Porto-Vecchio

Porto-Vecchio is the third largest town on the French island of Corsica.

Understand
You will find in Porto-Vecchio a unique mix of both idyllic unspoilt beaches along Corsica's southern coast and breathtaking mountain scenery. The city boasts an historical Old Town bustling with picturesque bars, restaurants, designer boutiques, hotels and a beautiful marina in the majestic Porto-Vecchio gulf, attracting international yachts.

By plane
The closest airport is Figari South Corsica Airport (approx. 23 km south-west of Porto-Vecchio):

By bus
There are buses from other major Corsican towns: Bonifacio, Ajaccio, Bastia, Zonza, Conca, Figari.



By boat
There are connections by ferry with Marseille (by Corsica Linea). See also Bonifacio for ferries to Sardinia.



By car
If driving to town in the summer months, it is best to arrive very early, before 10:00 (or even 09:00 in August) to ensure parking near the town center. On cloudy or rainy days in August traffic jams may stretch 2 hours long getting into or through town.

Get around
The center of Porto-Vecchio is best navigated on foot, as the town has a one-way traffic system that makes it virtually impossible to navigate by a car.

See





 * Other beaches include the Plage de Palombaggia, Plage de Saint Cyprien, Plage de Pinarello and Plage de Tarco. You can find a nudist beach resort at La Chiappa.



Do
Scuba-diving is excellent in the Iles Cerbicales, about 20 min boat ride round the headland. These rocky islets are part of a marine reserve that span the straits to Sardinia, so there are plenty of grouper, barracuda, morays, and smaller stuff down to neon tetras. Dive operators include Plongee Nature, based at 9 Av de Georges Pompidou facing the marina. About €50 for a one-tank dive. If later you're driving inland, many island roads crest at over 1000 m altitude, so allow a suitable interval after surfacing.

Buy
Porto-Vecchio has several souvenir shops, as well as some stores selling specialty Corsican food, such as wild boar sausage and local cheeses. There are several hyper-markets (bigger than super markets) just north of town along the main road.

Eat
The town has dozens of excellent restaurants, some with beautiful views over the harbour, and a main square where you can sip your latte while people watching.

Connect
As of June 2022, Porto-Vecchio has 4G from Buoygues and SFR, and 5G from Free and Orange.

Go next

 * Bonifacio is perched on cliffs at Corsica's south tip and has ferries to Sardinia.
 * Ajaccio is the pleasant island capital where Napoleon was born.