours.

Boulevard Paoli and rue César-Campinchi are Bastia's two main shopping streets. Good buys include olive oil, wine, fig jam and liqueurs.

Wild boar is possibly the island's most celebrated dish. Meat dishes may be served with pasta or polenta and popular dishes include 'civet de sanglier' (wild boar casserole), 'veau aux olives' (veal with olives) and 'agneau Corse' (Corsican lamb). Fresh fish and seafood such as red mullet (rouget), sea bream (loup de mer), crayfish (langoustine) and oysters (huitres) are also available on local menus.

Most traditional Corsican desserts are milk or egg based, tuck into beignets (chestnut flour doughnuts), 'fiadone' (similar to cheesecake) and flan a la farine de chataigne (Chestnut tart).

Cruise ships dock in the centre of town at Bastia Port. The centre of town is within easy reach of the port.