Travel Guide Bastia

Many travelers don't linger long in Bastia when they arrive in Corsica, leaving the port or airport in a hurry to get back to their holiday destination. A big mistake! This Mediterranean town has an extraordinary beauty and charm. Originally, it was a tiny port attached to the hilltop village of Cardo, but in the 14th century, Genoese governor Leonello Lomellini decided to build a bastiglia, or bastille, which gave the town its name. From then on, Bastia became Genoa's capital in Corsica. The Genoese citadel was named terra nova in contrast to the pre-existing harbor district, terra vechjia, and the town grew around these two original districts. In the 15th and 16th centuries, a plethora of religious buildings in the Baroque style were erected here, inspiring the rest of the island. Bastia's reputation as an artistic capital also made it an important intellectual center in the 17th century. Today, this extremely rich cultural past can be seen everywhere in the town: Baroque churches and chapels, Genoese palaces, facades in warm Mediterranean colors, escarpment gardens clinging to the waves... Take advantage of your stay to sample Bastia's gentle way of life as you stroll along Rue Napoléon and the narrow streets of the citadel, linger in the Old Port for a coffee or a meal, visit the Sunday morning flea market in Place Saint-Nicolas or take part in the cultural festivals organized throughout the year!