Top 5 Ajaccio Sightseeing Tours: Unforgettable Corsican Escapes

So, you’re headed to Ajaccio, that’s Napoleon Bonaparte’s hometown in Corsica, and want to really see what this incredible place has to offer? Thing is, you aren’t the only one, it can get really crowded out there. Luckily, there are actually great sightseeing tours which make the adventure a lot more doable. Very few people realize how much a professional tour, can show someone. This review breaks down the top five Ajaccio tours to help you make the most of your time in Corsica.

1. Ajaccio City Center Walking Tour: Discovering Napoleon’s Footsteps

You get it, that walking tours aren’t something new, but they are what they are. The Ajaccio City Center Walking Tour is, very arguably, a top-notch way to get introduced to the area. Typically, these walking tours really make use of local guides. The guide shares lots of insights and some local history that you might not catch on your own. Plus, you also have a small group which really makes asking questions a lot easier, in my opinion. If that sounds appealing to you, then I suggest you check it out.

This walking tour commonly starts near the harbor, which makes sense given the ease for travelers, before wandering through the old town. It’s very common to see, for example, the Maison Bonaparte, which actually, is the Bonaparte family’s ancestral home. So it’s pretty historic. The tour guides give details here about the Napoleon family and early Corsican life. Then, a bit further down the road, the tour tends to goes to Ajaccio Cathedral, a pretty remarkable building that displays multiple kinds of art and sculptures which are fairly iconic to the region. Yet, there’s still more.

The pace is frequently pretty laid-back, more or less giving you lots of chances to snap a picture or peek into little shops along the roads. Something that tends to be very surprising, for those of us from urban environments, are the very narrow streets. So if you ever get claustrophobic easily it’s important to note. Moreover, you get time in the local markets where it’s almost guaranteed you’ll encounter local products, different pastries, and some really unusual kinds of Corsican cheese. Tours often finish at Place Foch, where, in short, there’s actually a statue of Napoleon and quite a remarkable fountain.

You, could be wondering if there are options out there, and of course, you do. Very different Ajaccio walking tours are very common and tend to focus more on certain themes. In a way, certain companies offer history-heavy walks while others lean on architecture or shopping experiences. What makes the Ajaccio City Center Walking Tour pretty compelling, and very highly rated in most places, is really just how broad the scope of it all is, in that case.

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2. Sanguinaires Islands Boat Trip: Sunset Spectacle

Something that tourists who do visit actually talk a whole lot about is seeing the Sanguinaires Islands. Arguably, one of the finer methods to take in the sight of them is on a boat trip that shows you the sunsets. That, too it’s almost fair to say, they’re quite wonderful when the sun dips below the horizon. The sun makes a warm, amber color that just changes the way these islands look completely. The tours generally are pretty quick to depart from Ajaccio’s harbor, sailing out to the archipelago.

The boats you see are typically designed specifically for giving good viewpoints, with actually a good deal of space for sitting and roaming the boat. Something tourists tend to like a lot is the narrative given by the tour guides during the sail out, as a matter of fact they typically point out various coastal highlights and even throw in details around the region’s background and ecology. On the other hand, several trips actually provide chances for taking a swim in the ocean waters nearby. Of course that has a ton of appeal for some of us.

That, golden hour that all the photographers look for tends to definitely be the climax of such outings. When the boat is in position, as a matter of fact just watch as the sun sets over the islands, changing the red color of the rock. To be honest, if you’re on a sunset boat tour, the experience is one of a kind that actually marries together the ocean breeze, with remarkable landscapes, and, obviously, striking light. The time normally spent taking pictures will most likely last long in people’s minds.

There, are various takes on this sort of sailing adventure available from Ajaccio. It’s very easy to find day trips which not only go out to the Sanguinaires but might have things like stops for local snacks or going to secluded coves for snorkeling. Just a little insider information. These little differences can actually seriously adjust your experience, that’s for certain.

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3. Scandola Nature Reserve & Calanches de Piana Boat Tour

Corsica’s west coast holds, like, a specific gem which includes the Scandola Nature Reserve along with the Calanches de Piana. That is one reason boat trips which lead there can also be incredibly wonderful experiences for taking in the region’s splendor. Something I know a lot of tourists want when they go on a boat trip is, seeing nature. If that also appeals to you, stick around.

Generally speaking, these excursions are full-day events which commonly leave out of Ajaccio. They go way up the shore toward the protected Scandola Nature Reserve. While on your way to the destination, you can potentially spot so pretty cool rock structures, beaches, and, when there’s luck, sea animals. The actual reserve is on a volcanic peninsula. Now that is fascinating.

What sets the tour from just your normal, pretty boat ride is the fact that the area is home to many things to see. In that case, you can watch wildlife such as ospreys and sea birds and rare plant life that seems pretty well suited to the tough environment of the reserve. Moreover, these tours might have time allotted for a little swim around the calmer parts. Of course you’re going to need to listen to the guide, though. I bet you do not want to make them angry.

Touring down toward the Calanches de Piana gives way to actually see even more fantastic scenery, known for its, more or less unique orange rock formations. These natural structures are carved, basically, from the sea. Actually the whole experience, combining Scandola’s wildlife with the unusual Calanches, shows the natural attraction of Corsica in all its, very, forms.

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4. Day Trip to Bonifacio: Cliffs and Culture

Very few want to visit just Ajaccio, but would like to venture out. An incredible, really fantastic destination that’s great for seeing more of Corsica would be Bonifacio. Typically, day trips going to Bonifacio let you check out one of the ancient settlements with remarkable landscapes. You’re going to love it here, the whole day trip, more or less, involves going along the southern part of the island.

Something these trips will provide involves stopping along the way in key places. For example, they sometimes end up stopping at places like Sartène. Supposedly Sartène is one of the “most Corsican” towns to exist. Bonifacio itself, too it’s almost fair to say, is definitely best reached with some sort of preplanned transportation, especially those rock steps. The town has, in a way, dramatic cliffs and architecture which gives it a feel that differs from somewhere like Ajaccio.

When in Bonifacio, some of the options might be a boat trip in and out of the sea caverns there or, just walk around the steep city. That sort of walking will, very arguably, allow for great chances to see landmarks and understand Corsican traditions.

For day trips out of Ajaccio, actually it would not be shocking at all for the organized excursion can deal with travel headaches. The convenience is a main draw, and so the ease that everything goes efficiently, which would otherwise be kind of difficult to deal with alone, is the major reason this excursion tends to be quite liked by quite a bit of travelers.

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5. Wine Tour in Ajaccio: Taste of Corsican Terroir

Something a little bit off-the-wall, as far as I am concerned, but totally great too, are vineyard visits to local estates to understand what Corsican wine is really all about. Such tours typically provide scenic vineyard scenery plus some truly memorable tastings, too it’s almost, too it’s almost definitely sure to please. In essence these trips go right into the Corsican countryside nearby Ajaccio.

On location at estates like Domaine Comte Peraldi, it’s very common to check out every part of the method. Like the bits when the vineyards come to be and you observe a winemaker talk around their artistry with wine. It tends to feel much more personal that way, which is great, I do think.

A few of us often seek a place where one can savor different locally crafted vintages with all the tasting parts. While you sip the drinks there, you will notice certain features and styles of Corsican wine, the place which may or might show someone regional influences. More or less wine experts that go show a deeper perspective can commonly assist even brand-new individuals enjoy fine alcohol.

What is great about some Corsican vineyard visits is, in some respects, those activities enable learning the society. You can meet those locals, check the vineyards near them, and discover all there can be to know in relation to the background of wine production, instead. I suppose it will give one great regard regarding wine along with place.

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