I can’t believe that when we planned to visit Bastia I thought it would be just a “throw away” day passing through on our way to the airport. We ended up adoring this city and finding much more to do here than we realized. If we were to return I would EASILY spend more than a day here.
We absolutely loved the vibe here, it was so peaceful, relaxed, and present. I know that might sound like an interesting way to describe a place, but it felt like everyone here really was present. They were off of phones, enjoying aperitivo, dancing in the streets, visiting with friends, jumping into the sea, playing with children, and it was so lovely to be a part of for an evening here.
Getting to Bastia
You can arrive to Bastia by car, ferry, or plane.
By Car
It was very easy to arrive here by car. We were able to park in an underground lot right under the edge of the town and walk easily to our hotel. It was also walkable to anything else we wanted to do. We picked up and dropped off our rental car for Corsica at the Bastia airport.
By Plane
If you’re coming for a few days you can fly into the Bastia airport. You can spend a few days in the area. The airport is very small and easy to navigate. We flew from Nice, France and it was about a 45 minute flight. If you’re coming from outside of France you’d need to take a connecting flight, likely through Nice or Paris.
By Ferry
Ferries also run to some parts of mainland France, mainland Italy, and Sardinia from here. They will take longer then the flight, but if you like that vibe they are easy and comfortable.
Where to stay in Bastia
Hotel Central Bastia
I loved our hotel and location at “Hotel Central Bastia” it was a really stylish place and very affordable. We were also upgraded randomly when we arrived so we got to have a large room that was really more like an apartment. It had a full kitchen and little living space and a very large bedroom. We loved this because we were able to go shopping in town for a little picnic and bring it back to eat! We could walk from here to anything we wanted to do, the staff were incredibly kind and helpful, and we loved the decor and style of the place.
If you like the sound of this hotel and want to check it out to book, you can click here: Hotel Central Bastia
Things to do in Bastia
Explore The Town & Port
You could wander the town and port for hours and explore. There is quite a good bit to see and a lot of history to read about. My husband can’t be stopped from reading every sign in a city we visit, and there was an abundance of them in Bastia! There were also beautiful churches, fortifications all around, the beautiful bay/port area, and beautiful streets for shopping & dining.
Cheese & Charcuterie
Corsica is known for having amazing charcuterie and we can confirm, it was perfection. We tried to have a nice meat and cheese board everywhere we went on this island. Bastia had some incredible shops with amazing products. We were able to shop for charcuterie, cheese, clementine jams, and so much more to make our own little board to eat in our apartment. The store owners were SO incredibly kind and helpful in helping us pick out what we needed and liked.
If going the shopping route isn’t your thing, you could sit at almost any of the spots along the streets and get a nice board pre-made for you! Regardless of how you do it, I encourage you to enjoy some Corsican charcuterie.
Dinner at Le Petite Vincent
This is the most delightful dinner spot for so many reasons. To start off its just adorable, looks like a charming little pink house and it’s so cute! The terrace area has views over the port and we were able to dine while the sun was starting to set which was so lovely. The food was FANTASTIC and the service was so very kind. I would highly recommend booking here if you have time for a dinner in town. I made a reservation and it was a pretty full spot so I’d suggest you do the same.
Sunset
Sunset over the port area and bay of Basita is so lovely. There is a little lighthouse here, you can watch small boats and big ferries coming and going, kids jumping into the bay over and over, and just some excellent peaceful summertime vibes. We really loved wandering around this area for sunset.
Beaches
There are beaches that are within walking distance of Bastia as well. We didn’t get a chance to explore them because with only one day, we wanted to enjoy the town. But if we had more time I”d love to spend my days on nearby beaches and adventures and then evenings in the town.
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