Photo gallery
About the city
Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica. It is the capital of the department. Bastia is also an important Corsican port and is famous for its wines.
City areas
The town can be explored in an open-air train starting from St.Nicholas Square. It takes a circuitous tour of the whole city and highlights its main attractions. The town is anything but boring and there are lots of activities for all ages.
Attractions
The town of Bastia is classified as the City of Art and History and as such there are a lot of interesting things to see and experience. Probably the most famous of the landmarks is the Citadel, a 14th century fortification from which the town takes its name.
Transportation
Bastia is easily reachable by plane, but not only. For those who want to see Europe as well, it is recommended to take the train to Italy and then go by ferry to Bastia. You can also get to Bastia by car, which would really be a good idea if you want to explore the surroundings as well.
Events
Not much can be said about Bastia’s annual events as the city isn’t that active from this point of view. But although there aren’t many events all year round, those that take place regularly every year are something to look forward to.
Restaurants & Nightlife
Corsican food is full of flavor, as such you’ll find the dining scene of Bastia to be extremely appealing. The nightlife of the town is also something to look forward to as well, since once the sun sets Bastia shifts into party mode.
History & Civilisation
Before Bastia, there was a small fishing village in the area, called Cardo. After the Genoese built a small fortress on a hill atop the village in 1378, the town started to develop and became known as Bastia, due to the “bastille”. Today Cardo is a district of Bastia.
Bastia’s Bastille
Founded in the 14th century, Bastia was the capital of Corsica throughout the period of Genoese domination until 1768. On the high ground overlooking the entry to the small port of Marina di Cardo, the first Genoese governor of the island ordered the building of a small bastille or fortress which became the residency of all the future governors of Corsica.