Casonu

The surrounding countryside is a real paradise for those who enjoy hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor activities, and there are a multitude of trails to choose from.

The Gulf of Valinco is home to a seemingly endless variety of sandy beaches. The closest to Casonu, all of which are about a 30-minute drive away, are in and around Propriano (Plage de Baraci, Capu Laurosu and Capicciolo).

There is a restaurant nearby, in the village of Fozzano (5mins), but for a wider choice of amenities, including restaurants, cafés, bars, shops and water sports, Propriano is the place to be (25mins). Its marina is a pleasant spot in which to while away an hour or two, sipping a coffee or dining by the water.

Just a few kilometres from Propriano, at the southwestern tip of the Gulf of Valinco, is Campomoro. Surveyed from on high by a Genoese tower, the little village boasts an elegant arc of golden sand, electric blue waters, and a cluster of bars, cafés and restaurants. It is also a great spot for walkers, with numerous trails crisscrossing the unspoilt verdant hills that rise up to create a headland some 4500m above the sea. The coastline running west and south from the village, meanwhile, is home to numerous idyllic little bays and tiny beaches, most of which are only accessible by boat. A day spent sailing from one to another, dropping anchor and diving into the irresistible waters is time well spent indeed.

For a sense of Corsica's multi-millennial history, a visit to the nearby megalithic site of Filitosa is not to be missed. Inhabited more or less continuously from the 9th millennium BCE until the 3rd century BCE, the site's olive groves, woodland and open countryside host a wide variety of archaeological finds from carved menhir statues to Bronze Age stone towers and much more besides.

Some 30 minutes away to the south, meanwhile, is the panoramically positioned, mediaeval town of Sartène, whose pretty labyrinth of streets gives an idea of Corsican life away from the coastline. Similarly interesting is the village of Olmeto, whose coloured houses and setting on a steep forested hill make for an evocative atmosphere.

Just over an hour and a half's drive northwest will take you Corsica's capital, Ajaccio. The town is well worth a visit, not least so you can say that you've been to the birthplace of the great Napoleon.

About 75km to the southeast, meanwhile, is Bonifacio, one of Corsica's most dramatically positioned and striking towns. Teetering perilously on a high cliff above the sea, it offers sublime views over to Sardinia and a great selection of restaurants and bars.