Corsica / France

This island full of contrasts offers unlimited possibilities for leisure activities: swimming, surfing, canoeing, idling sunbathing, walking, hiking, mountain climbing, horse riding, cycling or shopping. There are so many things to discover and to grow fon of. Of course, a visit to Ajaccio is also a must. Ajaccio is not only the capital of Corsica but also Napoleon's birthplace. The city of Ajaccio is made up of boulevards, beautiful classical buildings and white beaches with palm trees. Napoleon is everywhere: streets and places are named after him. The birthhouse of Napoleon in a narrow alley and not very spectacular accomodates today a museum. Like all other large cities on Corsica, Ajaccio also boasts a big citadel which lies directly by the Gulf of Ajaccio. The old town impresses with its narrow alleys lined with numerous restaurants, bars, squares and souvenir shops. In the port there are many small fishing boats and pleasure crafts. The west coast is steep and rocky while in the east extends the coastal plain of Aleria taken up by lagoons and marshlands. Corsica produces various kinds and types of wine: red wine, rosé, white wine, still and sparkling, dry and sweet. Both the relief and various types of soil are responsible for this wide variety of wines. Vines are cultivated up to a height of around 300 m. Corsica also prides itself on a rich and nourishing cuisine. One of the many specialties are the loose pig that feed on chestnuts, acorns and beech nuts and whose meat is then smoked over chestnut wood