Corsica

Called the ‘Island of Beauty’, Corsica has a turbulent and fascinating past, and is famous as Napoleon Bonaparte's place of birth. Located in the Mediterranean Sea southeast of the French mainland, it is quite unspoilt and quite ruggedly beautiful with craggy gorges, high mountain passes, pine forests, olive groves and hundreds of medieval castles. Its gentle sloping beaches appeal to families who want traditional summer holidays, but Corsica also has wider appeal due to its sporting and cultural activities, festivals and relaxed pace of life.