Chances are, either by ferry or plane, you’ll arrive in Bastia to begin your Corsican adventure. Happily, it’s in easy reach of the Cap Corse peninsula that juts out to the north of the island. There, winding roads that skirt the coast and cross spectacular mountains take you to the fishing village of Centuri in the far northwest.
Despite its tiny size, the village is France’s premier port for the spiny rock lobster (called langouste locally), and you can try this speciality at the many harbourside restaurants such as U Cavallu di Mare (+33 6 18 15 76 31), where chef Jean-Christophe Strinna comes from a family of fishermen. While there, have a glass of the region’s very own bittersweet aperitif, also named Cap Corse – you can visit the distillery LN Mattei (distilleriemattei.com; visits Mon-Fri, May-Sep). It’s made with white wine and local herbs (there’s a red wine version, too); the classic label alone might tempt you to bring a bottle home.
Centuri’s picture-perfect port in the northwest of the island;