The town of Corte lies in the heart of Corsica and is surrounded by mountains on all sides. Corte is also the only Corsican town inland that is fortified with a citadel.
The fortress offers a fine view of the surrounding mountains and the valleys of the Restonica and Tavignano rivers. The citadel houses the Musée de la Corse (Museum of Corsica), where you can learn many interesting facts and details about Corsica.
Corte is also home to Corsica's only university, the Università di Corsica Pasquale Paoli. The town of Corte is still referred to as the unofficial capital of Corsica.
Sights and attractions
There are several reasons why proud Corte is one of the most famous towns. Its location almost right in the middle of Corsica makes it accessible from all corners of the island and, thanks to the mountains that surround it, it was historically a place that was easily defended against raids.
Citadel
The central monument is undoubtedly the Citadel of Corte, also known as the "Eagle's Nest" due to its location on a narrow rock promontory.
A defensive fortress was built here as early as 1419 and during the second half of the 18th century a citadel with several buildings and a palace was built inside the fortress.
Indeed, during the 18th century, Corte was the scene of great historical events. In 1755, after a series of successful battles with the Genoese, the Corsican general Pasquale Paoli established the independent Republic of Corsica and made Corte its capital. However, the independent state did not last long and as early as 1769 it was conquered by the French under Louis XV, who greatly expanded the citadel.
- Admission: together with a ticket to the adjacent Museum of Corsica for 5,50 eur
- Official museum website: museudiacorsica.corsica
Hiking in the mountains
Corte is surrounded by mountains reaching altitudes of up to 1,900 metres, with rivers and streams weaving like ribbons between them in deep wooded valleys. This naturally creates ideal conditions for hiking.
One of the most popular trails is certainly the comfortable, more or less flat path through the deep valley of the Le Tavignano. You can find hiking trails shown, for example, on the mapy.cz.
Accommodation in Corte
Due to its strategic location right in the middle of Corsica, Corte is one of the most popular places for accommodation. Hotel prices here are lower than on the coast and a night in a double room can be purchased from about 59 eur.
We also add specific tips on the best deals:
- Hotel de La Paix ** - a classic large hotel that does not offend, but pleases with low prices
- Hôtel U Passa Tempu - a hotel right in the centre of Corte with a very good rating
- Casa Petra - a small private apartment that is one of the best in Corte
How to get to Corte?
If you want to thoroughly explore the surrounding mountains, the best and in fact the only option to get to Corte is by car. From Ajaccio it takes 80 km to get here, while from Bastia it takes 70 km.
If staying in Corte is enough for you, it's easy to get to the city by train. This is because the main Corsican railway line runs through here, connecting Ajaccio with Bastia.
- Ajaccio. 12 eur
- Bastia: 3-5 times a day, the journey takes 2 hours and costs approx. 10 eur
- Official website: cf-corse.corsica/horaires
What to see around
Discover all the places to see in Corsica.