The Cap Corse tour by car is one of the most famous roads in Corsica with mountains, wild beaches, charming villages and splendid views.
Here is our guide to visit the Cap Corse:
- Map and tips for driving around Corsica
- What to see in Cap CorseWhere to stop with 1 or 2 days
- Lots of pictures
- All our advice based on our visits
Best things to do in Cap Corse – summary + map
Is the Cape Corse worth it? Why visit?
If you like wild landscapes where the mountains plunge into the sea, then yes, absolutely, the Cap Corse is worth a visit.
But it is quite different from the rest of Corsica. Don’t have the same expectations!
This region, one of the most beautiful in Corsica, is covered with mountains in its center: 10 peaks above 1000m with the highest point, Cima di e Follicie, at 1324m.
As this mountain range Serra plunges into the sea, there has been no urban development and the landscape is disturbed only by charming villages.
The east and west coasts have very different characters with steeper slopes in the west (our favorite). .
Map of Cap Corse: things to do
The Cap Corse is the peninsula of 40 km long and 15 km wide.
Here is a general map of Cap Corse with the location of our favorite places all around.
Top 5:
- Village of Erbalunga
- Village of Nonza
- Hiking Customs Trail (partially or entirely)
- Village Port Centuri
- Albo’s point of view
Driving time:
- Bastia to Erbalunga = 20min
- Erbalunga to Macinaggio = 40min
- Mattei Mill in Nonza = 1h10
- Nonza to Saint-Florent = 30min
OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Corsica
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is powerful enough (the roads are steep) but compact (some passages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
How long does it take to drive around the Cap Corse by car
The tour of the Cap Corse can be done in one day, but our recommendation is to enjoy it over 2 days:
- Without stopping, to go around the D80, it takes 3h30 of driving
- The views are best counter-clockwise
- With 2 days, you can take advantage of the best hours to see the landscapes and do some hiking on the customs path or at the Seneca tower.
Lots of other tips after the list of places not to be missed, at the end of the article.
Virtual visit – video
Here is a short video to show you how beautiful the area is, especially the west coast with the mountains plunging directly into the sea.
And here we go, we drive towards the North from Bastia. Here are our favorite stops.
Stop 1. Erbalunga
Why see it?
Erbalunga is a charming historical village on a very small peninsula.
It is the main tourist village on the east coast. Its old center was built on a small peninsula that ends with the ruin of a Genoese tower.
The old houses have some color and are strangely pushed together as if they were protecting against invasion.
Tips for visiting
- Erbalunga has a large parking lot in the city center (paying in summer but free the rest of the time)
- From there, you can drive up the road (south) to see the view of the peninsula as pictured above.
- And you can enter the old town to explore it: walk to the ruins of the tower and visit the charming little port. You can go to the other side of the dike to get a great view of the village and the tower.
- Plan 1 hour to explore or more to enjoy delicious seafood.
Learn more with our article on Erbalunga
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Stop 2. East route: Pietracorbara Tour de l’Osse
Continue along the east coast road to the north.
You will spot several places where you can stop to enjoy the views.
If you only have one day, only make short stops. But if you have 2 days, you can spend some time on one of the beaches.
Our favorite views are:
Beach of Pietracorbara
Pietracorbara has one of the most beautiful sandy beaches of the Cap Corse.
The views from the roadside are superb with the turquoise waters and the ridge.
The village is also charming, with its houses with lauze roofs.
If you have more time, we recommend 3 activities;
- the Distillery of Pietracorbara, to find regional products and liqueurs made on the spot.
- the white water path: a 2.8km walk along a river with a tower, a mill and a Genoese bridge. Loop that lasts 1 hour – departure from the church of Saint Clément(infos)
- the botanical path of 3km to discover the Mediterranean plants(infos)
Tower of the Osse
As you continue north, you will see the Osse Tower, which dates from the late 16th/early 17th century. It is the best preserved of the Cap Corse.
You can stop and see it from a distance, as it appears at every turn.
But you can also stop right in front of it, there is a small recess on the side of the road just after.
Admire its strategic location, its height of 3 floors and its machicolation around the terrace.
Stop 3. Tomino
Why see it?
Most visitors tend to stay on the coastal road while visiting the Cap Corse.
However, it is sometimes good to make a small detour inland.
Tomino is a small village with perfect views of Macinaggio and its beach.
Moreover, it is very interesting with a round and a square tower and a tunnel as well as two churches, one behind the other.
