Corsica Yacht charters

Corsica's main appeal is in its scenery: tropical palm trees,  vineyards, olive and orange groves, forests of chestnut and pine, alpine  lakes and mountain creeks with lots of trout, and also miles and miles  of sandy beaches. Corsica is a mountainous island, generously covered  with overgrown wild flowers Maquis. The fragrance of these flowers is so  strong that sailors gave Corsica another name – "The Scented Isle".

Throughout the centuries Corsica changed its sovereigns numerous  times. In the 3d century BC the Romans landed in Corsica. Their rule  ended in the 5th century AD. For 200 years from the 11 to the 13th  century Corsica was a colony of the old Tuscan republic of Pisa. It then  fell to the Genoese, who sold it to Louis XV for 40 million francs.  Before that the Corsican people had enjoyed 14 years of independence  under the leadership of Pasquale Paoli. They felt cheated by the deal  with the French in 1769, and have resented them ever since. The main  spoken language is Italian.

Surrounded be the Mediterranean Sea, this location claims the best  micro climate. It gives its mild temperatures all year long: 27 C in  summer with 17 mm rainfall and 13 C in winter with 67mm rainfall.  Corsica is affected by winds from every direction. The most common are  the Mezzogiorno, that blows at noon, and the Terrana, that is strongest  at midnight. Along with hot and dry days, this region can also receive  plenty of precipitation (very violent sometimes) during short periods,  which mostly happen in the mountains. The forests that cover the greater  part of Corsica benefit the most from enough moisture and warm  temperature.

It is mainly based on the products of the island, and due to  historical and geographical reasons has much in common with the Italian  cuisine and marginally with those of the French Mediterranean coastal  area.

Chestnut were once the main food of Corsica, and it's flour is still widely used.

There is a huge variety of "charcuterie", including ham and sausages,  smoked, cured or air-dried in the traditional way. Wild boar is a  delicacy, stewed with chestnuts in red wine. Roast goat ("cabri roti")  seasoned with rosemary and garlic is frequently prepared for festival  occasions. Game, from rabbits and pigeons, is also quite popular.

There is an abundance of fresh-caught fish and seafood (monkfish,  squid, sea urchins and sardines), which is at its best just grilled.  Ricotta-style soft cheeses, local honey and jams, made from a huge  variety of ingredients, should also be on your list to try.

Popular drinks are usually associated with particular regions.  Corsica is not an exception. It's favorite drinks include mandarin,  myrtle, chestnut and strawberry-tree fruit liqueurs. Crime de Fruit de  Dijon, the secret ingredient to many cocktails or dessert, comes in many  flavors ( from peach to wild strawberry), in addition to the well-known  black current - Creme de Cassis.

Ajaccio is the place where Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769 and raised.

Although Napoleon never returned to Corsica after crowning himself  emperor of the French in 1804, the town of Ajaccio, modern capital of  Corsica, celebrates his birthday every August 15.

The 19th century Palais Fesch, which is now the Musee des Beaux Arts,  exhibits the best collection of Italian primitive art in France after  the Louvre. Among its masterpieces are works of Bellini, Botticelli,  Titian and Veronese, Bernini and Poussin.

Golfe de Porto is one of the most stunning bays in the  Mediterranean, which for the sake of its fauna and flora has been  included in UNESCO's list of the world's common cultural heritage sites.

Out of Porto on the way to Piana , you can not miss the Calanche, the  Corsican word for inlet. It is the most breathtaking scenery you will  hardly forget. Unusual patterns of erosion here have created fantastic  cliffs and pinnacles of red granite rock.

A busy port and administrative capital of Upper Corsica, Bastia is  very different in style from its sedate low-pace west coastal rival,  Ajaccio. The Genoese citadel and colorful 19th century Italianate  buildings give you the first impression of the authentic Mediterranean.  The 16th century citadel includes two churches you must see: The Rococo  Chapelle Sainte-Croix, with its striking Black Christ, fished out of the  sea by Bastiais fishermen in 1428; and the 15th century Sainte-Marie,  which has a Virgin made of a ton of solid silver.

Cap Corse is the northern tip of Corsica, whIch include the  resorted Tour de Losse, one of many 16th century Genoese towers along  the coast-part of an elaborate system, which enabled all Corsican towns  to be warned within 2 hours of impending barbarian attacks.

Bonfacio is the oldest town of Corsica, founded in 828. The old  fortified citadel sits on the limestone and granite cliff, overlooking  the harbor. The 12th century Pisan-style church dates from Pisa's owns  hip of Corsica before losing the island to Genoa. There you can also  visit three old wind mills and the ruins of a Franciscan monastery.

When you go down the hill to the harbor, you'll enjoy boutiques,  cafes and restaurants. Lots of boats depart regularly for neighboring  Sardinia, that lies just seven miles across the Strait of Bonifacio, and  also for uninhabited island of Lavezzi.

The fortified town of Porto-Vecchio has turned into the most  popular fashionable seaside resort now. The setting is perfect for the  conventional seaside holiday. The spectacular white sandy beaches are  within easy reach of the town.