10-Night Sardinia–Corsica Grand Tour — Olbia to Ajaccio
Route Overview
The Route
Day 1 — Olbia: Embarkation
Board in Olbia and head immediately north towards the Costa Smeralda. Welcome dinner at Porto Rotondo.
Day 2 — Costa Smeralda
Porto Cervo in the morning — provisioning, exploring the Piazzetta and admiring the superyachts. Afternoon at anchor in Cala di Volpe, the most beautiful bay on the coast.
Day 3 — La Maddalena
Enter the national park and spend a full day in the archipelago — Budelli (pink beach from the water), Razzoli and Santa Maria for snorkelling. Overnight at anchor in complete silence.
Day 4 — Bonifacio, Corsica
Cross the Strait of Bonifacio and moor in the extraordinary harbour below the clifftop citadel. A full afternoon and evening in Bonifacio — the limestone Grain de Sable formation offshore and the Escalier du Roi d'Aragon staircase cut into the cliff.
Day 5 — Porto Vecchio
Sail north along Corsica's dramatic southern coast to Porto Vecchio — a beautiful Genoese fortified town with excellent restaurants and proximity to the famous Palombaggia Beach (considered one of the finest in Europe). Overnight in the marina.
Day 6 — Propriano & Gulf of Valinco
Continue north to the deep Gulf of Valinco and the town of Propriano — wild coastal scenery, ancient megalithic Filitosa site nearby, and the best Corsican charcuterie market. A night at anchor in a sheltered cove of the gulf.
Day 7 — Golfe d'Ajaccio
Round the Capo di Muro headland and enter the magnificent Golfe d'Ajaccio — the largest gulf in Corsica, ringed by mountains and dotted with tiny islands. Overnight at Ajaccio Marina.
Day 8 — Ajaccio: Napoleon's Birthplace
A full day in Ajaccio — Napoleon's hometown. The Casa Buonaparte (his birthplace), the Fesch Museum (the finest collection of Italian paintings outside Paris), and the excellent covered market of Ajaccio. Dinner at La Fontana in the old town.
Day 9 — Calanques de Piana
Sail north to the extraordinary granite formations of Les Calanques de Piana — orange pinnacles and spires dropping into turquoise water, the most dramatic coastline in Corsica and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Anchor in Porto for the night.
Day 10 — Calvi
The northern Corsican town of Calvi — a Genoese citadel above a long sandy beach, with the snow-capped mountains of the island's interior as a backdrop. Birthplace (allegedly) of Christopher Columbus. An excellent base for a final day of exploration.
Day 11 — Disembarkation
Disembarkation at Calvi or return south to Ajaccio. Calvi Airport connects to Paris; Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport has the best international connections. Alternatively, sail south to Sardinia for a return from Olbia.