Sea and mountain meet on this coastal hike via Scandola and the charming villages of Mare e Monti Nord. Sea and mountains meet on this breathtaking itinerary.

From the village of Piana perched on the west coast, the hike starts in the UNESCO site of the Calanches de Piana, which plunge into the Gulf of Porto. You then follow the coast to reach the villages of Girolata, Galéria and finally Calvi. On the agenda, the jagged coastline and high mountains of the Corsican Regional Park, untrodden coastal and mountain paths, and the Scandola Nature Reserve.

Highlights

  • The western part of Mare e Monti
  • Access to following luggage
  • Point to point tour - 5 days walking 
  • Choice of gîte and hotel** or hotel ** every night 
  • Starts in Ajaccio, ends in Calvi
Duration
6 days/ 5 nights
Type of holidays
Hiking-Walking
Access
Ajaccio
Level
2 - Moderate
Carrying
Without bags

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Piana

Your stay begins at the bus station in Ajaccio. Take the bus to the village of Piana. Overnight stay in Piana. If you arrive in Ajaccio the day before, we recommend a walk along the Sentier des Crêtes, overlooking the city and the Gulf of Ajaccio. The views of the sea and the mountains are magnificent.

Night
Night in Piana
Day 2

Piana to Porto

The path rises up through the maquis. Beautiful views over the Gulf of Porto as you cross the creeks. The path then plunges gently down towards the sea to reach the Porto marina. 

Distance
12 km
Duration
4h30
Ascent / descent
+140 m / -540 m
Night
Night in Porto
Day 3

Porto to Serriera

You will leave Porto and cross the Vitrone ravine, with its red porphyry walls, before arriving at Capu San Petru, a superb rocky lookout point overlooking Serriera and the surrounding area. Arrive at Serriera via the Lonca forest road.

Distance
10 km
Duration
6h00
Ascent / descent
+900 m / -850 m
Night
Night in Serriera
Day 4

Serriera to Girolata

Early morning transfer to reach the entrance to the village of Partinello. The route leads through fragrant scrubland down to the seafront, winding along the jagged coastline before climbing back up to Bocca Croce. There is an exceptional view of the Scandola nature reserve, one of Europe's major natural sites, offering an explosion of colours and landscapes. Follow the balcony path to Girolata, a small fishing hamlet inaccessible by road.

Distance
13 km
Duration
5h30
Ascent / descent
+710 m / -890 m
Night
Night in Girolata
Day 5

Girolata to Galéria

The route reaches the Crête du Lucciu (697 m), offering a unique view of the Gulf of Girolata and its red granite cliffs. Descend to Galéria along the Tavulaghju stream. 

Distance
11 km
Duration
6h00
Ascent / descent
+780 m / -750 m
Night
Night in Galéria
Day 6

Galéria to Tuarelli

The path climbs up through the scrubland, past ancient sheepfolds where you can admire beautiful views over the Gulf of Galéria, then descends towards the Fangu to reach Ponte Vecchju. After arriving in Tuarelli, transfer to Calvi. Holiday ends upon arrival in Calvi.

Distance
9 km
Duration
4h00
Ascent / descent
+320 m / -240 m

Programs have been drawn up according to the latest information available at the time of writing: imponderables are always possible and situations beyond our control may alter the course of the program.

Dates and prices

Departure on request every day from April to mid October. 2 persons minimum.

Please select your departure date from the calendar below to find out the rate and begin your booking.

If departure is on a Sunday, the night in Piana will be replaced by a night in Ajaccio and the hike on D2 will take place in Ajaccio on the Sentier des Crêtes, then you will leave for Porto in the afternoon .

Pick a date
Price includes

Accommodation on half board (days 3, 4, 5) B&B (days 1 & 2), local internal transfers, luggage transfers, travel dossier with IGN maps, topo guide and access to our guidance application.

Price does not include

Reservation fee of 5€ / person, travel insurance, drinks, picnics, site visits and transfers to your hotel in Piana and from Calvi, travel to Corsica.

Supplements/Discounts

Supplement hotel  accomodation in double or twin rooms  : 105€ / person ( low season) and 170 € / person ( high season).

Insurance

We offer comprehensive multi-risk insurance specifically adapted to our adventure trips (contract no. 7482 Assurinco). The rates are as follows: 4.00% of the price of the trip for French residents, 6% of the price of the trip for residents from the European Union (EU) outside France. For non-EU residents, the rate is €90 per person. See insurance details.

Group discount

Groups of 3 people or more can benefit from a discount. Please contact us for details.

Technical informations

Starts

At your first hotel in Piana.

Ends

In Calvi after your transfer.

Access

Ajaccio Airport or Port or Calvi Airport. Please ask for details.