Tips for visiting
- Detour of less than 10 minutes from the main road.
- Short stop to see the churches and the view of the coast and the islands.
- Notice the well-preserved round tower and the other one which is square.
Stop 4. Macinaggio (night if Cap Corse in 2 days)
Why see it?
Macinaggio has been a port since Roman times.
From 1620, the area of the east coast of Cap Corse was developed by the Genoese.
The local population exported olive oil and wine to Italy.
It has lost most of its historical buildings, but you can still enjoy the marina, the beach. And it is from here that the Sentier des Douaniers starts (next stop).
Macinaggio has a long beach. The picture does not make you dream but when the posidonia leaves are not there, it is superb. Be aware that leaves can appear at any time on almost any beach. They are very important for the maintenance of the beaches.
Tips for visiting
- Very easy to park near the port
- Some restaurants and hotels
- Easy to visit on foot
WHERE TO STAY IN Cap-Corse
To enjoy this show, it is better to spend a night or several!
Here are our suggestions.
Option 1 : Macinaggio or Tomino
Advantages: beautiful marina, restaurants, easy parking and the beginning of the walk on the Douaniers Path. About halfway to the entire cape.
Or you can sleep on the heights in the village of Tomino for beautiful views.
- Hotel Le Tomino – see prices, pictures and availability
- see the available accommodations
Option 2: Erbalunga
It is less central on the road to the Cape, but the village has a lot of charm.
- Hotel Demeure Castel Brando & Spa – see photos and availability
- see the available accommodations
Option 3 : sleep at the Cap Corse base
Otherwise you can sleep at the base of the Cap Corse and go on a day trip to do the tour, or to do each of the coasts.
We recommend the town of Saint-Florent or the village of Patrimonio and give you access to many other beautiful places as well.
- Hotel La Roya – see photos and availability
- see the best rated accommodations
Stop 5. Customs officers’ path
Why do it (or part of it)?
Everywhere in France, you will find hiking trails calledSentier des Douaniers’. They have been used to fight against trafficking.
The section of the Cap Corse is one of the most famous of the island. It is a fairly easy walk along the coast with views of wild islets and beaches.
You can go all the way around the 18km between Macinaggio and Port Centuri, or only a small part and come back.
Tips for visiting
The Customs Trail starts in Macinaggio on the east coast. It is clearly indicated at the beginning of the beach.
It leads along the coast with superb views of Macinaggio and the Finocchiarola islands (protected for their birds).
You can opt for a short round-trip walk or a full-day hike:
- 45min to Tamarone Beach + 20min to the island beach with Genoese tower.
- 3h30 one way from Macinaggio to Barcaggio (San Paulu VIP can bring you back by boat if you have pre-booked)
- Full day hike to Port Centuri
The Finocchiarola Islands
From the trail you can see the Finochhiarola Islands. They are 3 deserted islets with a culminating point at 27m where a Genoese tower is built.
They are part of the Finochhiarola Islands Nature Reserve, which helps preserve the Audouin’s Gull.
Stop 6. Mattei Mill
Why see it?
The Mattei Mill is a white and red mill, an unusual construction for Corsica. 13 of them had been built to take advantage of the wind at Cap Corsebut only this one remains in good condition.
It offers one of the most splendid views of the Cap Corsewith its green hills that plunge into the sea.
Tips for visiting
- Free access
- 5 to 10 minutes of walking uphill
- Allow 30 minutes to read all the signs and enjoy the view
- Be careful, it is often very windy and it can be difficult to go around the mill.
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Stop 7. Port Centuri
Why see it?
Port Centuri is the navy of the village Centuri on the west coast of Corsica. It is one of the most active fishing ports in Corsica.
It looks wild and very attacked by the natural elements, but you feel a strong place full of character.
Tips for visiting
- Large parking lot near the water south of the village (few parking spaces inside).
- Near the parking lot, you have a view on the islet of Capense
- There is no particular architecture to look for in the village, just the particular atmosphere that is interesting.
- Ruins of a tower
- Allow 30min to explore or more to enjoy delicious seafood or walk along the south coast of the village.
Stop 8. The west coast and Albo
Continue along the west coast road to the south.
You will spot several places where you can stop to enjoy the views.
If you only have one day, only make short stops. But if you have 2 days, you can spend some time exploring the beaches, villages and go down to the small ports.
