Best things to do in Bonifacio

Built in the 9th century, Bonifacio Citadel is located on a sandstone promontory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Today, it is more like a museum or a mini village packed with sun-bleached ramshackle houses. Walk the narrow passages to view artisans forging knives and carving wooden goods, and jewelers offering fashions made with the remarkably deep red coral indigenous to the area. Many restaurants, shops, and cafés line the walkways with outdoor seating areas overlooking the Mediterranean. Stroll the maze of alleyways with decorations and designs that go back to medieval times complete with a historical marine cemetery.

The only way to get to Grottes de Bonifacio is by boat, so, rent a motorboat or charter a tour boat to get there. Crystal clear blue lagoons surround the caves and formations. When the weather is calm enough, your boat will drive right into the grotto, allowing you to gaze up at open rock formations and the blue sky above you.

According to legend, Escalier du Roi d'Aragon was carved from the steep cliff in a single night during Alfonso V's siege of the town in 1420. In fact, it was constructed earlier by an older Franciscan monk, who devised an easy access to the water source and the cave at the base of their monastery. The staircase leads to the sea, offering you a unique opportunity to swim at the foot of the cliffs. By boat, you can see the stairway all the way up the side of a cliff that looks like a hollow tube in the stone. You can walk the entire 187 steps, inclined at an angle of 45 degrees, overlooking the sea.

Iles Lavezzi form a small archipelago of granite islands and reefs in the Strait of Bonifacio that separates Corsica from Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea. On the main island, a hiking path leads you to a 46-foot pyramid-shaped memorial dedicated to the legendary shipwreck of the Sémillante on February 15, 1855 that took the lives of more than 700 soldiers and sailors. Several charter boats at the Bonafacio Marina take you on a cruise to this nature reserve complete with sand shell beaches and the azure-colored sea. These islands provide a haven for swimming, snorkeling, diving, and hiking.

Only a ten-minute walk from the fine sandy beach lining Rondinara Bay, Plage de Rondinara welcomes you to a campsite surrounded by an exceptional natural environment. You can rent a cabin, a tent with pitching space, or park your camper for a fun and sustainable way to enjoy the beautiful weather. Three areas have hot showers, kitchen sinks, bathrooms, and laundry facilities for your convenience. The grounds have an on-site bar restaurant, a grocery store, basketball and volleyball courts, a swimming pool, and a playground for children.