A fishing hamlet with no road, at the head of a protected gulf, reached on foot through the maquis or by boat.
The Gulf of Girolata opens out between Porto and the Scandola reserve, below red cliffs covered in maquis. At its head lie a hamlet of a handful of houses, a pebble beach and a Genoese fort, with no road at all: you get there on foot or by boat. The gulf is part of the property inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983.
Photo : jackmac34 / Pixabay
The fort stands above the bay on its headland. Built by the Genoese in 1551-1552 and enlarged with a second tower between 1590 and 1604, it has been listed as a historic monument since 2013 and belongs to the Conservatoire du littoral (the French coastal protection agency). It is being restored and is not open to visitors for the time being. It was in this gulf that the corsair Dragut was captured in 1540, according to the Agence du tourisme de la Corse (Corsica’s tourist board) and the tourist office.
Around the hamlet, Cape Seninu rises to about 600 m above the sea. From the path you look straight down onto the gulf and the dark waters of Scandola.
Above all, for the arrival on foot. After an hour and a half walking down through the maquis, you come upon the car-free hamlet, the beach and the fort. By boat the stop is short, and in summer the hamlet is often packed at midday; on foot, if you set off early, you have time for a swim before the boat trips arrive. May, June and September are the best months, when the heat on the path is still bearable.
Updated 30 October 2026
**No road leads to Girolata.** You have three options: the path, the shuttle boat from Vignola or a boat trip.
The pass (Bocca a Croce) is on the D81 between Porto and Calvi: about 30 minutes from Porto and 1 hour from Calvi, outside summer and without stops (OSRM calculation). The path starts from the car park at the pass.
The path drops down to Tuara beach, then follows the coast to the hamlet. See the details in the walks section below.
An unsurfaced track runs down from the pass to the landing stage at Vignola, where the SEM Osani-Ghjirulatu boat service crosses to Girolata. Times and fares on transport-girolata.com.
The boats from Porto and Calvi that go to Scandola often stop at Girolata. There is no scheduled service from these ports.
About 5 hours on foot along the northern Mare e Monti trail, according to the Ouest Corsica tourist office. This is a stage of a long-distance walk, not a stroll.
The path, waymarked in orange, drops through the maquis to Tuara beach, then climbs and descends again to the hamlet. The return is the hardest part: it climbs in full sun.
Source: Ouest Corsica tourist office, 2023 walking leaflet
A loop from the Col de la Croix: out along the path on the sea side, back along the old postman’s path on the mountain side (yellow, then orange waymarks).
Source: Ouest Corsica tourist office, ‘Girolata, le chemin du facteur’ route sheet
The gulf is part of the ‘Golfe de Porto-Girolata’ listed site (decree of 4 December 1974) and of the UNESCO World Heritage property of the Gulf of Porto. The Scandola reserve begins north of the gulf.
Wild camping is forbidden. The hamlet has a walkers’ hostel (gîte d’étape) but no hotel.
Boat owners should check with the municipality of Osani and the Mediterranean maritime prefecture before anchoring in the gulf.
There is little shade on the path. In summer, walk in the morning and avoid the climb back in the hottest hours.
At least two litres per person, a hat and sun cream, according to the tourist office.
Restaurants, boat trips and boat hire operate from April to October. In winter the hamlet is almost empty.
Rated trips that stop at Girolata, often combined with Scandola.
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