7 Day Itinerary - From Macinaggio to Calvi

Itinerary suggestion

Day 1: Arrive at Macinaggio

Macinaggio is the largest marina and fishermen base of Cap Corse, whose style will plunge you into a picturesque and authentic Corsica. Landscapes, still wild, are of exceptional beauty and rarity.
Macinaggio bay has several coves and sandy beaches, most accessible by boat. Because of their protected status, these sites still wild but also a quiet and beautiful nature landscapes.
First night on board.

Day 2: 40 miles From Macinaggio to Centuri and Saint Florent

Centuri is a small picturesque and colorful port. It is a haven of peace, away from the noisy crowd and packed beaches.

Take time to walk through the narrow streets and sit at the terrace of one of the few cafes and restaurants on the waterfront. Change of scenery guaranteed!

Then you can navigate to Saint Florent and spend the night. Saint Florent, located in one of the most beautiful bays of the Mediterranean, is now a popular resort without losing its authenticity. You can discover the ancient buildings such as the Cathedral of the twelfth century or the fifteenth Citadel, but you can also enjoy strolling along the waterfront and take advantage of the permanent animation of the marina in the heart of village.

The beautiful beaches of the Gulf of St Florent among the most beautiful of Corsica, with idyllic landscapes. The quality of the sand and turquoise waters are remarkable.

Anchor at the beach Roya then sail towards Ile Rousse.

Day 3: 22 miles Heading the Ile Rousse

L'Ile-Rousse, the lighthouse perched on the peninsula of the Pietra is known for its incomparable sunsets, is a popular resort in the summer. She has three beautiful sandy beaches, a record summer temperatures, among the hottest and a hinterland with stunning color.

A pedestrian promenade separates the city from its beach and take you to the city center and its famous square Paoli where a covered market with multiple columns separates the picturesque streets of the historic heart.

Head to south, we will sail to Calvi.

Day 4: 16 miles Departure to Calvi

The Gulf of Calvi, ringed by mountains, has a beautiful white sand beach of 5km. Its Its pleasure port and small marina is protected by the famous Genoese citadel of the thirteenth century.

It is a city at the height of his fame, there's something for everyone: you can walk along the beautiful boardwalk between the beach and pine forest, stroll through the Clemenceau street or lunch on the harbor and visit uptown. In summer, the city comes alive and vibrates to the sound of music in the evening along the waterfront where the terraces are full of tourists.

Day 5 and 6: 31 miles Reserve Scandola Girolata and Creeks of Piana

A sailing trip in the exceptional site of the nature reserve, as a World Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO is absolutely essential and unforgettable!

Landscapes of few kilometers of coastline that represent the Scandola Nature Reserve and the Piana coves, are stunningly beautiful. The splendor of its sites and the diversity of its resources make it particularly enriching excursion.

Have a stop to spend the night in Girolata, this small village of fishermen specialize in fishing for lobsters, has the distinction of being accessible by foot or boat with not more than 15 year round residents. Everything changes the summer even when the available places in the little harbour are limited to a few lucky boats!

The Gulf of Girolata is one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

You can continue navigating the next day into the Gulf of Porto, situated in the middle of the reserve Scandola at north and the creeks of Piana at south. The colors are amazing, going from orange rocks in deep blue sea​,not to mention the green and red maquis its fabulous sunsets!

The creeks of Piana, with its amazing pink granite rocks, 400 meters high, its clear waters, its inaccessible caves, host a rich marine life that men are trying to preserve, this site is a World Heritage UNESCO. You can come across many gulls, cormorants and sea eagles.

Day 7: 33 miles back to Calvi

Sailing direct for Calvi, our charter base with an intermediary break in the turquoise gulf of Revellata: swimming; relaxation, snorkeling, kayaking.

Calvi, for centuries under Genoese domination, pretends that Christopher Columbus’s soul still inhabits the town. The quays are now crowded with lively bars and restaurants. Uptown, the narrow streets snake to the magnificent citadel. Mooring for the last night in the marina ready for the disembarking on Saturday morning at 09am

Sailing in South Corsica

General information

French Corsica, including Elba and the Bonifacio straits, offers excellent cruising. The west coast includes some of the most dramatic scenery of the Mediterranean. Add hundreds of coves with brilliant white beaches, many islets, little intrusive development, plenty of anchorages, good marinas, attractive old town centres, and you'll need much more than four weeks for a thorough exploration. Or allow two weeks to circumnavigate visiting just the highlights.

Westerly winds through the Bonifacio straits, channelled between Corsica and Sardinia, often reach F7. This area is a popular cruising ground, sharing the extensive Maddalena and Lavezzi Archipelagos, together with a host of local anchorages on the main island coastlines.

South Corsica enjoys a Mediterranean climate which is hot and dry in summer, with air temperatures up to 36° C and water temperatures up to 25° C. In winter, weather is mild and rainy. Spring and the beginning of the autumn season are ideal times for a cruise around South Corsica as temperatures are pleasant, the landscape is beautiful and there are less people in the ports and anchorages. South Corsica has different weather systems between the east and west coasts. The west coast is more exposed and therefore windier. The prevailing wind is a westerly thermal breeze blowing at force of 3 to 5 on the Beaufort scale. It comes up in the morning and dies in the evening.

In the Strait of Bonifacio, conditions are specific with winds sometimes blowing in opposite directions and strongly, due to the bottleneck effect. In this area, you will find many places to take shelter.

If you decide to cruise around South Corsica in July or August, it’s probably best to favour anchorages to ports as they can often be packed and more expensive than in the low or mid season.

Climate on Corsica, various micro-climates create a wide variety of temperatures and precipitation. The main mountain range divides the island roughly in half. As a general rule the north is hotter than the south. Summers are long, stretching from May until October.

In the western Mediterranean the tide range is very small, rising/falling by just 30 cm to 60 cm (one to two feet).