9 hours in Corsica?

[Tacomahunter]

We are on a cruise in September that stops in Corsica for 9 hours, not a big fan of the ship excursions and would prefer to do something DIY or with a local company. Do you have any suggestions of things we should not miss or companies that we should contact?

[shoesonfire]

We are on a cruise in September that stops in Corsica for 9 hours, not a big fan of the ship excursions and would prefer to do something DIY or with a local company. Do you have any suggestions of things we should not miss or companies that we should contact?

 

Hope someone answers your post as we too are interested in getting some experienced advice in visiting Corsica and Elba too. The travel/tourist sites give you an overview, however, it's always more helpful to hear from folks who have actually been there -- done that.

[Hlitner]

We can try to help (been to both Ajaccio and Elbe). If your port in Corsica is Ajaccio you have some options. You might want to simply spend the day in the port city (Ajaccio) which does have some charms. There is a pretty nice sandy beach right in town (easy walk from the pier) and the small city is very walkable with little that is remarkable. On our visit we did take the Calanches Tour (from the cruise line) which got us a long bus ride across a big chunk of the island (beautiful countryside and vistas) as well as a chance to see the interesting geological formations of the Calanches. On our other visit (we have been there twice) we simply enjoyed a beach day and had a nice lunch at one of the cafes right across from the beach.

 

Regarding Elbe, we assume you will tender into Portoferraio which is the main city. The highlight for many is walking over to Napoleons House (we were there on a holiday when it was closed) and you can easily walk around the city on your own (unless you want to pay the big bucks for somebody to lead you around). There is enough here for a few hours and they had a very active tourist office where you could pick-up walking maps, guide brochures, etc. We enjoyed our lazy few hours at this port (we were there for about 5 hours) and just enjoyed strolling all over town, going into the market, visiting a few churches, and seeing the local museum (I recall it was free).

 

Hank

[shoesonfire]

Hank: Thank you again as I've read many of your helpful posts. We will be in Bonifacio in October -- initially planning on seeing the area on foot. Not sure we'll do a beach day, but sounds as though it's a walkable area. Yes, we will be in Portoferraio, and from your description just walking about once again will work for us too. Just wanted to be sure we weren't missing any special spots. I guess these smaller ports give you a chance to view the beauty of the area and relax onboard our ship.

 

Jan

[Hlitner]

Hank: Thank you again as I've read many of your helpful posts. We will be in Bonifacio in October -- initially planning on seeing the area on foot. Not sure we'll do a beach day, but sounds as though it's a walkable area. Yes, we will be in Portoferraio, and from your description just walking about once again will work for us too. Just wanted to be sure we weren't missing any special spots. I guess these smaller ports give you a chance to view the beauty of the area and relax onboard our ship.

 

Jan

 

My info was about Ajaccio....not Bonifacio. These are totally different cites (more then 60 miles apart) so my info would be null and void for you other then the tour description. Hope you post a review (here) when you return so we can learn from your experience.

 

Hank

[Tacomahunter]

My info was about Ajaccio....not Bonifacio. These are totally different cites (more then 60 miles apart) so my info would be null and void for you other then the tour description. Hope you post a review (here) when you return so we can learn from your experience.

 

Hank

 

Thank you Hank! That is the port we will be in and have decided that a nice relaxing day at the beach and some exploring of the town would be a blast. If anyone else has a "can't miss this" please let us know.