Bastia

One of the oldest establishments of Corsica, Bastia was founded by the Genoese in 1380. This city happened to be the capital of Corsica until 1811 when Napoleon shifted it to Ajaccio, his birth place. Now one of the island’s main ports, Bastia is marked by a beautiful central main square called the Place Saint-Nicolas. A stunning old harbour and a charming old town with a web of thin lanes and tightly packed houses make it a dream come true for culture freaks. Built in the early 17th century, Chapel of the Immaculate Conception and the Chapel of Saint-Roch add more zing to the pull of Bastia. The Genoese Citadel which goes back to the inception of the city is in itself a tourist destination!