JES28

My hubby and I are planning a summer trip for the end of July and would love advice on which of the 3 locations would be recommended?
We love beautiful natural scenery, exploring, great food/dining, water/beach and some shopping. All seem to fit this description but if had to choose one and for this time of year, which should we do?


Thanks so much!

JES28

TTT

TrendGirl2

I vote for CORSICA or SICILY.

LOVED BOTH, was not a big fan of Cinque Terre, compared to SICILY or my short visit to Corsica.

Everyone has different ideas of what they love and think is special.

Start your diet NOW....so you can get ready to eat amazing food.
TrendGirl2

nochblad

Sicily will be very hot.

CT is for hiking along the cliff paths but it will also be hot which is why it is popular in May, early June and the second half of September.

Corsica offers everything in the summer - wonderful beaches, great food and hiking at higher altitudes (the highest peak is almost 9000 feet).

JES28

Thanks for the responses...It sounds like both Sicily & CT may be too hot at the end of July. My only reservation about Corsica how long it will take to get there. My husband just told me he wants the shortest travel time...but sometimes you need to go a little further for the best experiences

StCirq

I haven't yet been to Corsica or SIcily, unfortunately, but I'd cross CT off the list immediately. It will be a zoo in July, and there are plans to limit the number of people who can hike on the trails every day. When or if that will come to fruition I don't know, but there have been lots of newsclips about it.

JES28

Good to know, thank you StCirq!!!!

bvlenci

Have you considered Sardegna? It's just south of Corsica, and it's easily reached from Rome. There are stunning beaches there.

TrendGirl2

I still vote for CORSICA. I prefer to Sardinia.

Suggestion if that works for you:
Fly to Nice, France and take Corsica ferry from Nice to Corsica as suggestion.

Whatever you decide, you should really get your reservations set soon for best options.

TrendGirl2

LucieV

I love all 3 places, would return to all 3 at the drop of a hat; and I have a huge soft spot in my heart for Cinqueterre, which I've visited at least 6 times...but I'd never in a million years go there in the summer. Sicily is magnificent, but very hot even in late September. Corsica is the least likely to be unbearably hot.

Last October, we flew from SFO to Paris; stayed a few nights in Paris before flying to Calvi; used public transportation from Calvi to Corte to Ajaccio; rented a car for a few days in Ajaccio; then flew from Ajaccio to Amsterdam, where we stayed a few days before returning to SFO. One of our best trips ever...Corsica is spectacular.

JES28

Thanks all!
Its sounding like Corsica is the best option for summer.
Yes Blvenci, we are considering Sardinia too- it we go to Corsica it looks like there is a ferry that will get us there in less than an hour so we may look into a night or 2 there as well.
Right now I have some flights on hold to Patis where we can get a short flight to Corsica.
Now where in Corsica should we stay ( what town/location)? Is it advised to get a rental car?

nochblad

Presume by Patis you mean Paris.

A car is highly advisable. Suggest you fly to Bastia, hire a car and travel down to Porto Vecchio where there are some lovely hotels. It is close enough to Bonifacio allowing a day trip to Sardinia.

LucieV

A car is highly advisable by <i>most</i> people.
We only had one for a few days (while in Ajaccio), and though it enabled us to visit Porticcio and stay in an amazing place, we were happier using public transportation. (The roads are excellent, the driving is easy; we just prefer using trains and buses.)

We managed to get to a fairly isolated lodge in Corte without a car...the owner offered to pick us up from the bus station; then when we wanted to visit Corte, we just walked the beautiful walk into town. The lodge, btw, is spectacularly situated and extremely well-managed. We loved every minute there.
Hotel Dominique Colonna

We also loved Hotel le Maquis in Porticcio (about 15 minutes drive from Ajaccio.) It's $$$$, but we were there just at the end of the season, so we got a huge discount. A spectacular place: we could literally open our window and touch the sand on the private beach.

Did not love Hotel Palazzo u Domu in Ajaccio...way overrated, imo.

Loacker

Yes Cinque Terre will be hot but not unbarebly so. It was even chilly at night during August.

Sicily will be much hotter.

Loacker

Unbearably*

JES28

Yes I meant Paris..typing from my phone is a challenge!
Thanks for the great reco's. I think we'd like to stay on or near the water, near a town with a little nightlife/restaurants/shops.
Hotel Le maquis looks great!
What is the prettiest town? Where are the best beaches? Where is the most dramatic scenery on and off the water?
Thanks again for all of the input!

nochblad

If within your price range consider this - http://www.hotel-calarossa.com/en.php

LucieV

If you are now committed to going to Corsica, I strongly suggest you get yourself a Corsica guidebook (or two!) as a starting point for your research. If for no other reason than to see photos of the things you are interested in...and also to get an idea of how far things are from each other so you can begin to plan your time; e.g., 20 kilometers in Corsica can take several hours of driving.

DK Eyewitness was my go-to. Rough Guide is also helpful, depending upon your travel style. Fodors does not have one.