Corsica, what a dream
We were totally torn on where to go for this long-weekend getaway adventure. We only had a few days of vacation, I wanted an island holiday, Freddy (of course) wanted mountains and running trails, and we really wanted to be able to somehow bring Obi along with us. It seemed like too much to ask for all within the same vacation, but some research (and instagram recs, thanks team!) led us to Corsica. And thank goodness it did!
Livorno -> Bastia Ferry Ride
Turns out, the ferry from Livorno to Bastia has a 1:5 dog to human ratio, which worked out just fine for our little crew! Our neighbor pup on the ferry was prone to bouts of jealousy, so I quickly figured out that if I gave Obi some pets, she’d come scurrying over to sit herself in my lap and beg to be the center of attention… which then caused Obi to want more love, and me to have two attention-craving adorable pups to snuggle while watching the sea roll by. The ferry itself was easy both directions: smooth seas, plenty of space to lay down on a picnic blanket, and a delightful way to travel and get to bring your car (and dog) along with you!
our sweet airbnb, a renewed olive press
Freddy had found an airbnb tucked into the northwestern hillsides of the island that had plenty of space for Obi to meander (and chase sunning lizards), a lovely outdoor breakfast and plenty of gorgeous nooks. Plus, our airbnb host was the absolute sweetest, helping us figure out all the best local spots to visit during our time on the island.
day 1: to Calvi we go
Of all the spots we meandered to on our stint on the island, Calvi is the place I fell in love with the most. It was a tremendously hot day, so we moved quickly through the beautiful walled city itself, spotted swimming spots along the coastline below the city’s cliff-like walls, and found our way along the nearby trail system to the most gorgeous swimming cove. Freddy and Obi cooled off in the shade of the rocks, and we all took many a dip in the gorgeous clear water. Obi rediscovered his love of tidepooling, and we had the best of times looking at all the critters living in the rocky crevices near our swimming spot.
day 1: an afternoon at Vallée du Fango
After taking one last dip in Calvi, we headed inland to the famous river gorge that runs through the northwestern section of the island. We weren’t entirely sure what to expect as we pulled our car off the side of the road and meandered through an overgrown trail down to the riverbed, but were completely blown away by the rainbow coloring of the rocks in the crystal clear, cool water. Different sections of the river featured entirely different swimming opportunities, from small rocky pools, shallow stream beds, and deep rocky gorges. All stunning, if slightly slippery!
day 1: dinner down the road at L’Aghjalle
We belatedly celebrated my birthday with a true farm-to-table dinner just down the road from our airbnb. It couldn’t have been more lovely: watching calves play in the grassy field just beyond the restaurant’s rocky patio, sipping on a capo spritz, ordering food off the chalkboard written menu hand-carried around from table to table by the waiter, beans and tomato and burrata and the best cheese I think I’ve ever eaten. Pure perfection. In my dreams of owning a bed-and-breakfast-restaurant situation, it looks pretty much exactly like this.
day 2: the beaches of the Agriates Desert
I didn’t capture as many photos of the desert itself, mostly due to having my eyes glued to the window as we meandered the spectacular windy roads through the rocky arid landscape, but I did get a couple of good shots of Obi burying himself in the seaweed of the crumbly seaside. We drove our car down a super windy, rocky road to get to the hiking path that would eventually lead us to the seaside. Freddy lugged our new paddle board along the dusty trails between olive groves and stunning private properties. We paddled out across the cove to see the seaside castle across the way (so cool), and ate smooshed peaches in the shade. Obi is the best paddleboarding partner, plopping himself into a good “sit” and then sitting calmly while we paddled through the shallow pools out into the bay.
day 2: Nonza
Continuing northward from the desert, we drove the most beautiful stretch of coastline I think I’ve ever seen up to the small town of Nonza, famous for its black sand beach and gorgeous tower. It was HOT, but gorgeous, and as the sun went down the heat dipped and the most beautiful golden glow hit the town. Obi (and Freddy) even put up with a few sunset photos!
day 3: L'Île-Rousse
I felt pretty under the weather for our third and final day on the island, so we took it slow and meandered our way to the nearest coastal town after lounging in the airbnb during a bout of morning rainstorms. We wound up at the Fanale di Petra, a stunning stretch of rock topped by an ancient tower and new(er) lighthouse, then scrambled down a small trail to one of the turquoise coves below. Obi and I got up to our tidepooling shenanigans once again, and even when I took a break from peering into the pools for anemones, crabs, or sea-snails, he would still go sneaking his way around and poking his nose into the crevices in the hopes of finding something new. He got very excited to snow me an anemone he found all by himself! He showed his enthusiasm by crawling — sopping wet — into my lap much to my delight.
day 3: dinner in Sant'Antonino
At our airbnb host’s insistence, we ventured over to one of the most beautiful towns in France for our last dinner. A quick meander through the town, we picked a small homey restaurant as a spot to share a hearty mountain meal.
Our final morning featured a treacherously early wake-up call to catch an 8am ferry back to the mainland. We were able to find a nook on the boat where the three of us snuggled up for a nice long mid-morning nap, then drove all the way back home from the port in Livorno, tired but content from a truly wonderful long-weekend getaway.
Love from Leysin,
sbmc
