The Eastern Gentleness: Plains and Lagoons

Corsica's eastern coast, facing Italy and the rising sun, presents a gentler aspect. Here, the mountains retreat from the shore, creating the island's only extensive coastal plain. This fertile land supports agriculture and has allowed the development of the island's most accessible beaches, stretching for kilometers along straight shorelines backed by lagoons and wetlands.

Bastia, Corsica's second city and major port, maintains its working character despite tourist pressures. The old port, surrounded by tall Genoese houses painted in warm ochres and oranges, bustles with fishing boats, ferries, and yachts. The city's Italian character—it was Genoa's Corsican capital—persists in architecture, cuisine, and mentality. Bastia looks outward, toward Italy and the continent, serving as Corsica's commercial link to the wider world.

South of Bastia, the coastal plain of Aleria tells Corsica's ancient story. Here, Romans established their provincial capital, recognizing the plain's agricultural potential and strategic location. Today's Aleria combines archaeological significance with modern agriculture, its vineyards producing increasingly respected wines, its beaches offering family-friendly swimming far from western coast drama.

The eastern lagoons—Biguglia, Diana, Urbino—create unique ecosystems where fresh and salt water mix. These shallow waters support traditional fishing methods unchanged for centuries, including the capture of eels migrating between river and sea. The lagoons also serve as crucial stops for migratory birds, their protected status recognizing ecological importance beyond economic value.