Calvi

Calvi is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica. it is the chief city of the Canton of Calvi, which contains besides itself one other commune, Lumio. Calvi is also the capital of the Arrondissement of Calvi, which contains, beside the Canton of Calvi, three other cantons: L'Île-Rousse, Belgodère and Calenzana.

There is a legend that Christopher Columbus was from Calvi, which at the time was part of the Genoese empire. Because the often subversive elements of the island gave its inhabitants a bad reputation, he would have masked his exact heritage. The 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2 REP) of the French Foreign Legion is based in Calvi, in the citadel.

Another way is by flying or driving to Nice and catching a ferry (Corsica Ferries). There are two ferries; the fast one, the blue-and-white NGV (Navire à Grand Vitesse) which reaches Calvi in 2h45m, or the slow yellow-and-white one, which takes appx. 5hr30m. I would recommend the latter, as the NGV is not much fun on rougher crossings (you cannot go above deck) and the crew of the slower boat are hilarious--loud, friendly and warm, though they don't speak much English or French! (they're Sardinian). You can book cabins on the slow ferry, though unless you have to drive or need the sleep, it's probably not worth it. Meals in the restaurant comprise of Italian fare and are fantastic and super-cheap, as is the beer which is served in the aft bar above deck. Whales can sometimes be seen following the slower boat for some way, and it is generally a very enjoyable crossing.

There are no buses, but there is a small red train that runs along the the coast from Île Rousse to Calvi, and a blue one that runs from Calvi to Bastia. There is no need to hire cars, scooters etc. to get around Calvi, as it is quite a small and densely-packed town. If you wish to get around Corsica as a whole, it is worth checking the 'Get Out' section below.

Almost every shop in Corsica will sell dried meats and also offer an amazing variety of honey, olive oil, spices and herbs. For those of you who are a little more adventurous, it may be worth buying some chestnut flour (farine de châtaignes), which is a local speciality used in crêpes, cakes, etc. If you want to be a little more touristy, on the Rue Artisanat you will find everything from hats (I'm not kidding; check out the Chapellerie, nearer the citadel, for every kind of hat you have ever imagined) to Watches (there is a shop selling everything from Breitling to Swatch opposite the Eglise Santa Maria, or the Big Pink Church) and T-Shirts (Bianc' & Neru sell some fantastic shirts, all of the best quality, great classy gifts for family etc) and of course knives, of which there is a rather disturbing prevalence here.