Fly from Nice to Calvi

With its proximity to the French Riviera, Calvi is just as perfect for a romantic weekend getaway as it is for a family summer holiday. In either case, La Balagne and its beautiful region have everything you need for an unforgettable trip.
One word sums it up: Magical. Enchanting sounds float through the air, the inimitable island accent turning every conversation into a warm hug. Spellbinding streets wind their way through old Calvi, immutable behind its high ramparts. Mystery oozes from centuries-old houses in tiny surrounding villages. Bewitching cuisine dances across your palate in the form of fresh olive oil, sliced coppa, and morsels of regional cheeses with a touch of mint.
But you won’t find magic just inside the city walls. It’s woven into the natural surroundings as well. Like a diamond, it sparkles from many different angles. Fresh and shaded in the Bonifato forest as you picnic next to a natural pool. Sunny and jovial on Algajola beach, a paradise for water sports lovers. Wild and youthful as you go up the Fango valley, or along the steep slopes of the Scandola Nature Reserve.
But even with all that, Calvi has one more trick up its sleeve: la fiesta! Enjoy a romantic night on the town worthy of your youth at a table in a trendy bar, in the front row of a rock festival, or on the dance floor of a nightclub.

• Head into the Calvi citadel, wander the lively streets, stop off at Saint Jean-Baptiste Cathedral, and climb up to the tallest ramparts for a magical view of the city and the sea.
• Sunbathe or relax in the shade of a Corsican pine between dips in the sea at Calvi’s most beautiful beach: Pinède. This beach caught the attention of Luc Besson, who filmed part of The Big Blue there.
• Hop on U Trinichellu, the Corsican train, and head for Île-Rousse, Calvi’s neighbour and rival for all that is charming and delightful. It’s a short trip that offers breath-taking views of the coast and the Big Blue. True eye candy!
• Visit the region’s most beautiful villages: Lavatoggio, Montemaggiore, Pigna, or Sant’Antoninno, the last of which is one of the most beautiful villages in all of France, a nest of alluring stone houses perched at 500 metres altitude.
• Fill your water bottles and head into the Agriates desert, a wild paradise that connects La Balagne and Cap Corse. There’s not a village around for miles, but you will find secluded cirques and untouched beaches. It’s a truly bewitching part of the world.
• Don’t miss the Scandola Nature Reserve, a sanctuary that can only be reached by boat. Take in the breathtaking natural setting and crystal clear waters. From dolphins to golden eagles, thousands of species live here, both on land and in the sea.
• Slip on your fins and explore the coast of the Revellata, a peninsula well-known as one of the most beautiful places in Corsica. Here you’ll swim with rays, grouper, moray eels, and more.
• Take the “postman’s route” (the chemin du facteur) to Girolata and its pristine beaches overlooking its eponymous harbour. This hiking trail crosses the maquis and gets its name from Guy Ceccaldi, a postman who used it daily for years to deliver the post to the village.
• And of course, get a proper taste of La Balagne. Fill your basket at Lumio market, which takes place Wednesday mornings and offers organic vegetables, Balagne's famous AOC olive oil (PDO in English, or Protected Designation of Origin), artisanal goat or sheep cheeses, and excellent wines.
• Reserve a table Chez Léon in Cateri, a small village midway between Calvi and Île-Rousse. It’s one of the best restaurants for those looking to taste all that La Balagne has to offer.