Luxury holidays in Bastia

The belle of the Haut-Corse, an important French port city for centuries, and the gateway to the lusciously leafy Cap Corse peninsula, Bastia has firmly established its place in history while remaining very much lived in and modern-minded. Most of the action takes place in the Terra Vecchia and the Old Port, where sensory-overload markets are held each weekend, locals sit out in peaceful squares, and in scenic custom fishing boats come in daily heavy with hauls. The 14th-century Citadel has fortifications and the trappings of any self-respecting mediaeval township: a cathedral, churches (including the only religious Rococo building in France) and garden stretches for play and romantic rendezvous. A new addition is the Aldilonda footbridge which will take you from beach to harbour, and festivals and flea markets keep things lively. But, you’ll want to zip around the pristine northern coastal route, get lost in the vast Castagniccia sweet-chestnut forest, and hop from charment village to charmant village.