March 15, 2025, 3:18 p.m. | Reading time: 4 minutes
The island of Corsica, which belongs to France, is a paradise for hiking fans. There are 1,500 kilometers of marked paths. Sometimes they lead from the west to the east bank, sometimes to the rustic mountain villages in the interior. Or to peaks like the 2700 meter high Monte Cinto. Sunnytrips gives an overview of the most beautiful hiking trails and reveals when the best time is to explore Corsica on foot.
Anyone hiking through wild and boisterous Corsica can look forward to spectacular tours between Cap Corse and Bastia in the north and Bonifacio in the south. However, many are long and strenuous and not suitable for smaller children. The network of paths is one of the densest of all the Mediterranean islands.
The most famous routes are the GR 20 and the Mare e Monti (Sea and Mountains) and Mare et Mare routes. Of course, there are also a number of shorter hiking trails that can also be tackled by the average walker. The paths at a glance.
GR 20 – the royal route in Corsica
Hiking in the east of Corsica through the Castagnaccia
Mare et Mare – from the east to the west coast
On the coastal path through the Desert des Agriates
Hiking through vineyards on Cap Corse
The best time to travel to Corsica
GR 20 – the royal route in Corsica
Hardly any other hiking trail in Europe is so varied: The GR 20 begins near the coast near Calenzana and Calvi (with its beautiful beaches) in the northwest of the island. The path leads through mountains over 2000 meters high and deep gorges, past mountain lakes and hermitage farms over a total distance of around 180 kilometers to Conca in the southeast.
Experts suggest 14 daily stages for completing the GR 20. Depending on the hiker's fitness level, a tour should not exceed nine hours. It is important to plan additional rest days - so that a total of three weeks' vacation is definitely possible here.
Hiking in the east of Corsica through the Castagnaccia
The hilly Castagnaccia near the east coast of Corsica is recommended for hikers who limit themselves to a day trip. Extensive chestnut forests can be found here. From around 1000 meters above sea level there are wonderful viewpoints over the kilometers of beaches of the Corsican east. A trip through the Restonica Valley near Corte is also an absolute highlight for hiking fans.
Mare et Mare – from the east to the west coast
The Mare et Mare hiking trail leads about 60 kilometers from Moriani on the gentle east coast of Corsica through mountains, valleys and gorges to Cargese in the west, about 50 kilometers north of the administrative headquarters of Ajaccio. The Mare e Monti path leads from Calenzana along the west coast over mountain foothills to Cargese, which was already populated in ancient times.
On the coastal path through the Desert des Agriates
This route through a desert-like area is quite attractive for hiking, especially since the Mediterranean is right next to the path. With beaches that need not fear comparison with the Caribbean. And eye-catchers like the Tour de la Mortella: The tower, which can be reached after just over an hour, is a relic of a bitter battle that the French and the Corsicans, supported by the English, fought here in 1794. All that's left of it now is a lonely ruin that juts out of the water, looking photogenic.
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Hiking through vineyards on Cap Corse
This hike leads directly to one of the nine Corsican wine-growing regions: the Cap Corse, where the grapes for sparkling white wine and the sweet Muscat grow, which in Corsica is drunk chilled as an aperitif. The slopes here are covered by lovingly landscaped terraces. But that's not the only reason why the forty-kilometer-long peninsula north of Bastia is worth a trip. Along the way, fishing villages line up like pearls on a necklace along the rocky coast. Erbalunga, Marine de Sisco, Pietracorbara, Santa Severa - behind the great names are places that, despite their beauty, have not yet become a tourist playground. The road ends at the beautiful Baie de Tamarone beach, from which you can see the naturally protected group of Finocchiarola Islands.
The best time to travel to Corsica
Corsica's peak season in May and June is by far the best time for hiking in Corsica. It is milder in the high altitudes above 1500 meters and not too hot in the valleys. The entire landscape is blooming and boasts lush greenery. The prerequisite for the sometimes very strenuous and demanding ascents and descents are sturdy shoes, weatherproof clothing and enough provisions.
Text collaboration: Jasch Zacharias and Ulrike Wiebrecht
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