Why Walking The World guide Kathy Lewis loves leading walking tours in Corsica
I have traveled extensively throughout all of Europe for the past 25 years. My friends (American and European alike) have often asked me to share my number one favorite place in all of Europe. While it’s a difficult question, my answer has always been the same…the incomparable island of Corsica.
The beauty there is unspoiled, breathtaking and inspiring. Last fall while leading a hiking tour with my Walking The World group, my fellow travelers and I would experience moment after moment when all we could do was look at each other and smile. There truly were no words to describe the beauty before us.
Corsica is truly a unique spot for a walking vacation. While politically part of France today, it was ruled by Genoa, Italy, for a long period of time. That Italian influence is still evident in Corsica today.
Not only is the Island’s diversity and raw beauty incredible, Corsica is also completely unspoiled, something special in this day and age. The Corsican people are proud and strong and embrace their culture and life on this ‘Mountain in the Sea’. They have wisely kept tight reins on all development, so when you visit Corsica you experience a feeling of timelessness.
My close family friend Antoine is Corsican. His family is from Cargese, a small village we visit on our tour, and a destination that has been part of my travels for the last 25 years. I’ve grown to love the people and their stories. Like Anne the Butcher, who is a character and now in her 80’s. Or the local baker who offers hot croissants fresh from the oven at 3 am to the 20 somethings still up at that hour after their evening out. And while there is no candlestick maker, there is the handsome village doctor who holds numerous records for free diving. And I could never forget the charming boat captain who we join for an unforgettable view from the sea of the beautiful Scandola Nature Reserve, a World Heritage Site.
Corsica is a special place, a destination to be visited with every sense alive and ready to be awakened like never before. It’s a land of beauty and contrasts. The scenery is diverse and spectacular. There are dramatic, high, pink granite mountains dotted with aqua lakes. There are also wandering goat herds, traffic stoppers for sure, that account for the most outstanding goat cheese this chef has ever tasted! And of course there is the spectacular coastal region of the Scandola nature reserve with its impressive and completely unique, red rock formations jetting out into the blue Mediterranean Sea. Corsica is more than a destination. It’s a timeless experience and a photographer’s dream!
Kathy Lewis
Walking The World
www.walkingtheworld.com