Number of participants

Reservations for minimum of 2 participants. 

Accommodation

  • Mix of rooms and dormitories: 3 nights in gîte with dormitory (Serriera, Girolata, Galéria) and 2 nights in double/twin rooms in hotels (** in Piana and *** in Porto).
  • Double or twin rooms available throughout the tour in 3-star hotels and guest houses.
  • Single room supplement to be requested at the time of booking.

Meal

  • Continental breakfast (tea, coffee, milk, bread, butter, jam).
  • Evening meals are often based on local specialities and include a starter, main course and dessert. Dinners in Piana and Porto are not included. 

Level

Moderate -  path with few technical difficulties.  

Luggage transfers

During this walk you will carry only a small day sack with a water bottle, camera, picnic, trailfood, sun and wet weather gear. Luggage is transported by vehicle, point to point. No access to luggage at Girolata.

Guiding

Self-Guided Walking. We provide you with a Travel Dossier complete with IGN map and Topoguide created by our team. During your hike our 24-hour assistance service will also be able to answer all your questions and, if necessary, bring you useful tips for the smooth running of your stay.

The digital roadbook

Once you have confirmed your holiday, you can download our application. It's easy to use and it offers a number of functionalities:

  • Precise route guidance with alerts in the event of deviations.
  • View your starting point, accommodation, current position, mileage.
  • Discover points of interest via interactive content with descriptions, photos and audio. 
  • In an emergency, send an SOS alert with your GPS coordinates. 
  • Contact function to share messages, photos and videos with our team during your stay.

Extensions

Take advantage of a stay extension during your tour with Corsica Aventure.

If you'd like to discover Corsica before or after your holiday, our team can offer you ideas for accommodation and activities. If you prefer to arrive a few days earlier or extend your stay for a few days, we can book your extra nights on the island, depending on your arrival city.

Here are a few hotels we recommend for those of you who would rather organise their extra days themselves:  

Ajaccio

  • Hôtel Le Dauphin 2 /* Tél : 04 95 21 12 94.
  • Hôtel Kalliste 3* / Tél : 04 95 51 34 45.
  • Hôtel Albion 3* / Tél : 04 95 21 66 70.
  • Hôtel San Carlu 3* / Tél : 04 95 21 13 84.

Propriano

  • Hôtel Bellevue / Tél : 04 95 76 01 86.
  • Gîte-hôtel U Fracintu / Tél : 04 95 76 15 05.

Porto

  • Hôtel Kallisté / Tél : 04 95 26 10 30.
  • Hôtel Le Belvédère / Tél : 04 95 26 12 01.
  • Hôtel Le Méditerranée / Tél : 04 95 26 10 27.

Piana

  • Hôtel Les Calanques / Tél : 04 95 27 82 08.
  • Hôtel Les Roches Rouges / Tél : 04 95 27 81 81.

Calvi 

  • Hôtel Belvédère 3* / Tél : 04 95 65 01 25.
  • Hôtel Les Arbousiers 2* / Tél : 04 95 65 04 47.
  • Hôtel Christophe Colomb 3* / Tél : 04 95 65 06 04.
  • Hôtel Balanea 3* / Tél : 04 95 65 94 94.

Bastia

  • Best Western Montecristo Bastia / Tél : 04 95 55 05 10.

Map

Your itinerary:

Pictures
of the holidays

Reviews for Mare e Monti North - Piana to Calvi

8 reviews
(4.1)

Excellent welcome everywhere. Some rooms lack fans. Special mention of Curzu and Ota

Philip 21/09/2023Mare e Monti North - Piana to Calvi

We liked the variety of accommodation (from hotels to dormitories), with a special mention for the stopover gîte in Galéria.

Alex 14/09/2023Mare e Monti North - Piana to Calvi

Perfect organisation by your agency. The stages are well-balanced but still difficult (particularly because of the heat).

Brian 12/09/2023Mare e Monti North - Piana to Calvi

Accommodation perfectly suited to this type of trip, even more luxurious than on many treks!

Sandy 30/08/2023Mare e Monti North - Piana to Calvi

All the half-board accommodation was excellent. The information provided at times did not correspond to the time required to complete the hike.

Dorian 21/07/2023Mare e Monti North - Piana to Calvi

Great luggage logistics and flexible hotels/guesthouses.

Hugh 18/07/2023Mare e Monti North - Piana to Calvi

Very good holiday for experienced sportsmen and women. The walks are very well signposted and even on your own you can't go wrong.

Joy 13/05/2023Mare e Monti North - Piana to Calvi

It's a beautiful itinerary that combines the sea and the mountains, and is well worth doing.

Melody 06/05/2023Mare e Monti North - Piana to Calvi