On Saturday morning, we checked out of the hotel, and a long journey across the island was ahead of us. We decided to head north along the eastern coast and make a stop in Ajaccio.
Ajaccio is the official capital of Corsica and is best known as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. While exploring the city, we saw his large statue, visited the house where he was born, and also took a look at the citadel. We walked to the Musée Fesch as well. Miška bought a beautiful hat, and just before the afternoon siesta we had lunch at Le Cheval Blanc.
Later, we continued through the heart of Corsica towards Bastia. Driving past the Parc Naturel Régional de Corse and around Monte Rotondo, we passed through Corte, a mountain town that is home to the island’s only university, the Université de Corse Pasquale Paoli.
In the evening, we arrived at our hotel, L’Alivi, on the outskirts of Bastia. We were given a room on the top floor, right in the middle of the building, with a beautiful view of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
We spent our first full day, Sunday 16h of August at the new hotel taking it easy. We relaxed by the pool and enjoyed swimming in the sea nearby.
In the evening, we visited the picturesque village of Erbalunga, a small fishing settlement with a charming harbor and plenty of restaurants. The harbor is famously guarded by dogs, while the rest of the village seems to belong to its many cats.
After a pleasant walk through the narrow streets and along the waterfront, we returned to the hotel and enjoyed another peaceful Corsican evening.