Top Hike: Cap Corse

Pack a picnic and drive north past Bastia and up the eastern coast of the rugged Cap Corse. This tranquil finger-shaped peninsula of tiny fishing ports, old crenellated Genoese towers, unspoiled beaches and luxuriant green hillsides and vineyards is, perhaps, the least commercially developed part of Corsica and a trekker’s paradise. Begin the trail at Macinaggio, the last village at the tip of Cap Corse. Stop at the splendorous beach at Tamarone, then continue on the “customs” footpath (so-called because such roadways used to be patrolled by customs agents) that winds around the seaside cliffs and crystalline coves. A fragrant network of paths lined with myrtle, heather and juniper leads the traveler past cows and sheep grazing in the lush green meadows just behind the dunes. Maps are available at the Macinaggio Tourist Office.