Real fine sand, turquoise water and the most spectacular road in the area — 45 minutes away
Arone is the sandy beach of the area — the real thing, a long stretch of fine sand that stands apart from the pebbles of the rest of the gulf. It turns up regularly in rankings of the finest beaches in Corsica, and it would be worth the trip for the road alone.
After several days of pebbles, walking on sand is a pleasure. Arone is wide, long and gently sloping: it is the beach where children can run and where you plant a parasol without hunting for a flat spot. The water takes on the turquoise you would sooner associate with the south of the island.
On the cliff to the left, you can jump into the water from several heights. It is the teenagers' attraction and the obligatory stop for those who enjoy it. With the usual care: check the depth and the absence of rocks before jumping, and always start from the lowest point.
Unlike the coves in the area, Arone is equipped: three restaurants and a car park sized for summer traffic. That is what makes it the right option when Ficaghjola is saturated, or when you want a full day without logistics.
The Arone road leaves Piana and drops towards the sea from above, with views along the whole coast. It is worth the trip in itself — allow a little longer than the satnav says, because you will stop. On the way back, late in the day, the light on the Calanques is something else.
Arone beach is also the swimming side of Capo Rosso, whose Turghiu tower stands more than three hundred metres above the sea. Many people do the climb early in the morning and come down for a swim at Arone: it is one of the best days in the area.
Forty-five minutes from the hotel, through Piana: it is the most distant of our beaches, and the one that most deserves a whole day. It is our answer when someone asks for “a sandy beach”: there is none better at that distance. If you go, take the day — doing Arone and the return trip in a single half-day means missing the road.
A fishermen's cove tucked below the village of Piana, with rare water clarity, framed by the red cliffs of the Calanques. You have to earn it: thirty-seven minutes on a narrow road we would not take a campervan down, very limited parking, then a walk down.
See the beach
A more discreet spot on the Cargèse road, prized for its quiet. This is where you hunt for "eyes of Saint Lucia", the little pearly shells worn as lucky charms in Corsica — a perfect treasure hunt to keep children busy.
See the beach
The closest to the hotel, at the foot of the Genoese tower: magnificent for photographs, picnics and sunsets. Supervised, with an access mat to the water usable in a wheelchair — but the waves are powerful and the bottom drops away fast, so swimming is better elsewhere.
See the beachPhotos : Jean-Pol Grandmont, CC BY 3.0
Hôtel Le Vaïta welcomes you in the heart of the Gulf of Porto, on the road to Piana and Arone. 26 air-conditioned rooms, best rate guaranteed when you book direct.
