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Bastia is a city in southeastern France, capital of Haute-Corse Department and a port on the northeastern coast of the island of Corsica. It is a center of commerce, manufacturing, fishing, and wine-exporting. Major products include processed food and tobacco items. Settled in the 14th century by the Genoese, who built a fortress to protect it, Bastia was the capital of the Corsica until 1791. The city was held by the British in 1745 during the War of the Austrian Succession, but was recaptured by the Genoese, who sold the entire island to France in 1768. It was occupied by the British again from 1794 to 1796, during the French Revolution. Now French and regarded as French but the reality is it has only been French for 200 of its 4000-year existence.
Bustling Bastia is Corsica's main business centre and capital of the island's northern department of Haute-Corse. It was founded in 1372, and the town's name is taken from the fortress (bastiglia) that was built to protect its Genoese rulers. Bastia's focal point is place St-Nicolas, its 19th-century square, which is almost 300m (984ft) long. The Terra Vecchia is the oldest part of town, which has always been considered authentically Coriscan, unlike the Terra Nova, the higher-up quarter that is considered to be Genoese. Of note are its baroque chapels and a Genoese mosaic. The Terra Nova's buildings have been refurbished in bright colours, and there are some churches, a museum and the Governors' Palace to explore as well.
Bastia is within easy reach to explore Cap Corse, the 40km long peninsula to the north. In October the Musicales de Bastia is a five day festival of Baroque music, polyphony, blues and popular song. In November there is "The Festival du Film et des Cultures Méditerranéennes" a major cultural event in the town's calendar. Bastia is easy to get to and from - it has an airport, a train station and two ferry terminals. We provide fast effective car hire all year.
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