Linguizzetta – Bastia

50th day

Last night we had a spectacular thunderstorm, the first one we've experienced on this trip, and it was impressive. The lightning was so intense that it could blind you. It rained a little, just enough to clean the atmosphere a bit, with medium strength because I imagine all the firepower was taken by those lightning bolts that lit up the horizon and seemed endless.

This morning, since the day started off a bit uncertain and the beach wasn't an option, we went on an excursion to Bastia, a city in the north of the island that was founded in 1378 when the Genoese governor Leonello Lomellini moved his residence from the castle of Bigulia to a fortress in the area.
The name derives from the ancient Italian 'bastita' (bastion or fortress), as the area protected a small fishing port now known as Old Port.

We left early on the motorcycle to dodge the rain spots that the meteorological center was announcing, and we arrived in the city around eleven in the morning when it wasn't too crowded yet.
Bastia is a fairly busy port from where ferries to France depart and where some of the large cruise ships that sail the Mediterranean make stops. It is the second largest city on the island and the capital of Upper Corsica, and its development is mainly due to the Genoese who took it as their own in the 14th century and turned it into one of the most prominent ports of the time.

Today, its port is a lively tourist center where you can find everything from small sailboats rocking in its calm waters, giving it an almost romantic touch, to some yachts that leave you speechless, even though they don't quite fit into that landscape.
A quiet coffee before starting the visit and discovering the first statue of Napoleon I, located in the Plaza de San Nicolas. Apparently, the city's historical ties to this prominent figure in history date back to 1789 when a young Napoleon visited Bastia to enforce the decrees of the National Assembly, distribute tricolor cockades, and discuss the creation of the national guard.

The one who years later proclaimed and crowned himself as Emperor of the French was born in Ajaccio, the capital of the island, so his mother tongues were Corsican and Italian. Although he learned French at the age of nine, he always retained a strong foreign accent, in addition to having very poor spelling. He took France to the edges of Europe, but he could never shake off his strong Corsican accent.
The statue represents Bonaparte dressed in typical Roman fashion, complete with a laurel crown, scepter, and scroll, and although it was commissioned by his sister, Elisa Bonaparte, for the city of Livorno, it was ultimately installed in the city of Bastia.

What stands out most in the city is the Citadel, built on a rocky promontory and which is the oldest and most charming neighborhood in the locality, connected to the old port by the Jardines de Romieu, a terraced green area that links the old port with the upper part of the citadel.

The Procathedral of Santa Maria is one of the most important religious buildings in Corsica. It is listed as a Historical Monument and in addition to the large number of paintings and polychrome wooden statues it houses, it has been the first place in France where we found a slight mention of Joan of Arc.

The Governor's Palace currently houses the city's history museum, and from there, there are absolutely amazing views of the port. The entire citadel has beautiful views in general, which makes walking through its streets so attractive.
On the way back home, we took a first stretch through the mountains to enjoy those beautiful villages that seem painted into the landscape and that are part of the picture as a whole, ultimately enchanting you. Corsica is full of villages hanging from endless mountains that combine their rustic and traditional stone houses with the rugged landscape that dominates much of the island.

For dinner, we had skewers of assorted meats and green beans that we bought in a store in the city. We savored them right by the beach, enjoying an endless landscape that would delight anyone.
The night also gifted us with a beautiful moon on its way to becoming full, sprinkled with sparkles that convinced us even more that we are in the right place at the right time.

Good night... I'll keep telling you 😘