Would you thing a short excursion to Calvi from Italy is worthwhile in early May, even though the logistics look a little challanging? I guess I have to arrive in Livorno at a ghastly early hour to catch ferry to Batista, then catch train or bus to Calvi.

Furthermore I see reports of French transportation strikes or worse (a la Greece) looming in the near future http://www.economist.com/world/europ...ry_id=12974153 and no longer have the energy to deal with these things like I have in the past.

I don't think Corsica is a place where you rush in and back out in a single busy day. I can't think of a single item that would provide the WOW factor for such an effort. Not like, say, the Duomo in Milano or the Eiffel tower in Paris, both of which would make a one-day mad hop worthwhile if that's all you had time for.

Instead, it's a place to stay for a while, take the crazy little train, get to know some of the gnarly local types, tune into the vibe...

They have always had an independent streak, and Paris isn't exactly taking all that much notice, so things well up and get nasty once in a while, that's a long tradition, nothing new.

Rent the Globetrekker DVD (it also has Sardinia and Sicily on it) and see for yourself.

I didn't mean one day visit, but even a 5 day visit loses the first and last day in horrible logistics which could get worse if this strike season is as severe as widely anticipated. Is Calvi worth backbreaking wear and tear?

It looks like I would have to get to some Livorno ferry dock at dawn by train and bus (different docks look miles apart if you are at wrong one). Then arrive in Bastia maybe too late for train to Calvi, etc, etc.

You make it sound like your boss told you to go and you hated the idea.

If it seems to you that the trip is more trouble for you than it’s worth, then pass.

Sure, it is an island, so you either take a boat, they only go so fast, or you fly. And it is a French island, so there are fewer choices from Italy than if you went to the Italian Sardinia.

It is a mountaineous island where getting around is slow, that’s part of the charm, the old narow-gauge train is an attraction, precisely famous for not being spiffy and modern, that’s what draws people there. So maybe somebody gave you a wrong idea about the place?

Is the 8:15 ferry from Livorno to Bastia not doable? It gets there before lunch.

You could always look around Bastia, stay the night, and make your way to Calvi the next day, that gives you a chance to scout out the exact bus or train that will suit you, and get a ticket (or all the tickets for the individual sectors together in a “carnet”).

But if it’s too much trouble this time around, wait til you’re in France one day and fly in from there, or even from Germany or Belgium, there are flights from lots of places.

I was in Corsica a couple of years ago in early May. I too took the ferry crossing from Livorno. It was possible at that time, and I assume it still is, to spend the night before departure on the ferry. I had a small cabin with toilet and shower for an astonishingly low cost, about 10-12 euro, I believe. Much less than I would have spent for a room in the town.

Here are some photos from Livorno and Corsica, if you're interested: http://my.fotopic.net/collection/01674191/index.html

I took the train to Livorno, arriving late afternoon. From the station there are buses and taxis to the port and town center. There was some sort of feast-day festivities going on that evening, with parades of dignitaries and speeches and blessings from a bishop and a small flotilla of rowing crafts. Fun to watch. There were many places to eat both at the port and a short walk away. After an evening meal and a stroll, I settled in my cabin for a comfortable sleep, awakening when the ferry prepared for departure the next morning.

The weather on Corsica was perfect, and warm enough to lie on the rocks and paddle around in the sea. Bastia is a comfortable small town for exploring, with some wonderful shopping - exquisite French clothing, especially. I usually don't shop when I travel, but returned home with two treasures that I still wear regularly. The Corsican food I had was wonderful, with lots of fresh fish and seafood. One evening I had calamari that had been grilled to perfection, with a lovely spicy, garlicky aioli. There are many restaurants on the walk that encircles the small boat harbor and many others hidden in the small streets of the town.

I didn't have reservation for a room when I arrived at Bastia, but the tourist office just across the road from the port fixed me up with something comfortable, relatively inexpensive and centrally located. The young woman working there had an attitude of sorts, and quickly informed me in French that she didn't speak English, then turned her back on me. She informed the next person, in English, that she didn't speak Italian, and the next person, in Italian, that she didn't speak French, and so it went - until we all looked at each other, smiled, shrugged, and ganged up on her, at which point she provided us each with lists of rooms to check out.

One day I took the train to Calvi, which is an adventure of sorts, as the train tends to hurtle up and down the hills as if there is no one in charge, as indeed there may not be - shortly after returning home I read of a serious accident/derailment on just that same train. Calvi is a lovely place to spend the day, have lunch by the port. I only had four days, so didn't get to see much else of the island, and do hope to get back some day.

I'm sorry, I gave you a faulty link for the photos. Here's correct one: http://gardentouring.fotopic.net/c1674191.html

And I hope my answer above went a little way toward reassuring you that the logistics aren't as horrible as you might imagine. If you arrive in Livorno in the evening and take a small cabin overnight on the ferry, the early departure isn't a problem.

If you do miss the train to Calvi, Bastia is a nice place to spend the day and night, then just get the train the next morning. The station the small train leaves from is just a short distance from the ferry port, probably 10 minutes walk or less.

Without addressing the specific logistics of your travel, Corsica is very much worth some trouble. Calvi is wonderful.

We didn't get a chance to explore Cap Corse near Bastia but that's on the list for next time.