1. Maison Bonaparte
As you can imagine, the house that Napoleon grew up in is now a site of great historical importance. In fact, it has now been turned into a museum, and it's filled with period furniture and the family's personal possessions. The house was owned by the Bonaparte family between 1682 and 1923. It has also been classified as a historical monument.
2. Scandola Nature Reserve
Comprising of eight miles of stunning Corsican coast, the Scandola Nature Reserve is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is renowned for its rugged beauty and incredible biodiversity. Take a boat from the port of Calvi and head north to see the red cliffs, coves, beaches, grottoes and islets of the stunning reserve. If you're lucky, you might even be joined by dolphins and sea eagles!
3. Bonifacio Citadel
This dramatic-looking citadel has stood on the promontory of Bonifacio's la Haute Vieille since the 9th Century. It has been rebuilt several times in the time since, and was used as a fortress by Tuscany, Pisa and Genoa. The French Foreign Legion even used the citadel as an administration center. It is lived and worked in to this very day.
4. Désert des Agriates
The name of this place literally translates into "the desert of cultivated fields" - even though it was decimated by wildfires and soil erosion, and by the 1970s, couldn't be used for agriculture. Since then, nature has begun to return. Traces of the former inhabitants of this area can be seen in the pagliaghji, stone huts that were used as housing, barns and warehouses.
5. Palais Fesch Musée des Beaux-Arts
Cardinal Joseph Fesch, who just so happened to be Napoleon's uncle, established this fine art museum, which now houses the largest collection of Italian paintings in France outside of the Louvre. Its walls are adorned with work by masters like Botticelli, Bellini and Titian. The highlights are, of course, various Napoleonic pieces that are given pride of place.
6. Le Jardin des Abeilles
The Garden of Bees is a series of 400 hives that are operated by the Casalta family. Some six different varieties of honey are extracted here, as well as beeswax. The Casaltas also sell various beauty, health and confectionery products all made with their honey. Also be sure to take a walk along the wooded "learning path" in the nearby woods.
7. Chapelle de Notre-Dame de la Serra
High above the small town of Calvi is this beautiful chapel. Although it's a bit of a hike to the top, the panoramic views that you'll get to take in when you're up there are truly incredible. If you need some added incentive, then you should bring the love of your life up here. Doing so is said to ensure many years of happiness.
8. Filitosa
Discovered in the 1950s, this mysterious archaeological site contains a series of megaliths that date back millennia. They feature carvings of human faces, weapons and armor. The site is set in an ancient olive grove that's thought to have been occupied since prehistoric times.
9. Polyphonic Song Festival
This festival has been held annually since 1989, and attracts performers from around the world. Polyphonic singing was lagging, but was revived in the 1970s, and is an important part of the Corsican identity. Venues are held throughout Calvi, including the town's citadel, the cathedral and the oratory.
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