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Voykit pocket guide · France
Bastia
Give Bastia one full day plus a night: old port, Terra Vecchia and the citadel on foot, then use it as the ferry and train gateway to the rest of Corsica.
Bastia is Corsica's second city and its main ferry port, on the northeast coast below Cap Corse. The historic core is small, walkable and grouped around the Vieux Port and the Genoese citadel, so a day covers the sights. Most travellers pass through on the way to Cap Corse, Corte, Calvi or the beaches south, and the city works well as a first or last night on the island.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–early Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, crowds, ferry pressure), Nov–Mar (many places shut)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–95 excl. bed · Mid €95–160 excl. bed · High €160+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Espresso at a bar | €1.50–2.50 |
| Mussels and fries (moules-frites) at the old port | €15–22 |
| Pizza or pasta main | €12–18 |
| Glass of Patrimonio wine | €5–8 |
| City bus single | €1.50–2 (check) |
| Taxi, city centre to airport | €60+ |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BIA · Bastia – Poretta
- 20 km (12 mi) south of the city; shuttle bus to the centre roughly hourly, about 25–45 min, €10 cash to the driver (check the timetable); taxi can exceed €60 in traffic12 mi (20 km) south of the city; shuttle bus to the centre roughly hourly, about 25–45 min, €10 cash to the driver (check the timetable); taxi can exceed €60 in traffic
Typical fares
- Airport shuttle BIA → centre
- €10 cash to the driver, 25–45 min (check)
- Taxi centre → airport
- €60+ depending on traffic
- Train Bastia → Ajaccio
- about €22 one-way, slow narrow-gauge ride (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk. The centre is compact and largely pedestrianised, and driving in it is slow and congested. City buses cover the wider town; the narrow-gauge train runs south along the coast to Casamozza and on to Corte and Ajaccio. There is no ride-hailing in Bastia (check current status) and taxis are limited, so book ahead for early flights.
See and do
Known for
- Vieux Port and its restaurant quays
- Genoese citadel and Terra Vecchia
- Ferry links to mainland France and Italy
- Cap Corse day drive
- SC Bastia football
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cap Corse loop (Erbalunga, Macinaggio, Centuri, Nonza, Patrimonio) | Drive the D80 anti-clockwise from the port; buses reach Macinaggio | About 4 h of driving, a full day with stops |
| Saint-Florent | Bus or car via the D81 and the Patrimonio pass | About 45 min–1 h |
| Corte | Narrow-gauge train from Bastia station | About 1 h 30 min |
| Calvi and L'Île-Rousse | Daily bus, or train with a change | 2.5–3.5 h |
| Aléria and the east-coast beaches | Car south on the coast highway | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Vieux Port and Terra Vecchia
- Restaurants, bars and the marina on the doorstep; noisiest at night.
- Citadel (Place du Donjon)
- Quiet lanes inside the walls, old-port views; pedestrian only, nearest vehicle drop-off about 200 m.
- Place Saint-Nicolas and the new port
- Ferry terminal, bus station and car hire within a few minutes on foot; best for early sailings.
- South of the centre (Avenue de la Libération)
- 1 km (0.6 mi) from the old town, cheaper rooms, more parking.0.6 mi (1 km) from the old town, cheaper rooms, more parking.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimer-SEE |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-SYON seel voo PLAY |
| Is it far? | C'est loin ?say LWAHN |
| I would like a table for two | Je voudrais une table pour deuxzhuh voo-DREH oon TAH-bluh poor DUH |
| Where is the ferry terminal? | Où est la gare maritime ?oo ay la gar ma-ree-TEEM |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Shops and some services close for a long midday break: plan errands for morning or late afternoon.
- Ferries sell out in summer, including foot-passenger space: book early.
- The Cap Corse west-coast road is narrow, twisting and unguarded in places; do not rush it.
- Car-hire offices by the port are closed on Sunday.
- No ride-hailing: arrange taxis in advance, especially before dawn.
Bastia is a calm, walkable city and violent crime is rare; the practical risks are pickpockets around the port in summer, unlit lanes in the citadel at night, and the Cap Corse roads, which are the real hazard.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bastia yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Vieux Port and its restaurant quays
- Genoese citadel and Terra Vecchia
- Ferry links to mainland France and Italy
- Cap Corse day drive
- SC Bastia football
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Ville de Bastia: www.bastia.fr/
- Wikivoyage: Bastia, revision 5293564 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5293564
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Bastia
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy in Bastia; the US, UK, Canadian, Australian and Irish embassies are in Paris, with consulates in Marseille and Nice for some countries (check).
Cash is still useful: the airport shuttle takes coins or notes only.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bastia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.