What to Eat in Corsica
Corsican food sits at the crossroads of French and Italian, shaped by the mountains as much as the sea. Here’s a few Corsican food specialties worth trying!
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Corsica Travel Tips
Renting a car is the best way to explore Corsica
I like using AutoEurope as they aggregate pricing from all the major car companies. We rented a tiny little Renaut, which was a little cramped but excellent at winding through Corsica’s narrow lanes and curvy cliffside roads!
Car rental rates were incredibly affordable, as long as you picked up and dropped off at the same place. Book ahead to save, and try to avoid peak summer for the best deals.
Get cell data to stay connected
I use Jetpac for all my international travel as they’re very affordable. They have packages for anywhere in the world and rates are as low as $1/ day.
If you’re a foodie, you’ll absolutely want an esim as restaurants in Corsica take reservations via Instagram DM.
French restaurants will often not seat you for dinner without a reservation, even if it looks like the half the restaurant is empty. So make sure to have cell service so you can book ahead anytime you pass a restaurant that looks good!
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Things to Do in Corsica
I wrote about our 1 week itinerary here covering all the best things we did, but here are some of the best activities:
- Sailing Discovery Day: a blissful sailing discovery day in the Bay of Ajaccio with swimming, paddle boarding and beautiful views
- Scandola Nature Boat Tour: a half-day boat tour along Corsica’s beautiful volcanic coastline and a visit to UNESCO world heritage Scandola Reserve
- Corsican Wine Tasting: An indulgent wine trip to tour Calvi’s unique vineyards, with a cellar tour and chef-prepared picnic with local produce
- Lavezzi Islands Catamaran Trip: a relaxed, scenic day trip to the Lavezzi Islands, with open-water sailing, swimming stops, and views of Bonifacio’s dramatic cliffs
- Guided Marine Park Boat Tour: a small-group scenic tour of Bonifacio’s marine park, with dramatic cliff views, snorkeling and coastal exploration.
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Corsican Food Specialties
1. Brocciu
Brocciu is the island’s signature cheese, made from sheep or goat whey and tastes mild – similar to a ricotta.
Brocciu is on menus everywhere and ranges from savory to sweet. Definitely try it!
2. Fiadone
Corsica’s answer to cheesecake, made with brocciu, lemon zest, and eggs. Order this at every restaurant that has it; no two are quite the same!
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3. Charcuterie
I love charcuterie, although I know it’s bad for you. But when on vacation, I let myself indulge!
Corsica has some unique charcuterie that’s all made from the free-roaming pigs that live on the island. They feed on chestnuts and the local sausage and cured meats taste unique.
Try figatellu (liver sausage, more of a winter thing), coppa, lonzu and prisuttu or just opt for the tasting platter (most menus have it)
4. Canistrelli
the local biscuit, it’s a mixture of flour, sugar and white wine that goes great with coffee or an aperitif
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5. Chestnut flour desserts
Chestnuts run through Corsican baking the way olive oil runs through the rest of the Mediterranean, so you’ll see it appear in a lot of their desserts
6. Myrte liqueur
A classic Corsican digestivo, made from macerated myrtle berries. Sometimes local restaurants will offer it on the house at the end of a meal!
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7. Seafood
Corsica, despite being an island, isn’t really overflowing in seafood. It’s much more meat and pig focused, as historically the people lived inland high up in the mountains to avoid pirates.
But, seafood here is delicious. We stopped at a couple seaside restaurants throughout our drive and I recommend trying grilled dorade, loup de mer, clams or sea urchins if you see them on the menu.
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Planning Notes - Corsica Travel Checklist
Flights | Corsica has 4 international airports. Coming from outside of France, we found that Ajaccio (AJX) had the easiest connections to/from Paris as well as the most rental car availability. Check for flight deals here.
Car Rental | Corsica’s public transit is limited, and the best things to do are between towns, not in them. I use Auto Europe to price compare all the major rental agencies in one search. Check rates for your travel dates here.
E-Sim | Many of the small towns in Corsica required dinner reservations, which you can do via phone call or DM. Having service meant we could make reservations whenever we passed a cute restaurant and navigate easily on our road trip. Jetpac offers affordable esim packages for as low as $1/ day.
Insurance | Whether you get injured and need to be hospitalized or your phone gets stolen, travel insurance will help when you need it most. Travel insurance has also been the fastest to reimburse me for lost bags. Get a quote for your trip here.
You Might Also Enjoy:
More of our Corsica Travel Guides
1 Week in Corsica: The Perfect Road Trip Itinerary
7 Specialty Foods You Must Try in Corsica
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