Old Port (Vieux Port)

The Old Port of Bonifacio lies at the foot of the town's towering white cliffs, at the southern tip of Corsica. It occupies a long, narrow inlet that cuts into the limestone like a fjord, and the water is sheltered enough to make a natural harbour. Looking from the quay, the old town rises directly above in a wall of pale rock, with houses perched on the very edge of the cliff and the citadel behind them, and the effect is among the most dramatic in the Mediterranean.

The port has been in use for many centuries. Bonifacio was founded by the Genoese in the early Middle Ages and fortified as a stronghold, and the lower town beside the harbour, called the Marine, grew up around the quay with the fishermen and traders. Today the quays are lined with restaurants and cafés, yachts and pleasure boats fill the berths, and small ships offer excursions along the cliffs. The Escalier du Roy d'Aragon, a long staircase cut into the rock face, is the best-known landmark here. According to tradition it was carved in a single night by troops of the king of Aragon during a siege in the fifteenth century, though that is a legend and its true origin is less clear. It runs from the sea level to the clifftop and can be descended or climbed by visitors who are comfortable with many steps.

The usual way to see the surroundings is by boat. Short cruises leave from the port and pass beneath the cliffs, which are eroded into overhangs and caves, and some go on to sea caves and the offshore islands. From the water you can understand how the houses seem to hang above the sea. In clear weather, the island of Sardinia can be seen across the Strait of Bonifacio, and ferries connect the port with Sardinian towns.

Walking along the quay is free, and there is no admission to the port itself. Allow an hour or two to wander, eat and watch the boats, and combine it with a climb to the upper town. A road and a path lead up to the Citadelle de Bonifacio, with its narrow streets, ramparts and the Collégiale Saint-Antoine, and the Bonifacio Cliffs can be reached by following the clifftop path. The Porte d'Aval is another point of interest on the old walls.

The port suits couples, photographers, boat lovers and anyone who wants to see the southernmost part of Corsica. It is busiest in summer, and early morning or evening are calmer and give better light.