September 9, 2023

Adventures on the Islands of Corsica and Sardinia

Europe Hiking & Trekking Traveler Stories

One of our Europe Specialists traveled to the magical Mediterranean isles of Corsica and Sardinia to explore the forest trails, craggy peaks, and coastal towns.

Day 1

Our trip began in the city of Ajaccio, where we drove to the Neolithic site of Filitosa to see the prehistoric standing stones. Here our Trip Leaders began to outline the trip and the highlight the significance of these sites that are scattered throughout the two islands. We continued on to Sartène and had a lovely Welcome Dinner with the group.

Day 2

A scenic view of a rural countryside with houses, a winding road, green fields, dense forests, and a layer of mist in the distance evokes the adventures waiting in Corsica and Sardinia.

A view of mountain ranges at sunset with layers of peaks and a partially cloudy sky, seen from a vantage point including a shadowed building in the lower right corner, reminiscent of island adventures in Sardinia.

The following morning, we woke up to this stunning view from our hotel, and off in the distance you can see Col de Bavella, which is where our group would hike the next day.

We set off on our first hike walking through some grasslands and to the Megaliths of Cauria and Dolmen de Funtanaccia. After exploring and learning about the history we continued on our hike, which brought us down to the beach, where we had lunch and returned to our hotel to prepare for dinner.

Day 3

A lush green forest covers rolling hills under a partly cloudy sky, with mountain peaks in the background. Layers of clouds partially obscure the view of the distant mountains, reminiscent of the wild adventures found on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia.

Two people stand close together, smiling, in a mountainous outdoor setting. They are dressed in casual trekking clothes and backpacks, with rocky cliffs and greenery in the background, capturing their Corsica adventures.

We weaved our way into the mountains to begin our hike in Col de Bavella. After a short scramble up to the top we enjoyed a packed lunch and watched as the clouds swirled around us, every once in a while the clouds cleared and we got some really stunning views of the mountains around us.

From there the group headed to Bonifacio, a walled city perched atop limestone cliffs. We worked our way down to the pier for dinner and had amazing seafood along the water.

Day 4

A narrow stone-paved alley with old stone buildings on both sides, reminiscent of a Sardinian village, featuring a set of steps at the end under a clear blue sky.

Cliffside buildings in Corsica overlooking a clear blue sea with rocky shorelines and colorful flowers in the foreground, under a clear blue sky, beckon for adventures.

We started the day by exploring the Old Quarter in Bonifacio, and walked along the cliffs until we got an incredible view of Bonifacio from a different perspective.

A bowl of sliced apples garnished with white flowers and herbs on a rustic table set with plates, glasses, and water bottles, evokes the charm of culinary adventures in Sardinia.

A wooden table set for a meal, reminiscent of adventures on the Islands of Corsica, features a basket of sliced bread and a cutting board with assorted cheeses and garnishes. Plates, glassware, and utensils are also present.

After our hike we visited a shepherdess’ farm and had an incredible lunch including potato salad with wild garlic flowers, homemade cured meats, cheeses, omelets, and deserts.

Day 5

A rocky coastal landscape with a small circular building on a hill overlooking the sea under a clear blue sky, reminiscent of the adventures one might find in Corsica or Sardinia.

We took a ferry from France’s Corsica to Italy’s Sardinia. After we arrived in Sardinia, we set off on a hike along the coast in Capo Testa.

The group enjoyed hiking around, over and under the sandstone boulders.

After lunch we headed to Alghero, and along the way we visit the Romanesque church of Santa Trinita de Sacargia.

From the hotel room, you can see where the next day’s hike will take us to the east just under the sunset.

Day 6

This day’s hike was a mellow walk through a nature preserve. Then we explored the caves at Grotta di Nettuno.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped at Stagno di Cabras to view the flamingos.

Day 7

Our Trip Leader Stefano led us as we hiked up to Monte Ferru, at the top we had some stunning views of the Tyrrhenian sea to the east.

After our hike we visited Contini winery, one of the oldest wineries in Sardinia where they make wines that are uniquely Sardinian.

Then we visited the sacred well at Santa Cristina. Every 18.5 years, the moon perfectly aligns with the hole in the ceiling and reflects in the water below.

Day 8

I don’t have many photos from this day, but we hiked along the Capo San Marco and this is the Torre Vecchia.

Day 9

This day, we had a steep & rocky hike up Monte Tiscali on our way to the old nuraghic village, Tiscali.

After our hike we came back to Hotel su Gologone, which was a huge highlight of the trip for me! This hotel was incredibly colorful and unique, with tons of beautiful areas to explore.

Day 10

On our final day we hike a short while to a shepherd’s hut where we had a fantastic lunch of homemade cheeses, cured meats, and veggies. We continued on our hike from there down to Cala di Luna and had a chance to swim and relax on the beach until we caught a ferry back to the vans in Cala Gonone. (though it was actually pretty cold so no swimming actually took place!)