Five areas, on foot in the centre or by car towards Cap Corse and the southern beaches, with the places to stay we have chosen.
Bastia works well for one or two nights: when you arrive by boat or train, before driving round Cap Corse, or at the end of your trip, near the airport. In our listings, the centre is mostly hotels, around place Saint-Nicolas and boulevard Paoli, as is the north side towards Toga and Pietranera. B&Bs, guest houses and apartments are more often in the old town, in the citadel and to the south, towards Furiani and Marana beach.
Here the town is divided into five areas. The first three are easy to get around on foot: Terra Vecchia and the Old Port for the quays and the restaurants, the citadel for the quiet of the upper town, place Saint-Nicolas for the commercial port and the station. The other two need a car: the north side, on the road to the Cap, and the south, between the airport and the beaches.
For each area, you will find our pointers, a ‘Best for’ line and the places to stay we have chosen, with their dated Booking rating. On the map, each pin carries the number of its area. The tips and frequently asked questions at the bottom of the page help you decide. For sightseeing in town, see our Bastia page.
5 areas, 19 places to stay · Visit Bastia
The most charming area, within walking distance of everything, with restaurants on the quays. Parking is difficult.
The market is held in the mornings on place du Marché. Ask your accommodation where to leave the car, or head for a covered car park.
Best for : on foot · lively in the evening
Only two places, a hotel and a B&B. If they are full, nearby place Saint-Nicolas has more hotels.
Quiet, in the upper town, with a view over the Old Port.
The Bastia museum, in the Governors’ Palace, and the lanes of Terra Nova are on your doorstep. The Old Port restaurants are down below, by the steps of the Romieu garden: allow for the climb back.
Best for : quiet · on foot
Two places, a hotel and an apartment. If stairs are hard work for you, Terra Vecchia has the same character down at quay level.
The shopping centre, near the commercial port and the station: the most practical choice if you arrive by boat or train.
The airport shuttle reaches the station in about 25 minutes: you can manage a short stay without a car. With children, place Saint-Nicolas has its merry-go-rounds.
Best for : on foot · with children
Hotels only: the widest choice in town for one or two nights. For a week with a car, the north side or the south are easier.
Towards Pietranera, at the gateway to Cap Corse, for trips to the north.
A tour of Cap Corse takes a day by car: starting from here saves you crossing the town in the morning. A few minutes away, the village of San Martino di Lota looks out over the sea.
Best for : by car
Mostly hotels, between the port of Toga and Pietranera. For several days on the Cap, see also our hotels on Cap Corse.
Near the airport and the long beaches of the Marana, with more space. A car is useful. See also our beach guide.
Bastia town centre is about a quarter of an hour from Furiani by car, outside summer and without stopping.
Best for : by car · near the beach
This is where our listings have the most B&Bs and guest houses, alongside a hotel and a holiday complex. Handy for a first or last night.
One of these hotels, small and rated 9/10 or more, also appears in our selection of boutique hotels in Corsica.
Partner links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Each pin carries the number of its area.
Without a car, stay between the Old Port, the citadel and place Saint-Nicolas: the town is easy to explore on foot. With a car, always ask where to leave it, because **parking is difficult in the centre and in Terra Vecchia**.
By boat or train, the place Saint-Nicolas area saves you any transfer. For an early morning or late evening flight, the south, towards Furiani and Biguglia, is closest to the airport.
If you are driving round the Cap, staying to the north, towards Toga and Pietranera, makes for a quicker start. To spend a night on the Cap itself, see our places to stay on Cap Corse.
The upper town is quiet, but you walk back up to it from the Old Port. With heavy luggage or children in a pushchair, place Saint-Nicolas is simpler.
Guest houses in Bastia and the nearby villages are often run by local people, who pass on their own tips for the town and the surrounding area.
Each Booking rating carries the date we recorded it. Before you book, open the listing to check the exact location, the room photos and the conditions.
Without a car, in the centre: Terra Vecchia and the Old Port for the quays, the citadel for peace and quiet, place Saint-Nicolas for the port and the station. With a car, north towards Toga for Cap Corse, or south towards Furiani for the beaches of the Marana.
The area closest to the airport is the south, between Furiani, Biguglia and the Marana: our listings there include a hotel near the lido, a holiday complex, B&Bs and guest houses, and an apartment. Without a car, the airport shuttle arrives at the station, near place Saint-Nicolas. See flying to Corsica.
Our listings include apartments in the citadel, to the north towards Toga and to the south towards Furiani, as well as a holiday complex near Furiani. It is the right option if you want to cook or stay several nights before the drive round Cap Corse.
We do not give prices: they change with the dates. Compare several areas for your dates, as the ‘Book’ button opens the Booking listing with the current rate. For sightseeing, May, June and September are best, according to our Bastia page.
To choose across the whole of Corsica, see also our selections Camping in Corsica: our classified, well-rated campsites, north to south, 5-star hotels in Corsica: the official classification, destination by destination, Seafront hotels in Corsica: less than 150 m from the shore and Boutique hotels in Corsica: our best-rated small places to stay.
