Page 543 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

and is a splendid example of If you can face the 10-km dominates the Vieux Port.
Genoese military architecture. (6-mile) haul to the sea – on From here it is a short walk up
The town itself is a pleasant foot, by bike or by motorbike to the 16th-century citadel
place for a stroll, but its main – the Saleccia beach is the housing the Musée de Bastia,
attraction, the 12th-century most beautiful on the island. which recounts the history of
Pisan Cathédrale de Santa the town from medieval days.
Maria Assunta, lies just inland
en route to Poggio-d’Oletta. 4 Musée de Bastia
A leisurely four-hour driving " ⌂ Place du Dujon
circuit of the Nebbio region, Bastia # May–Sep: 10am–6:30pm
which extends in an amphi- ! A6 ⌂ Haute-Corse Tue–Sun; Jul & Aug: 10am–
theatre shape around the k £ @ g n North end of 6:30pm daily; Oct–Apr: 9am–
town of St-Florent, might take place St-Nicolas; www. 12pm & 2pm–5pm Tue–Sat
in the following: Santo-Pietro- bastia-tourisme.com ∑ musee-bastia.com
di-Tenda; Murato, famous for
its magnificent 12th-century A bustling, thriving port and
Église de San Michele de the administrative capital of
Murato, a Pisan Romanesque Upper Corsica, Bastia is utterly
construction built of white different in character from its STAY
and green stone. Drive on, via more sedate west coast rival,
the San Stefano pass, with the Ajaccio. The Genoese citadel
sea on either side, to Oletta, and colourful 19th-century Hôtel des Etrangers
which produces a blue cheese Italianate build ings around A friendly family-run
made from sheep’s milk. Then the old port are quintes- spot near the port
comes the Teghime pass and, sentially Mediterranean and for all budgets.
finally, the wine village of look much the same as they ! A7 ⌂ Av Sylvère
Patrimonio, where there is did half a century ago. Bohn, Bonifacio ∑ hotel
a strange, big-eared menhir The centre of Bastia’s life is desetrangers.fr
dating from 900–800 BC. place St-Nicolas, facing the ¡¡¡
Along the coast to the west wharf where the ferries from
of St-Florent lies the barren, mainland France and Italy
un inhabited arrive. Heading south along Hôtel Demeure
Désert des the waterfront, you come to Castel Brando
Agria tes. place de l’Hôtel de Ville, site of A fine old mansion with
a daily food market. Bordering a lovely garden.
the square are the Chapelle ! A6 ⌂ Erbalunga,
de l’Immaculée Conception, Brando ∑ castel
built in the early 17th century, brando.com
with an ornate interior from ¡¡¡
the 18th-century, and the
mid-17th-century Église de
St-Jean-Baptiste, whose façade Château Hôtel
La Signoria
A jaw-dropping 18th-
century manor with
private beach club.
! A7 ⌂ Route de la
Forêt de Bonifato, Calvi
∑ hotel-la-signoria.com
¡¡¡
Domaine de Murtoli
Stunning villas and
stone houses, within a
protected wilderness.
! A7 ⌂ Av Sylvère
Bohn, Bonifacio ∑ hotel
desetrangers.fr
¡¡¡
The decorative exterior of Eglise de
San Michele de Murato in St-Florent
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