Things to do in Saint-Florent, Corsica - 10 tips for a Corsican gem

Writer: Helena Bergström

What to see and do in Saint-Florent, Corsica? Sometimes called the 'Saint-Tropez of Corsica', this charming little town offers a delightful mix of historic neighbourhoods and a lively marina with everything from small boats to luxury yachts.

Saint-Florent in Corsica

Saint-Florent is one of our favourite places in Corsica. We fell in love with this cosy little town already when we were here ten years ago, and it became a dear reunion on this trip.

Saint-Florent is located in a sheltered bay at the foot of the Cap Corse peninsula in the north-west of the island of Corsica in France.

What to do in Saint-Florent?

So, what can you see and do in Saint-Florent as a tourist? This is a perfect place for those who like to combine hanging out in cosy outdoor cafés with boat trips and beautiful beaches. We share our top tips here.

1. strolling in the harbour

When you come to Saint-Florent, you won't want to miss strolling around the pretty harbour. Here you can see lots of boats, from small yachts to exclusive luxury yachts. The harbour is lined with cafés, restaurants and ice cream parlours, where you can sit and watch the active marina.

2. Discover the historic neighbourhoods

Of course, you'll also want to discover the historic neighbourhoods, filled with narrow winding alleys. If you want, you can check out the historic church of Saint-Florent, also known as Cathedral of Nebbio (Nebbiocathedral) or Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. This Roman church was built in the 12th century and was the seat of the Bishop of Nebbio until 1801 when the diocese merged with Ajaccio. 

3. shopping

As you stroll around Saint-Florent, you will come across lots of small shops. Here you can shop mainly for summer clothes, accessories, souvenirs and beach stuff. Considering the small size of the city, the choice is unexpectedly wide!

4. Enjoy fish and seafood

Another thing Saint-Florent has in abundance is restaurants. The cosy outdoor restaurants are often located next to each other, both along the quay and in the historic alleys. Menus include dishes with fresh fish and seafood, straight from the surrounding sea.

Moules frites, or mussels and chips, are a very popular dish and can be ordered with different flavours, such as provencale, curry or roquefort.

5. visit the citadel of Saint-Florence

The Citadel of Saint-Florence stands out as a magnificent building overlooking the bay. Built in 1439 to mark the Genoese rule of the area, the citadel was attacked in both the 16th and 18th centuries. Today the building has been renovated.

6. Sunbathe and swim at Plage de la Roya

If you want to sunbathe and swim, you can walk to Roya Beach, which is sheltered at the far end of the bay. This is a nice, easily accessible and popular sandy beach. Its sheltered location makes it a great place to sunbathe and swim, even on days when it's too windy to take boat trips to the beautiful beaches. Lotu and Saleccia.

7. Try water sports

For those who don't want to just lie still on the beach, there are various water sports to try, such as windsurfing and canoeing. It is also possible to hire a jet ski, motorboat or sailing boat.

8. Take a boat trip to Lotu or Saleccia

One of the most popular things to do in Saint-Florent is to go on a boat trip to either the beach Lotu or the beach Saleccia, or on a combined tour that takes you to both beaches on the same day. These two paradise beaches are located along the coast, but cannot be reached by car but only by boat, and an excursion here will therefore be special. Several companies offer boat trips to the beaches, and you will find small ticket offices near the quays.

We visited Saleccia beaches 2015 and it was a great excursion. On this trip we booked a trip to Lotu instead (20 euros per person with the company Spassighj'Agriate). Unfortunately, when the time came, it was too windy to go out by boat, so the trip was cancelled.

9. Discover local wine and specialities

In the neighbourhood of Saint-Florent you will find the appellation (i.e. a protected geographical area where wine is produced according to specific rules) Patrimonio. This is one of Corsica's oldest and most respected wine regions, producing mainly red wines made from the Nielluccio grape.

As well as sampling the local wine, you can also find other Corsican and local specialities in the shops, such as cheeses, canistrelli (small dry and sweet biscuits) and Corsican fish soup.

10. drive on the winding roads ...

Last but not least, you won't want to miss driving the winding roads that surround Saint-Florent in different directions. The mountain roads offer both exciting hairpin bends and fantastic viewpoints.

More to see and do in Saint-Florent

There is of course even more to see and do in Saint-Florent beyond our tips. Here are a few more suggestions:

• 4X4 Vehicles are available for hire.
• Cycling you can do, but be prepared for hilly terrain.
• Parasailing and paragliding is popular in Saint-Florent.
• Wineries are available in the area, with the possibility of wine tasting.

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

There are, of course, lots of different hotels and other accommodation in and around Saint-Florent. Among others, we passed Hotel La Roya, which has a nice location by the water.

We ourselves, travelling by motorhome, went to Camping Kalliste. This campsite is very well located on the beach, a short walk from the centre of Saint-Florent. It has all the services you need, 10-amp electricity posts, a restaurant and the possibility to buy baguettes and other things.

If you want to stay in a slightly simpler and cheaper campsite U Pezzo a good alternative. This campsite, where we stayed in 2015 and again peeked in this year, is relaxed and pleasant. The only reason we opted out of it this time is that they have 6 amps in the power poles, and we need 10 amps to power our portable AC

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

While you're in Saint-Florent, you'll want to take the opportunity to discover other places in Corsica. We can recommend, among other things, a visit to the beautiful Calvi or drive along the dramatically beautiful coastline Calanche di Piana.

Even more tips on things to see and do in Saint-Florent

Have you been to Corsica? Do you have any more tips on what to see and do in Saint-Florent? Please let us know!