Some of our favorite views are:
- Cape Corvoli.
- The Anse D’Aliso is one of the best places along the Cap Corse. It is just before the village of Pino, a wild area where the mountains plunge into the sea.
- The beach of Albo also has a beautiful black beach with a tower. The color is due to the old asbestos mine just north of it. Note the tower which dates from 1562. It could clearly communicate with the one in Nonza.
- And in general, the views on the Gulf of Saint-Florent
Location
This is the view just before the village of Albo on the west coast of Cap Corse.
Why I love it
The most famous black beach of Cap Corse is Nonza. But I really enjoyed the view from the one of Albo as you see the successive advances of mountains and a 180° panorama on the gulf of Saint-Florent.
I love the location of the Genoese tower.
Stop 9. Seneca Tower
Why see it
The Seneca Tower is one of the most famous in Corsica because of its location at the top of a rock formation 564m above sea level.
Thanks to its location, it offers a splendid view of the coast.
Tips for visiting
- Detour from the main road, among the sites listed in stop 9.
- The last kilometer to the parking lot is very narrow and crossing paths with other cars is a challenge.
- The hike (although rated easy) is very steep! Allow 1 hour
HOW TO GET TO Corsica
Option 1: by ferry
Departure from France and Italy
- See all ferry options in our article
- Compare schedules, prices and availability directly
Advantage: you can take your car!
Option 2: by plane
Airports in Bastia, to visit the North, Figari to visit the South, or Ajaccio convenient for all Corsica.
Compare flights!
Stop 10. Nonza
Why stop
Nonza is one of the famous villages of Corsica. We find it a unique place to explore because of its location and medieval history.
The place offers a combination of scenic factors with:
- A long black beach (the small black pebbles are due to an old abandoned asbestos mine further north).
- The position of the village on a promontory with steep cliffs of 100m high)
- A tower at the end of this promontory
- A picturesque village with a pink church
Tips for visiting
- Allow 1 hour to explore the village (steps to the square tower, but it is worth it)
- Add 1h if you want to go for a walk on the beach (steep descent)
- This is a very touristy village and parking is limited due to the geography – at lunchtime, it becomes impossible to park
Beach of Nonza
The most famous beach is the one of Nonza which I mentioned earlier.
It is a 1.4 km long beach with a steep slope, mountains covered with dense vegetation.
The small stones are black because of an asbestos mine located further north that was abandoned at the end of the 20th century.
It is better to admire it from the village.
The access is by a steep path.
Other ideas if you have more time
11. Start by visiting Bastia
Before starting your tour around the Cap Corseyou can visit Bastia, one of the largest cities in Corsica.
Our favorite part was the little old port with old buildings all around.
The other main attraction is the Citadel of Bastia. It is open to the public.
To do:
- Explore the narrow streets to discover churches and old buildings
- Go down to the fortifications to have a view of the surroundings (be careful, there are many steps to go down and up).
- Visit the Palace of the Governors – The current structure was completed in 1521. This was the location of the governor’s private apartments, as well as public courtrooms, offices, chapels and a prison. It now houses the Museum of Bastia with access to the historical part of the buildings and exhibitions of paintings and objects of Corsican history. Don’t miss the view of Bastia from the roof garden!
12. Go through the Corniche and Santa Lucia, instead of the low road
Instead of taking the D80 to go or come back from Erbalunga, you can take the road of the Corniche (D31). It goes up above Bastia and goes down towards Erbalunga.
It is a little more difficult but it takes you to the church of Santa Lucia with its view on Bastia.
Sit on the bench to enjoy the 180° view between mountains and sea. Enter the church. It was built in the 18th century.
13. Finish by discovering Patrimonio
Leaving the peninsula of Cap Corsewe find ourselves in the charming region of Patrimonio.
Don’t miss its very photogenic baroque church.
The region is famous for its vineyards between the mountains and the sea. You can stop and taste their reds, whites and rosés.
14. Other villages of the Cap Corse
But if you want to take more than 2 days to visit Cap Corsethere are many other villages to discover along the road or inland in the mountains.
None of them are really big, so it takes 30 minutes to explore them.
Many have Genoese tower ruins but many do not have any special architecture, just a sense of stability, a fortress that has been established for a very long time.
For example:
- The marine of Negru with its small houses of fisherman to the roof of roofing stones, its Genoese tower and its bridge with two arches spanning the river
- the village of Pino surrounded by laricio pines and prickly pear trees, with the navy of Scalo with its Genoese tower, and the beach of the Anse d’Aliso.
