Car hire in
Corsica

At Ajaccio Airport head to the rentals building located in the car park outside arrivals where you will see our desk clearly signposted. From the airport, it takes just 15 minutes to reach the centre of Ajaccio. Our car rental in Corsica desk at Bastia Airport is in the arrivals hall. Bastia Airport is a coastal drive of around 25 minutes from the city centre.

As Corsica is a large island rental cars are almost essential to appreciate its variety and beauty. The main road between Ajaccio and Bastia and most of the coastal roads are in good conditions. Narrow carriageways, hairpin bends and possibly animals on the road make travelling slower as you venture onto country routes but the scenery always makes the effort worthwhile.

The capital cities and popular resorts such as Calvi and Porte Vecchio become very congested during the peak season of the Summer months and parking spaces can be tricky to find. However, away from the major cities and across the island, parking is easy and often free.

To the South of the island, Porte Vecchio is Corsica's oldest resort. The ancient walled town nestles high up above a modern marina while sandy coves spread out along the coastline. Also in the South is Bonifacio, a dramatic deep water port below crumbling ramparts. This part of the island also has beautiful coastal grottos to visit. Ajaccio was the birthplace of Napolean so enjoy the biographical exhibits and faded grandeur of the Maison Bonaparte house-museum. Bastia to the North is less resort oriented and gives a colourful and vibrant glimpse into contemporary Corsican life while at Calvi a huge Foreign Legion citadel dominates the skyline of this resort town. Here, long family-friendly stretches of sandy beach are backed by dunes and palm trees.

One of the most outstanding geological features of mountainous Corsica are Les Calanches de Piana. These can be found near the village of Piana to the West of the island. Rocky spines start high up in pine-clad forests and over several miles plunge down to the ocean. Either drive along the Les Calanches route stopping to take photographs or find a place to park and hike along part of this impressive formation. Les Calanches is at its most beautiful at sunset.

If you want to catch sight of birds such as cormorants, giant gulls and ospreys or marine mammals like seals and dolphins head to Calvi which lies on the edge of the Scandola Marine Nature Reserve and take to the sea on a boat tour.

• From Ajaccio Airport: 100 miles, about 2 hours 40 minutes
• From Bastia Airport: 59 miles, about 1 hour 30 minutes

For a fun and educational visit with a difference spend a few hours at A Cupulatta or the City of Tortoises. This unique park provides a safe haven for nearly 200 species of tortoises and turtles from every continent. Meet everything from the latest hatchlings to ancient Giant Tortoises.

• From Ajaccio Airport: 12 miles, about 22 minutes
• From Bastia Airport: 67.5 miles, about 1 hour 45 minutes

The whole family will enjoy a day out at Saleccia Park. Once the home of the island's governors these botanical gardens are immaculately laid out with an explosion of colour. While parents stroll through the exotic specimens children can have fun in the different adventure playgrounds dotted around the park.

• From Ajaccio Airport: 83.5 miles, about 2 hours 10 minutes
• From Bastia Airport: 42.5 miles, about 1 hour

Enjoy the mild climate, diverse landscape, stunning bays and fascinating history of this Mediterranean island with your Sixt car hire in Corsica. The island has always been of strategic and commercial importance and over the centuries has been settled by the Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans. Bastia is the capital of the island's Upper Department while Ajaccio is the capital of the whole island. With a car rental in Corsica branch at both locations, we help your island holiday get off to a stress-free start.