Bonafacio is spectacularly photogenic; best of Corsica

This small town of 2800 swells in the summer with tons of tourists; ferries from Sardinia and lots of pleasure craft contribute to the masses

Bonifacio is the most gorgeous town in Corsica and one of the most impressively sited anywhere in the world

Bonifacio's cathedral was begun in the 12th century but it took a hundred years to complete it; the construction delays created an attractive blend of architectural styles

These houses look out across the Straits of Bonafacio toward Sardinia; with islands in the Straits it's quite a scenic view

Steps of the King of Aragon carved into the cliff; Bonafacio is ranked #3 among things to do in Corsica according to TripAdvisor

The absence of development around Bonifacio emphasizes the impressiveness of the ancient town; I'm not sure if the land is protected or could potentially be developed

Bonifacio, Marquis of Tuscany, established the first settlement here in 828; for the first three centuries the fortified harbor lived on fishing and piracy under Pisan rule

Bonifacio's cathedral was the heart of the town's religious and cultural life for centuries; the Baroque high altar dates from 1624

This long ramp leads to the Porte de Genes which, during Genoese rule, was the only entrance to town; in 1588, a drawbridge was added to further deter enemies

Bonifacio was conquered by the French in 1553 but was later reconquered by the Genoese; the town ended up falling definitively under French rule in the 18th century

The promenade lining the harbor is full of outdoor restaurants where everyone was watching France defeat Uruguay in the World Cup today

Some of the most impressive views of Bonafacio are from the water; fortunately there are constant boat tours with several different routes

OMG it was SOOO windy! I made a brief visit to Plage Sant Antoniu but with the sand pelting me and the waters too rough to swim I waved the white flag

This rock pile looked just like a shipwreck; ironic, since the Straits of Bonifacio are notoriously dangerous and littered with unfortunate victims

From a boat, you get a much greater appreciation of how the buildings overhang the water in Bonafacio

The Grain of Sand seen from the sea; the boat trip to Iles Lavezzi included a nice tour of the coastline on the way back

Plage de Saint-Antoine looked much better without the blustery winds; I waited a couple of days until the winds died down before taking the boat tour

Allium forelock adorning the dry, rocky terrain; there are locusts everywhere and they are quite noisy

The narrow streets of the old town are lined with boutiques, souvenir shops and cafes; it's a very small area and easy to see in an hour or two

In 1195, Bonifacio became a Genoese colony and began construction of the massive fortification walls

According to what I can find online, these are wild Corsican carnations; the only golf course I've seen in Corsica is nearby

Plage Sant Antoniu took a long hike to reach and with the intense winds it was less than enjoyable

This lighthouse marks the entrance to Bonifacio harbor; in 1992, Italy and France created an international marine park in the Straits of Bonifacio that prohibits fishing and limits maritime traffic

The famous solitary stack called Grain of Sand broke off from the cliff 800 years ago; there are more tourists here than locals

This 115 ft lookout tower was built in 1484 and reconstructed in 1980; there are still quite a few buildings nearby that are awaiting rehabilitation

The King of Aragon steps supposedly were built into the cliff in 1420 from the old town to the sea; the 187 steps are VERY steep and were never used by foreign troops trying to take Bonifacio

What a gorgeous cove!; this inlet is off the main Bonificio harbor and a great place to avoid the crowds and escape the winds

St. Dominique Church was built by Dominicans in 1343; the Gothic bell tower is unusual with a square base surmounted by an octagonal section

The fortifications of Bonifacio occupy a finger-like promontory 1500 meters long and 200 meters wide; the citadel was built in the 9th century and rebuilt many times

New Bonifacio lines the sides of a submerged ravine that resembles a fjord; the town had an excellent tourist map but it was solely in French

Bonifacio is the oldest town in Corsica; it is only 12 kilometers from Sardinia with the ferry trip taking an hour between the two islands

I wonder if geologists assess the strength of these cliffs; the limestone is not nearly as hard/stable as granite which is the dominant rock on the rest of the island

Bonifacio lies on the only major harbor on Corsica's southern coast; the population of the town peaked at 4200 in 1901

The old town is 230 feet above the water; the chalk-white limestone cliffs have been undercut by the sea so it appears the buildings overhang it

Bonifacio is an attractive base to explore the southern part of Corsica which is famous for the best beaches on the island

I had a circular, stone hut/cabin for my first 2 nights near Bonifacio; I added the days at the last minute and this was all that was left