- Morsiglia with its square tower and its wine activity
- Sisco, further inland from the Cape
- …
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO Corsica
Inspiration destinations
Best of
- The most beautiful beaches of Corsica
- The most beautiful villages of Corsica
- The most beautiful cities of Corsica
- The most beautiful destinations in Corsica
- The museums of Corsica
- Hidden gems in Corsica
- The most beautiful natural pools
- What to do in North Corsica
- Best things to do in South Corsica
- Canyoning in Corsica
Where to stay
14. Other beaches of Cap Corse
Several maritime villages of Cap Corse have small beaches of pebbles or sand.
At the northern end of the peninsula, there are wild beaches that can only be accessed by walking the Sentier des Douaniers. However, they tend to receive dead leaves of posidonia algae. They are very important for the protection and creation of these beaches, but are not ideal for appearance.
Here are some ranges to consider:
- The beach of Tamarone, north of Macinaggio
- The beach Cala Genovese, on the northern tip (accessible by hiking or boat only)
- The beach of Meria with its Genoese tower
- THE beach of Barcaggio, in the North of Cap Corse with restaurant, cows and a small island.
- The beach of Misincu, on the edge of the road D80
- The beach of Sisco
- The beach of Negro
- …
If you want dream beaches near the Cap Corsethere are some in the Agriates desert just south of the Cape (accessible by boat from Saint Florent). See our guide.
15. Hike to the top of the Cap CorseMonte Sello
We didn’t do it, but if you like hiking, don’t miss the visit to the summit of the Cap Corse.
Cima di e Follicie culminates at 1324m of altitude.
And Monte Stello takes you to a splendid panorama at 1306m.
Departure from Pozzo, south of Erbalunga.
Count 6 hours of walking with more than 1100m of difference in altitude.
Visit the Cap Corse by car: all our advice
Driving – Tour of the Cap Corse by car
Driving in Corsica often scares people.
In general, it’s not that difficult. It’s just that there are no big straight lines. The roads go round and round the mountains, which makes Corsica so beautiful with fantastic views!
The road around Cap Corse is not too difficult.
There are some sections of the west coast that are quite narrow, but you can easily cross paths with other cars.
Take your time!
It becomes difficult where the cliffs are not straight and where you are facing a bus going in the opposite direction …. There, we may have to maneuver a bit.
Counterclockwise
We agree with what everyone is saying. Turning counterclockwise offers the best views, especially on the west coast with the whole gulf of Saint-Florent.
When to visit Capicorsu
The Corsican Cape is beautiful all year round. But many things close in winter.
It is better to avoid the middle of summer because it becomes difficult to stop on the roadsides and in the villages.
But if you have no choice and visit in summer or during the French vacations, start the road early to avoid the crowds.
Safety: wind
Be careful, the Cap Corse often has a lot of wind.
When you are at altitude, don’t take risks.
For example, when we visited the Mattei Mill, our father almost flew away!
Visit the Cap Corse in 1 day
If you only have one day we advise you to:
- Leave early
- Visit the east coast in the morning with Erbalunga and Pietracorbara. Take a short walk along the beginning of the customs path from Macinaggio in the late morning.
- Going to eat in Port Centuri
- Go down the west coast in the afternoon, with the stops listed in this article, including the village of Nonza.
Visit the Cap Corse in 2 days
If you have 2 days, we recommend you:
- The east coast on the 1st day, passing by the cornice and finishing with a hike on a part of the customs path.
- The night in Macinaggio or Tomino
- The second day on the west coast
Can we spend more time at the Cap Corse?
Of course. You can spend a whole vacation exploring the villages, doing the various hikes including Monte Sello and the entire customs path.
FAQs
How do you say Cap Corse in Corsica?
The Corsican name of Cap Corse is Capicorsu. That’s all in one word.
Which wines can be found in Cap Corse
The Cap Corse is a micro-region with vineyards that produce white, red and rosé wines. The region is particularly known for its Muscatel wine.
There are fewer producers than before but they are persistent!
The spirit Cap Corse Mattei
The spirit of the name of Cap Corse was created in 1872 by Louis-Napoléon Mattei.
It is a mixture of muscatel from Cap Corse and cinchona, a medicinal plant. Today the recipe has evolved with macerated oranges, aromatic plants and always cinchona.
