Making the most of Porto Vecchio Corsica
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Porto-Vecchio Tender Berth is located approximately 2km from the town center of Porto-Vecchio, or about a 20 minute walk. Free shuttles are provided by the municipality.
Porto Vecchio (Old Port) is the southern-most port on the east coast of Corsica, France. A town built on ex-salt marshes, salt continues to play an important role, and if you visit in September, watching the salt harvest is a truly intriguing experience!
Porto Vecchio itself has much to offer such as the old town around the Place de Republique with fascinating old buildings lining narrow streets. With cafes and restaurants overlooking the harbor, the marina area is also well worth investigating.
Historic citadel ruins dot the Old Town district. History buffs should not forget to visit the Bastion San Antonia and the Bastion de France, two ancient fortresses that have been restored. Another impressive ancient structure is the Church of Saint Jean-Baptiste, which boasts of elegant frescoes and picturesque stained glass windows. The Saint Croix Chapel should also be visited, especially during the Holy Week.
Getting around
Porto Vecchio is best navigated on foot, as the town has a one-way traffic system that makes it virtually impossible to navigate by car.
Nearby places
While there are interesting places to visit nearby such as Bonifacio and Sartene, the delightful beaches to the south of the town are the big attraction. However, also very well worth exploring is the mountainous landscape behind Porto-Vecchio, with its craggy mountain tops, parasol pines, and small mountain lakes.
Food and shopping
Most of the best shops specializing in Italian souvenirs, books, food items, and gifts are located in the Old Town. Most streets in Porto Vecchio are narrow and fascinating; adding another charming facet to one’s shopping experience.
Just north of Porto Vecchio is the village of Pinarellu, where more shops are located for shoppers to explore.
Money
Euro
Staying connected
For Internet check with the local tourist office.
Local emergency number: 112
Opening Hours and
Most shops, businesses, information services, museums and banks in France stay open all day. The exceptions are the smaller shops and enterprises, which may close for lunch sometime between 12.30pm and 2pm. Basic hours of business are from 8 or 9am to 6.30 or 7.30pm Monday to Saturday for the big shops and Tuesday to Saturday for smaller shops (some of the smaller shops may open on Monday afternoon). You can always find boulangeries and food shops that do stay open, however, on days when others close – on Sunday normally until noon.