Calvi Attractions

From Ile-Rousse in Corsica, the coast road runs direct to Calvi. The lively little town of Calvi (pop. 5,177), picturesquely situated on a projecting crag in the Bay of Calvi, has an unsheltered harbor which is the Corsican harbor closest to France. In the Middle Ages the town was a republic, and during the Genoese period it was the island's chief town. During the struggle for liberation in 1793-1794 it was laid in ruins by the British fleet. Near the harbor is the church of Santa Maria (17th century), and in the upper town, which was fortified by the Genoese in the late 15th C, is the Cathedral of St-Jean-Baptiste, originally dating from the 13th C and rebuilt in 1553 after its destruction; it contains a famous crucifix and other fine examples of woodcarving. The Maison Colomb in Rue Colombo, claimed to be the birthplace of Columbus, is unlikely to be authentic: there are several other alleged birthplaces in Italy and Spain. In the Bay of Calvi is a flat sandy beach 4km/2-1/2mi long which makes Calvi with its numerous hotels a popular holiday resort.