Many Bastia hotels are clustered in the old part of the city near the citadel and the ferry port. More visitors arrive for their vacations by ferry than by air, and this city is the island's busiest ferry port because of its proximity to the mainland coast of Italy. Ferries also arrive here from Toulon, Marseille, and Nice in France. While you can bring your automobile on most of the ferries, many arrive without them, and finding hotels in Bastia Corsica within walking distance of the terminal is important. You may want to try the Hotel Posta Vecchia (pictured), a reasonably priced and pleasant small property with views of the harbor and citadel. Most people require accommodation in Bastia only for a night or two, but the city is well worth a longer visit if you have the time.

Most of the best Bastia hotels are a little further outside of the city, usually along the coast and beautiful beaches for which the island is famous. Most visitors stay in the city for no more than a night on arrival or departure, so choices of resorts and luxury properties are limited.

You can find excellent and varied accommodation in Bastia north of the city along the Cap Course peninsula, and you will find that these also are generally quite reasonably priced. The beautiful resort town of Saint Florent is on the western side of Cap Corse, but only about ten miles away. Look for the Dolce Notte, set on the ramparts of this small port's citadel with magnificent views of the sea. Charming rooms have terraces over the beach, and the hotel can help you with cruises in the bay, horseback riding, and scuba diving excursions. St. Florent is set at the eastern edge near some of the best diving on the island. This prime diving area extends to Calvi (about 30 miles to the west) and then down the western coast of the island. Other lodging in Bastia along the Cap Corse coast includes properties like the Demeure Castel Brando, a lovely seaside villa with a spectacular seaside location only about six miles north of the city center.

Corsica Map

Other choices for accommodation in Bastia will be found in the mountains that cover most of the island, right up to the edge of the city. These hotels in Bastia Corsica will be found along the road that cuts across the bottom of the Cap Corse to Saint Florent and the road that leads south towards the city's airport. The properties that are behind cities and nestled in the mountains are found all over the island, and called "auberge ferme." They are often old stone farmhouses that have been converted into charming bed and breakfast inns. Even though they are not directly on the beaches, many have magnificent sea views because of their elevated locations. Getting to them generally requires that you have a car for your personal transportation.

The airport is about ten miles south of the city, right on the sea. In addition to the typical auberges ferme in the hills in this area, there are several Bastia hotels on the water. Just to the east of the airport is the Plage (beach) Marana. Among the hotels in Bastia Corsica that are located here is the Les Jardins de la Madrague. This is a good 3-star property with an excellent location if you've flown in for a quick weekend (the hotel is only five minutes from the airport and less than two hours from Paris). If Bastia is the beginning of longer driving vacations, this is an excellent place to stay for your first night before heading further south towards Porto Vecchio.