Gastronomy Heaven

Saint Florent

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St Florent is Corsica’s answer to St Tropez. This former fishing village boasts the same Riviera balance of boules and bling. Sandal and swimwear shops peep out from every stone building. Pastis and passeggiata are the resort’s principal pastimes. A curve of heavenly white beaches sweep west from the marina - St Florent’s finest is surely Plage Lodo. This vast Thai-style bay couples tickly sand with a translucent sea. For a mental picture think of a deserted Plage Pampelonne. The peninsula’s backdrop is one long vineyard. The undulating green is threaded by the Route des Vins.

Scandola

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The scandola nature reserve takes up the promontory dividing the Balagne from the Golfe de Porto, its name derived from the wooden tiles (scandules) that cover many of the island’s mountain houses, but the area’s roof-like rock formations are only part of its amazing geological repertoire: its stacked slabs, towering pinnacles and gnarled claw-like outcrops were formed by Monte Cinto’s volcanic eruptions 250 million years ago, and subsequent erosion has fashioned shadowy caves, grottoes and gashes in the rock. Scandola’s colours are as remarkable as the shapes, the hues varying from the charcoal grey of granite to the incandescent rusty purple of porphyry.

Ajaccio

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Even if it wasn’t the birthplace of Napoleon, the capital city of Ajaccio would be worth a visit both for its own beauty and that of the surrounding gulf. Ajaccio is a working town of bustling streets, markets, palm trees, traffic, people, fountains, monuments and rickety buildings. It has a charm and a buzz all of its own; step ashore for dinner or a drink, sit back and watch the world go by. Visit the sumptuous cathedral from 1582, Napoleon’s house and fesch museums, featuring primitive Italian paintings.

Bonifacio

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Bonifacio offers yachtsmen a breathtaking welcome. Security-conscious locals constructed a town that clings to a clifftop redoubt. But the more this Mediterranean port was attacked, the more beautiful it became. Successive waves of Vandal, Lombard and Tuscan raiders raised the citadel walls even higher, until it resembled a Disney-like castle on the sea. Visitors travelling under their own steam can witness more playful delights. A quicksilver necklace of bays and islands sweeps east from Bonifacio marina. Yours could be the day’s first footsteps on the white sands of Balistra Plage. Or try the clifftop golf course at Sperone, which lies balanced on the southernmost tip of France.

Cavallo

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Imagine a Thai-style Eden lost in the Mediterranean Sea. Welcome to Cavallo, an island paradise the A-list prefers to keep to themselves. Roman prisoners were once interned here, safe in the knowledge that only a private boat may venture to and from. Left abandoned until the 19th century, Cavallo’s tiny yacht harbour was only constructed a decade ago.
Paradise is situated midway between Corsica and Sardinia and is ringed by sandy shores. Island transport is by Mustique-style ‘mule’ electric cars, so tranquillity is assured.

Porto Cervo

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Porto Cervo appears on the Costa Smeralda coastline like a decadent mirage. This elegant harbour distils the ultimate in luxury lifestyle into one petite package. The Passeggiata promenade winds through the resort, over wooden bridges and turquoise creeks, past restaurant terraces and blissful boutiques.

The surrounding Costa Smeralda was the luxurious brainchild of the Aga Khan. His Highness was smitten by the clarity of the local water, which warm currents melt into an emerald hue. The dozen beaches around Porto Cervo are a seventh heaven of ice-white coves and translucent seas, with zero development in sight. After a day’s exertions at Phi Beach it’s time to regroup. Sundowners are at their most memorable on the terrace of the Costa Smeralda Yacht Club.

Olbia

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Olbia is Sardinia’s sunny gateway. An ancient Greek colony, its name translates as ‘happy town’. These bustling city streets personify their moniker. Holiday heaven is a stroll along Corso Umberto, a boulevard filled with cafés, enotecas and one-off boutiques.
Olbia sits just south of Sardinia’s legendary Costa Smeralda. This prime position makes it a perfect launch for exploring Golfo Aranci’s beachy shores. For sunseekers searching for their own deserted stretch of sand, the remote island of Figarolo crowns the bay’s northern tip. Oenophiles can sip and savour the regional tipple, Vermentino di Gallura, a crisp, floral white wine. A dozen vineyards pan north from Olbia to Porto Cervo on the Strada del Gusto wine trail.