Day Trip Around Cap Corse

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Corsica, the third largest European island, sits happily between the Tyrrhenian and Balearic seas just north of Sardinia, is shaped like one of those giant foam hands you can buy at sporting events. The finger of this hand points north toward Milan. This finger is called Cap Corse, and a ride or tour around it is one of the most picturesque day trips possible in Europe.

The measure of beauty in Europe has long been whether a famous artist chose the area as a subject. Several famous artists, including M.C. Escher, have made pilgrimage to Cap Corse and been inspired to creation by the classic buildings, dramatic coast and majestic peaks. One great slow travel opportunity is to cruise along the coast from St Florent to Bastia.

The drive gives the relaxed explorer the opportunity to stop at numerous fishing ports and quiet beaches to drink in the ocean, visually speaking, and some of the most impressive views of the French and Spanish mainland. On the eastern shore be sure to check in on Eschaluna, a fishing port favored by artists seeking inspiration. If you’re on the daring side get a map to Corniche Road. Corniche is not a drive for the weak hearted but the view from the precipitous heights are the finest, and most exciting, available. Corniche Road will have the most hardened heart beating fast, ready to retire to Bastia for a cool drink and the moon looming large over the sea.

Portugal ‘s Three Royal Beach Resorts

Cascais, which has been a harbor since prehistoric times, became a fashionable resort in the 1870s when the monarch Luis I built his summer palace there. It says a lot for a place when the man who can be anywhere chooses to be there, and what was said was heard and answered by a wave of recognition washing over the lovely beach. The upscale shops in the pedestrian section of the glorious old town bear homage to the exalted rich who ones vied for produce along the same streets. The port is still in use, and the day’s catch is auctioned near the harbor in the afternoon.

Three kilometers east of Cascais is the beach resort of Estoril. Estoril is home to excellent hotels and grand villas, helping to retain a sense of the place’s past. In years gone by, Estoril was the home of exiled European royalty. The beach is pristine and popular, and it’s not hard to understand why.

To west, ten kilometers from Cascais is Guincho. Guincho’s beach is magnificent and sandy and looks over an endless sea. Its atlantic breakers make it a haven for surfers, and the spirit of youth is ever present to electrify any who come near. A seafaring empire since its inception, Portugal holds on to her love of the ocean in her seaside resorts and no visit to Portugal is complete without a walk on the beach.