Corsica, the Mediterranean's mountain island,breaks through the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea just southeast of mainland France. Part of France, yet highly influenced by Italy, its denizens are Corsicans first. Corsica's geography is most becoming, made up of over 20 mountains, numerous rivers, sandy white beaches, and rocky cliffs. Explore the island using hiking trails ranging from four-day ventures to near-annihilating 200 km, 15 day trudges, while boat tours are ideal for reaching the more inaccessible areas of the coastline.

The lively city of Ajaccio pays tribute to one of its most famous citizens, Napolean Bonaparte, at the National Museum of the Bonaparte House. Nearby, Napoleon's uncle, Fesch, built the Fesch Museum, made up of many Italian artists' paintings. Dazzlingly white, Bonifacio is a fortified town built atop limestone cliffs. From Bonifacio, scuba divers can take a ferry to Iles Levezzi to view its fantastic reefs, and the transportation hub of Bastia is a good base for scouting out Cap Corse, a peninsula with varied terrain and an abundance of dilapidated chapels and towers.