Alberghi Bonifacio, Francia - Prenotazione Hotel

Visit Bonifacio

Perched on a limestone pedestal, Bonifacio is one of the most spectacular towns in the Mediterranean. The citadel walls and ancient houses appear to rise seamlessly out of sheer cliffs that have been hollowed and striated by the wind and waves. Beneath, an inlet about 100 metres wide forms a natural harbour, home to a buzzing port. Only 12 kilometres from Sardinia, the town is distinctly more Italian than French in atmosphere, and even has its own dialect based on Ligurian Italian.

The cafés around the port are an excellent place to watch the world go by, and there are numerous restaurants. There's also a tiny but interesting Aquarium on the port which children and adults enjoy. Walk or take the tourist train from the port up to the old town at top of the hill. Look over the wall here and you'll see the grain de sable, a massive chunk of limestone cliff that's fallen into the sea, which is the subject of thousands of postcards. The steps here seem neverending but do lead down to a tiny scrap of beach where you can then turn left to start the clifftop walk.

Alternatively, you can drive up to the old town and leave the car in one of the car parks by the cemetery. From here it's a flatter walk into the old town, which is a delightful place to explore. The view from the cliffs is superb. You can visit the churches and ramparts with narrow streets full of shops and cafés. The marine cemetery at the far end of the cliff top by all the car-parks is much visited as it's full of extraordinarily elaborate mausoleums.

Heading north up the coast from Bonifacio is a series of spectacular sandy bays, all breathtaking in their natural splendour. The closest being the hamlet of Santa Manza, set 10 kilometres east of Bonifacio. With a family friendly beach and a gently shelving shore it is perfect for children and popular with watersports enthusiasts, particularly windsurfers due to the favourable winds.

Rondinara is a natural formed horseshoe bay with fine white sands which slope gently into the turquoise waters. A simply stunning beach, it is flanked on one side by pine trees and a protected nature reserve on the other.

TO DO

• Wander the citadel walls and ancient houses of Bonifacio Old Town Haute Ville, also visiting the churches and ramparts with narrow streets full of shops and cafés. See the grain de sable, a massive chunk of limestone cliff that's fallen into the sea, which is the subject of thousands of postcards. You can see this by looking over the wall at the top of the hill in the old town.
• Witness superb views from the clifftop walk. Steps from the old town lead down to a tiny beach from where you can start the walk and visit the marine cemetery at the end – People often visit, as it's full of extraordinarily elaborate mausoleums.