Another travel day today, though at least it didn't involve any flying. Instead we took the awkwardly-named but otherwise fine Mega Express 4 ferry from Nice to the island of Corsica where we disembarked at the town of Bastia.
There are a number of ferries connecting the island to continental France and Italy. The ferries vary in how fast they can go. I think this ferry is considered to be fairly fast, it makes the trip in less than 6 hours. The ferry from Ajaccio to Toulon will be an 11 hour overnight sailing.
And hello to Corsica ...
To get a sense of the size of the ferry this shot shows a similar ferry (same ferry company, Corsica Sardinia Elba Ferries) parked in Bastia's harbour.
Tomorrow we begin exploring Corsica. Fortunately the weather gods are smiling on us.
Bastia is a hilly Corsican town, squeezed between the Mediterranean and the Serra di Pignu, a 960 m (3,150 ft) mountain. Bastia has a charming and walk-able old town (assuming you don't mind stairs), with many blocks of fashionable stores and cafes. Though Ajaccio gets more attention in the guidebooks I preferred Bastia. It is just as charming plus it feels less touristy.
Two highlights were the Vieux Port and the Terra Nova neighborhood. The Vieux Port or old harbor is chock-a-block with boats. It is ringed by cafes. The Eglise St-Jean Baptiste towers overhead.
The Terra Nova neighborhood features a citadel, the Cathedrale Ste-Marie, and great views of the city and the blue sea. The citadel was built to satisfy the city's Genoese masters many centuries ago.
