Bastia Travel Guide

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I am a low budget tourist from Eastern Europe, where prices are generally lower compared to the West. I am trying to live in a humble way while travelling. Corsica was my huge disappointment, although I knew that it is expensive, but I wasn’t prepared for so poor quality services and small range of goods in shops. Of course, you can live cheaply on Corsica and have fun from visiting it. So I did it. I enjoyed delicious sheep or goat cheese or Corsican wine, which can you buy in a small bottles- that’s practical. A modest lunch or dinner cost between 16 to 25 Euros.

What to buy: I recommend to try goat or sheep cheese.

What to pay: Lunch or dinner is about - at least - 20 - 25 Euros per person in a restaurant.

Yes, Bastia people must take a nap. It is from 12-14pm. So, all shops, offices, car rental, foodmarket, almost all all all are closed. Some restaurants do open, some do not.

The city is quite around this time, you could almost hear nothing of those annoying horn. I love it. But, it is a quite difficult for us as tourist when everything were closed. (the bar/foodmarket), Especially that we didn't know about this tradition before. Just stunned and confused why suddenly everything is closed. So, make sure you do book a car rental, or go buy something to eat, go to offices, museums, etc before noon or after 14pm.

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I must say that I was slightly disappointed with the quality of services on Corsica. The peak of my disappointment was the airport. You must remember that everything here is at least 40 % more expensive. Let’s compare the price of a ride to and from the airport. By the way, in February this year in Madeira I paid 5 euro, in July on Corsica I paid 9 euros.
The departure and arrival halls of the Bastia – Poretta are joined and you face many inconveniences. First, when you come you are looking for a trolley, but all trolleys are locked deep in the hall and you must insert a one-Euro coin to get it. Then you want to be insured about the time of your plane and one can’t find an info board. The huge wall is empty. After a while you can see two old-fashioned ( 80s) screens far behind the office workers’ backs with tiny unclear info on flights. Then you want to use WC, which is below the ground floor, but you have to face a fierce cleaning woman who demands money. Many people where astounded. By the way, each passenger pays in the price of ticket a special airport fee. In addition I travelled via the excellent Munich airport, which offers free drinks and papers for thousands of passengers. What a contrast! Bastia and Munich are in EU. You can hardly believe it’s true.
To be checked out there was only one counter. By the way information on small screen above counters were misleading. The guy told me that I couldn’t be checked out directly to Danzig. That I have to check out again in Munich. But both my flights were operated by Lufthansa.

Unique Suggestions: Be prepared with coins for a trolley and the toilet.

Bastia is a city between sea and mountains, and offers some amazing scenery. From the little roundabout at the top of Boulevard Pascal Paoli take a sharp right to the direction of St. Florent (D81). As you ascend above the city watch for the Monserato sign. This little oratory has a very good panoramic view of Bastia and an interesting story to tell.

In 1803 Napoleon restored the Catholic church official status to France, but like any totalitarian control freak, he wanted everything his own way, and those who disagreed (424 of them) were sent on a one way vacation ticket to Bastia's keep. Les Bastiais were angered and shocked, demanded their release, this was forthcoming on the condition that they house the priests in their own home, to which the city folk willingly dedicated. Pope Pius VII was touched by their kindess and granted a copy of the Lateran's Scala Santa (the stairs trodden on by Christ at Pontius Pilate's palace) to lead up to this oratory. Hence its name "Chapelle Notre Dame de Monserato" or, as the Bastians economically call it: "Chapelle de la SCALA SANTA".

If you've had fun in Corsica and you, for whatever reason feel guilty, stuff your therapist and climb up the stairs on your knees (well, maybe you do need a therapist after all...), like the Scala in Rome, you are promised to be absolved of all your sins! Merry masochism! G'd bless!

You can take from here the D64 towards Cardo (and then to the Cap Corse via Ville de Pietrabugno & San Martino di Lota), a lovely village perched above Bastia, which was founded by the Romans in Porto Cardo fleeing from destruction. It has a Genoese tower and a fountain. Otherwise you can continue on the D81 to St. Florent.

Happy New Year 2005!

If you take the boat in Nice you are probably heading for Bastia. My advice is
definitely to rent a car. Usually Europecar is the cheapest for a 3 doors
economic car.

The island is small but still 182km long on 83km large. Corsica is a mountain in
the sea. you are very couragous to bike there!! The roads are quite narrow and
it goes high in the mountain. The most straight road is on the East Coast from
Bastia going South. The rest of the island is full of roads in the mountain,
quite steep and you should be a trained biker.

This person did a trip of 8 days, maybe it would give you ideas:
http://members.aol.com/ottoaxel/corsica/

and this other traveller biked it as well:
http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0204/corsica.html

pictures of italian travellers
www.bikeadventures.it/ corsica.htm

french bikers pics: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/in.terra.corsa/sejour%20vtt.htm

All informaiton in english about Corsica on this web site:
http://www.corsica-isula.com/
the author is AMerican and live there!

Equipment: Regarding the weather, summers are long - from May till October. By June the
ambient temperature is in the mid-20s°C (mid 70s°F). The average for the year is
12° and the average (about 54°F) and quarterly temperatures average:
Quarter °C °F
Jan-Mar
14
high 50s

Apr-Jun
21
about 70

Jul-Sep
27
about 80

Oct-Dec
18
mid 60s


Obviously, in high summer these averages mask much higher coastal temperatures,
though of course the reverse is true, the higher you go. If you are mountain
walker, bear in mind that the famous GR20 path is generally open only between
mid-July to the end of October. It is not to be undertaken lightly at any season
and even in the six weeks from June, ice axes, ropes and the other
mountaineering paraphernalia are needed. In 2002 I had breakfast outside in
January.

I have swam in Corsica in June, from the 15th of June it starts being quite
warm, most of the islander already swim in May!

I hope this email helps you a little. Again the website
http://www.corsica-isula.com/ in English gives most answers.

I would also advice that you look int an itinerary and start thiking of booking
soon. Also it is a small island all Corsican who live elsewhere come back in the
summer and the island is then full again! But June is definitely the best month
to go as is September just before and just after the July-AUgust rush,
host-rstaurant, shop owner and loclas are all devoted to you the first tourists
(in June) and last tourists (in Spetember).

Best wishes
PACE E SALUTE (HAPPY NEW YEAR IN cORSICAN)