Bonifacio By Land & Sea
Duration: 4 hours
Tour Code: PCH-002
See Bonifacio and its medieval old town from the sea, by wheel train and on foot, giving you multiple perspectives of this beautiful Italian-influenced French city.
Your tour begins with a coach drive south to Bonifacio, located on the tip of Corsica. After boarding your small boat, you will cruise just off-shore, marveling at the buildings perched high atop the promontory of chalk-white limestone. If the conditions permit, you'll continue through a low passage in the cliff, which soon opens up into a large cave, the magnificent Grotte Sdragonatu. An opening in the roof of the cave provides natural sunlight that enhances the water's color and creates playful shadows on the stalactites. Crystalline water and rock walls that are imbued with hues of amethyst, indigo and gold add to the breathtaking natural beauty found within the cave.
Returning to the marina, look for the staircase of King Aragon, which is carved out of the sheer cliffs at a 45-degree angle. Leaving your boat behind, you will hop aboard a small wheeled-train which will take you up into the medieval old town, the oldest community on Corsica. Here, the sights include the 14th century St. Francis convent, an ancient cemetery dedicated to mariners, and St. Dominique, a church built in 1270, perhaps by the Kings Templar. Next, you will enjoy a guided walking tour that reveals the stories behind the buildings and streets. For instance, the Chapel St. Roch was built on the spot where the last victim of the plague died in 1528, and Emperors Napoleon Bonaparte and Charles V once stayed in houses on what is now called Two Emperors Road.
Before traveling back to the pier in Porto Vecchio, you'll have some free time to explore further or do some shopping.
Please note: This tour includes nearly 1-hour of moderate walking, plus any walking done at the guests' discretion during free time. There are cobblestone surfaces within the city and some steps to negotiate, most particularly when entering and exiting the boat and the train. The tour is not available to wheelchair guests and is not considered suitable for those with mobility concerns. Weather appropriate clothing; sun caps; sunglasses; and flat, comfortable walking shoes are suggested.