Bastia Overview

Bastia (bah-styuh; pop. 40,000), Corsica’s second largest city, is a well-trodden gateway to both the mainland and the island’s more picturesque vacation spots. A crumbling vieille ville and giant ferry port mean that most visitors overlook this city, but Baroque churches, a magnificent citadel, and war monuments provide plenty of reasons to visit the city. Although Corsicans from more picturesque cities like Ajaccio—Bastia’s longtime rival—often criticize the city because it lacks the Mediterranean charm that keeps them in business, it is precisely this difference that makes the city refreshing after visiting one palm-studded centre-ville after another. With large public squares and fountains, shaded streets, and plenty of playgrounds, Bastia feels refreshingly lived-in and authentic. The city is also the perfect base for the must-see Cap Corse.

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