Fierce and passionate, Corsica is a French island southeast of mainland France and west of the Italian Peninsula. Attracting a discerning clientele seeking quiet retreats, unspoilt beaches, and majestic mountains, Corsica’s boutique hotels are perfect for design enthusiasts and luxury lovers wanting to visit the rugged island. Built to exude warmth and accommodate fewer people than traditional hotels, boutique hotels in Corsica offer lovely rooms, separate bathrooms, and comfortable amenities, including wellness facilities and swimming pools.

Where to stay in a boutique Hotel in Corsica?

Things to do in Ajaccio

© Hotel U Capu Biancu Travellers staying at boutique hotels in Corsica will find many things to do in its capital and main commercial and cultural hub, Ajaccio, located in the western part of the craggy island. Wandering around the Old Town, visitors can see the remnants of a 12-century Genoese colony, including an impressive watchtower and a fort. Ideal for exploring, the seaside city is also home to the 16th-century baroque Ajaccio Cathedral, where Napoleon Bonaparte was baptised, as well as the Maison Bonaparte museum, the statesman’s ancestral home. Fine art lovers will appreciate the Renaissance art collection at the Musée Fesch, which was founded by Napoleon’s uncle, Cardinal Fesch. At the city’s popular harbour, dotted by sailboats, fishing vessels, restaurants, and cafés, boat tours depart to the resplendent Iles Sanguinaires, a group of uninhabited islands with fantastic wildlife and incredible sunsets.

More points of interest outside the capital

© Les Bergeries de Palombaggia Visitors to the island usually flock to the south coast to bask on its celebrated beaches, such as Palombaggia, Tamaricciu, and Cala Rossa. At the centre of Porto-Vecchio is the town’s chic marina, often filled with yachts, and above is the walled Old Town and lively main square, the Place de la République. The north of the island is mostly untouched and unexplored. Pristine national parks unfold for hundreds of miles, and in between are sleepy fishing villages, immaculate beaches, and impeccable bays of water just right for holidaymakers seeking to explore the road less travelled. The villages of la Balagne, suspended on the hills, are fascinating. They provide fantastic viewpoints and give guests a glimpse of the island’s past – time seems to have stood still over the decades here. Head to the southern end of the island in Bonifacio to see its bustling port and impressive medieval fort on a cliff. There’s also the 13th-century Bastion de l’Etendard, home to a museum displaying the town’s history. At the very tip of the island is Cap Corse, a 40km peninsula. At its base is the island’s second-biggest city, Bastia. A visit to its Old Port and Terra Nova citadel are perfectly complemented by a pleasant drive amid the cape’s grandiose mountainscapes, tranquil wine villages on the hills, and pretty beaches.