The 3 most beautiful castles in Corsica: a journey through history

You are planning to visit Corsica in three days. And you’d like to discover the charm of the history of this ancient land. We have the itinerary that you are looking for: these are the three most beautiful castles that you will ever see in Corsica.

1. Castle of Algajola

It is an ancient Genoese fortress dating back to the Sixteenth century. The Ottomans, who sacked Algajola in 1643, obliged the Genoese to destroy the fortress. Genoa built a new castle in 1664. Today, the Algajola Castle is one of the main tourist attractions of this town.

How to get there:

• From Calvi, take the N197 road towards Ile-Rousse and follow the road signs to Algajola. The journey by car takes about 20 minutes.

2. The castle in the citadel of Corte

Both the castle and the citadel were built in 1420. In particular, the citadel stands on a rocky spur surrounded by mountains. Walking through the narrow streets, you can get up to the panoramic terrace and enjoy a unique view of this small town in the heart of Corsica.

How to get there:

• From Ajaccio, take the N193 road towards Bastia and follow the road signs to Corte. The journey by car takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

3. Matra fort

Built by the Genoese in the XIV century, its purpose was to defend Aleria, the surrounding areas and the coast. It was built on a hill, in a strategic position. Partially destroyed in 1729 by the Corsican people who had rebelled against the Genoese, it was later rebuilt.

Matra family gave its name to the castle. Today, in the fort there is the Archaeological Museum of Aleria, one of the most important museums of Corsica.

How to get there:

• From Bastia, take the N193 road towards Casamozza and the N198 road towards Aleria. The journey by car takes about 1 hour.

Images:
Flickr.com/photos/slapers
By Pierre Bona – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Flickr.com/photos/michalo
“Aleria, Fort de Matra3” di Clio20, Opera propria, 2006-09-04. Con licenza CC BY-SA 3.0 tramite Wikimedia Commons