Golfe de Porto and the Calanche di Piana
Rondinara Bay, near Bonifacio
Îles Lavezzi, Strait of Bonifacio
Girolata bay, below the Scandola reserve
Golfe de Valinco, off Propriano
Cruise past the Scandola Nature Reserve by boat
Visit Napoleon Bonaparte’s birthplace in Ajaccio
Explore Bonifacio’s clifftop citadel
Taste Corsican wine at a Patrimonio vineyard
Dive or snorkel around the Îles Lavezzi
Bonifacio old town and citadel
Ajaccio’s Maison Bonaparte and Cours Napoléon market
Calanche de Piana rock formations
Scandola Nature Reserve
Bastia’s Vieux Port and Terra Vecchia quarter
June through September is the main season, with July and August the busiest and driest, though also the most crowded around Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio. May, June and September offer a quieter alternative with reliably warm water and easier anchoring, particularly around the Scandola reserve where summer crowds are heaviest. The mistral and other strong northwesterly winds can pick up with little warning at any point in the season, so it’s worth building some flexibility into the route.
Corsica has four airports: Ajaccio Napoléon Bonaparte (AJA) and Figari-Sud Corse (FSC) in the south, and Bastia Poretta (BIA) and Calvi-Sainte-Catherine (CLY) in the north. Which one to use depends on where the charter starts, since driving across the island’s mountainous interior takes longer than the map distance suggests. Most guests fly in via a connection through mainland France or, in summer, on a direct seasonal route from other parts of Europe.
The west coast holds the standout spots: the Golfe de Porto beneath the Calanche cliffs, Girolata below the Scandola reserve, and Rondinara’s near-circular bay close to Bonifacio in the south. The Strait of Bonifacio, between Corsica and Sardinia, adds the Îles Lavezzi as a natural midway stop. Conditions change quickly on the west coast in particular, so most itineraries build in a sheltered fallback for when the wind turns onshore.
A full week gives enough time to cover one coast properly, most commonly the west from Calvi or Ajaccio down to Bonifacio, without rushing past Scandola or the Calanche. Ten days to two weeks allows a full circuit combining both coasts, or an extension across the Strait of Bonifacio into northern Sardinia. Corsica’s mountainous interior means road transfers between the coasts take longer than the distances suggest, so most charters stay on the water.
Scandola has been a protected marine and terrestrial reserve since 1975, and forms part of the Gulf of Porto’s UNESCO World Heritage listing awarded in 1983. Landing ashore is prohibited throughout the reserve, and organised excursions from Porto, Calvi or Ajaccio need their own authorisation, though private yachts can cruise through and view the cliffs and grottoes from the water. Anchoring and swimming are restricted near the core zone, so it’s worth checking current rules with a local agent before including it in the route.
