Tourist information -
Bastia
Bastia is a city in southeastern France, capital
of Haute-Corse Department and a port on the northeastern coast of
the island of Corsica. It is a center of commerce, manufacturing,
fishing, and wine-exporting. Major products include processed food
and tobacco items. Settled in the 14th century by the Genoese, who
built a fortress to protect it, Bastia was the capital of the Corsica
until 1791. The city was held by the British in 1745 during the
War of the Austrian Succession, but was recaptured by the Genoese,
who sold the entire island to France in 1768. It was occupied by
the British again from 1794 to 1796, during the French Revolution.
Now French and regarded as French but the reality is it has only
been French for 200 of its 4000-year existence.
Bustling Bastia is Corsica's main business centre and capital of
the island's northern department of Haute-Corse. It was founded
in 1372, and the town's name is taken from the fortress (bastiglia)
that was built to protect its Genoese rulers. Bastia's focal point
is place St-Nicolas, its 19th-century square, which is almost 300m
(984ft) long. The Terra Vecchia is the oldest part of town, which
has always been considered authentically Coriscan, unlike the Terra
Nova, the higher-up quarter that is considered to be Genoese. Of
note are its baroque chapels and a Genoese mosaic. The Terra Nova's
buildings have been refurbished in bright colours, and there are
some churches, a museum and the Governors' Palace to explore as
well.
Bastia is within easy reach to explore Cap Corse, the 40km long
peninsula to the north. In October the Musicales de Bastia is a
five day festival of Baroque music, polyphony, blues and popular
song. In November there is "The Festival du Film et des Cultures
Méditerranéennes" a major cultural event in the
town's calendar. Bastia is easy to get to and from - it has an airport,
a train station and two ferry terminals. We provide fast effective
car hire all year.
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