2 Best Sights in Corsica, France

Around the Palais National in the Haute Ville (Upper Town), it is a joy to wander through the tiny alleys of the Quartier de Chiostra. To take it all in, first head south following the signs to the Belvédère, a stone observation deck that offers a 360-degree panorama of Corte, its Citadelle, and the majestic surrounding peaks. Follow the cobblestone path (as you look down) to the right from the Belvédère, bearing right and across at the Chapelle St-Théophile. Coming into the tiny square on your left, don't miss the open stone staircase on the opposite wall or the prehistoric fertility goddess carved into the wall to the left. Farther downhill you will rejoin the ramp leading into Place Pasquale-Paoli.

Occupying the high ground within the walls of the citadel, the narrow alleys of the city's marginally more modern quarter are well worth an exploration. Climb the Escalier Romieu steps beside the leafy Jardins Romieu for a sweeping view of the Italian islands of Capraia, Elba, and Montecristo, or take the easier but less scenic route up via the elevator at the southeast end of the Vieux Port. Although it is known as the New Town, it actually dates from the end of the 15th century and is only 100 years younger than the official Old Town below.