24 May 2009 - The Observer - Annabelle Thorpe
Calvi, Corsica
Dominated by an impressive medieval citadel, Calvi is one of Corsica's biggest tourist draws: its four-mile beach has excellent facilities - watersports, cafes and lifeguards. Most of the action in town is centred around Quai Landry, a beachside walkway that connects the port to the marina and is lined with restaurants and bars - U Calellu is one of the best for fresh fish. There are no buses on Corsica, but to explore further afield take the coastal train to L'Ile Rousse. The train glides past (and stops at) stunning beaches - although the spectacular countryside makes the trip worthwhile just for the journey itself.
For something uniquely Corsican, head to Calvi's Cathédrale Saint Jean-Baptiste, where there are weekly concerts of chansons polyphoniques, in which performers sing two different notes at the same time. If you need a drink to recover, the place to head for cocktails is Chez Tao, a Calvi institution which combines a sleek eaterie with a bar that keeps the chilled-out music going till early morning. If you want to continue partying, there are shuttle buses to the city's two best clubs, Acapulco and La Camargue.
Stay: Apartment Carla is tucked away in the citadel walls. It's a sleek, two-bedroom apartment with blistering views across the Med. From £514pp per week, including flights and transfers (based on four sharing) through Corsican Places (0845 330 2113; corsicanplaces.co.uk).
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