Corsica is a mountainous island in the Mediterranean Sea; boasting of dramatic granite cliffs and beautiful beaches. It is the fourth largest island in the Sea after Cyprus, Sardinia, and Sicily islands.
Corsica tourism is famous for its amazing wine, delicious Corsican food, unspoiled beaches, rich history, Mediterranean weather, and the beautiful scenery! But, there are other things we may not know!
The island is located in close proximity to Italy and Sardinia, and therefore many people think it’s a part of Italy.
Genoa sold its rights over Corsica to France in 1768 and it is now considered as a French region.
French is the official language in Corsica but people also speak Corsu since ages. The Corsu language varies in different regions.
The regional capital of Corsica is Ajaccio, also known as Ajax. It is also the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. He was born in 1769.
The other main towns are Corte, Sartene, and Bastia. The island is divided into two departments called the Corse-du-Sud (Southern Corsica) and Haute-Corse (Upper Corsica).
Almost one third of the island is home to almost 200 beaches! Corsica boasts of almost 1,000 km of coastline.
There are numerous mountains on the island. The tallest peak is Monte Cinto, standing tall at 2,706 m. There are almost 20 peaks that are more than 2,000 m.
The Parc Naturel Regional de Corse is a conservation park that protects rare plant and animal species. Calanques de Piana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a part of this park.
Laricio Pine trees are native to this island and are also known as the Corsica pines. Some of these trees are estimated to have been living for around 500 years.
The items sold here are taxed differently than in mainland France. The products sold here are obviously not cheap but can be enjoyed on a budget.
There are hardly any modern chains around the island. You won’t even find a McDonald’s here, even though the French fries coming from here are loved across the world!
A Corsican inspired the making of Coca-Cola. In 1863, Angelo Mariani made a drink with coca leaves and wine which hit a huge success in the United States.
It was called the “French wine Cola” and a similar non-alcoholic drink was made by Dr. Pemberton in 1885.
There are traditional polyphonies which celebrate the stories of daily life on the island. A famous group, “A Filetta”, is an all-male singing group that promotes the traditional Polyphony style.