Before you go
Your trip to Ajaccio.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Ajaccio – Córsega Destination Córsega Capital
How to get there
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Aéroport d'Ajaccio Napoléon Bonaparte (AJA) Ajaccio · 10 km
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Gare d'Ajaccio 1 km
Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.
Ajaccio Napoléon Bonaparte Airport (AJA) is about 10 km from the centre, with bus and taxi links. Check before buying. There are flights from Paris and other French cities. Ferries from Marselha, Nice and Toulon arrive at the port, next to the centre. The Chemins de fer de la Corse train links Gare d'Ajaccio to Corte, Bastia and Calvi.
How many days
One day is enough for the historic centre, the Maison Bonaparte, the Palais Fesch and to spend the late afternoon at the Pointe de la Parata. With two days, set aside a full day for the Calanques de Piana and the Golfe de Porto, which are about an hour and a half's drive away. Ajaccio also serves as a base to start touring the island.
When to go
From May to October. The sea is usually warmer from July to September, and July and August are the busiest months. The season for sightseeing boats usually runs from April to October. In winter the weather is mild, but the days are short and some boat excursions do not operate.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
For the center, no: Maison Bonaparte, the cathedral, Palais Fesch, Place Foch and the port are a few minutes' walk from each other, and there are city buses to the Pointe de la Parata. For the Calanques de Piana and the Golfe de Porto, a car makes a difference: the road is narrow and winding, and the bus has few departures.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Ajaccio
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Morning
Maison Bonaparte and cathedral
Start at Maison Bonaparte, the house where Napoleon was born, on rue Saint-Charles. Walk to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption, where he was baptized, a few blocks away.
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Afternoon
Place Foch, port and Palais Fesch
Have lunch near Place Foch and the port, where the covered market and the fountain with the statue of Napoleon as First Consul are located. In the afternoon, visit the Italian paintings in Palais Fesch and the imperial chapel next door.
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Late afternoon
Pointe de la Parata and Îles Sanguinaires
Drive or take the bus to the Pointe de la Parata, about 15 km from the center. Climb the trail to the Genoese tower and see the Îles Sanguinaires, which often turn reddish when the sun goes down.
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Evening
Dinner in the historic center
Return to the center and dine in the streets between the cathedral and the port. Try Corsican dishes such as pork charcuterie, brocciu cheese and Corsican soup. Dinner service generally starts from 7:30 pm.
2 days in Ajaccio
Day 1
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Morning
Napoleon in the historic center
Visit Maison Bonaparte at a relaxed pace and then the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption. Walk along rue Fesch, the shopping street parallel to the port, to Palais Fesch.
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Afternoon
Palais Fesch and Place Foch
Reserve the afternoon for Palais Fesch and the imperial chapel, where Napoleon's mother and uncle are. Then head down to Place Foch and the waterfront, viewing the citadel from the outside from praia Saint-François.
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Late afternoon
Pointe de la Parata
Follow the Route des Sanguinaires to the Pointe de la Parata. The walk to the tower takes only a few minutes and shows the archipelago at the mouth of the gulf.
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Evening
Night at the port
Dine near porto Tino Rossi or in the alleys of the historic center. Many restaurants close their kitchens between lunch and dinner, so plan your timing.
Day 2
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Morning
Road to the Calanques de Piana
Leave early by car heading north. The road goes through Sagone and Cargèse and reaches the Calanques de Piana in about an hour and a half, along a narrow, winding section between red granite rocks.
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Afternoon
Boat in the Golfe de Porto
Go down to Porto's marina and board a boat trip to the Scandola reserve and Girolata, which can only be seen from the sea. The season usually runs from April to October; book in advance in summer.
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Late afternoon
Viewpoints of the Calanques
On the way back, stop at the viewpoints on the road between Porto and Piana. The granite often takes on orange tones as the sun gets lower. There is a short trail to the Château Fort, a rock shaped like a fortress.
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Evening
Return to Ajaccio
Return to Ajaccio at a relaxed pace, allowing roughly an hour and a half on winding roads. If you prefer not to drive at night, stay overnight in Piana or Porto and return the next morning.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
How to get from Ajaccio airport to the center?
Ajaccio Napoléon Bonaparte airport is about 10 km from the center. There are buses to the station and the port, as well as taxis and car rental agencies at the terminal.
Was Napoleon really born in Ajaccio?
Yes, on 15 August 1769, in the family's house in the historic center, today the Maison Bonaparte. He was baptized in the city's cathedral in 1771. The city has statues and squares dedicated to him.
Can you take the train from Ajaccio to other towns in Córsega?
Yes. The Chemins de fer de la Corse train departs from Gare d'Ajaccio and crosses the mountains to Corte and Bastia, with a branch to Calvi. The train does not go south, so Bonifácio and Porto-Vecchio are off the line.
Can you do the Calanques de Piana as a day trip from Ajaccio?
Yes, in a full day. It's about 70 km, but the road is winding and takes around an hour and a half each way. Leave early to have time to stop at the viewpoints and, if you wish, take the boat trip that departs from Porto.
Does Ajaccio have a beach?
Yes. The praia Saint-François is next to the center, by the citadel. Along the Route des Sanguinaires to the west there are several beaches and coves up to the Pointe de la Parata. The sea is usually warmer from July to September.
