Balagne Corsica

An icon of incredible beauty! The Citadel of Calvi stands steadfast above the town, proudly displaying a whole wealth of history and heritage. If you prefer to visit without a guide... For adults... Calvi-Balagne Tourist Office has proposed audioguided tours of the Citadel for several years now. However, to keep up with the times, the old devices have been replaced by new-generation players that are very easy to use. These are available in 4 languages - Français, English, Deutsch, Italiano - and come with a map showing the itinerary's 11 markers. To add life and emotion to the story, the tour is accompanied by traditional music in line with the history of this Genoese fortress and the characters who helped make it famous (including Christopher Columbus, Admiral Nelson... and Laurent Giubega, Napoleon's godfather). The system allows total freedom for users, who can even wander off into history along the cobblestones if they so choose. For children... There's an audioguided tour in the form of a treasure hunt around the citadel, based on the use of an MP3 player. Intended for children aged 7 to 14 years (alone or in groups), this tour is available all year round (during tourist office opening hours). The audioguide is available in French version only.

It invites you to walk its cobbled streets and discover the universe in which Christopher Columbus was born.
There you will find the ruins of the house where he was born.

At the bend of a typical small shop, you will see Saint Anthony's Oratory and the famous Saint John the Baptist Cathedral. The Citadel of Calvi naturally arises as an emblematic site of Balagne. The Calvi-Balagne Tourist Office offers audio guided tours as well as a Treasure Hunt for a fun discovery of the citadel, one of the most beautiful sites in Corsica.

Another look at the city!

If the Citadel is also appreciated, it is also for its privileged geographical location. Perched on its rocky promontory, it offers a 360-degree panorama of the city, the marina, and the mountains that flow into the sea. Its cobbled streets and its typical "genovese" houses tell you their story in their own way. from the city.

A short stop at MUDACC ...
Under the entrance porch, you can now visit the Museum of Arts of the Citadel of Calvi. This brings together the works of the city's Contemporary Art Fund. The museum is open access.

To visit it in complete freedom ...

For adults ... The Calvi-Balagne Tourist Office has been offering an audio guided tour of the Citadel for several years now, but, modernism requires, the old players have been replaced by new generation players, very easy to use.
They are available in 4 languages ​​- French – English - Deutsch - Italiano - and are accompanied by a map listing the 11 landmarks of the course.

Traditional music punctuates the visit and embellishes the history of this Genoese fortress and the characters who have contributed to its notoriety (Christopher Columbus, Admiral Nelson ... Laurent Giubega, Napoleon's godfather) and make the story alive and moving.

The system offers complete autonomy to the user, who, walking along the cobblestones of history, can also indulge in some stroll.


For children ... A treasure hunt consisting of an audio guided tour of the citadel in the form of a treasure hunt using an MP3 player.

It is intended for children aged 7 to 14 (individuals or groups) and is practiced all year round (during the opening hours of the tourist office).
Available in French only.

Citadel, cradle of the festival! Many cultural events, exhibitions and concerts have found refuge in the heart of the Citadel. The religious buildings notably host concerts of polyphonic songs. Also, the local radio RCC, formerly called the radio of the new world in homage to Christopher Columbus, broadcasts from the upper town right next to the Saint Jean Baptiste cathedral. The tourist office welcomes visitors there between June and August in the old guard posts located under the entrance porch of the citadel.

Rates

Free access. Price of adult audioguide: €7
NB: audioguide rentals from the marina Tourist Office from mid September to mid June and in the exhibition hall under the Citadel entrance porch from mid June to mid September.

Price of children's treasure hunt: €4.

Features

  • Services

    • Guided tours
    • Tour free of charge
    • Tourist information
    • Tourist routes

  • Equipments

    • Bar
    • Car park
    • Public WC
    • Restaurant

  • Visit

    • Individual visit :
      • Guided individual tours on request
      • Unguided individual tours available permanently
    • Group visit :
      • Guided group tours on request
      • Unguided group tours available permanently
    • Visit languages : English, French, German, Italian, Russian

  • Activities

    • Concert
    • Temporary exhibition
    • Theatre

  • Spoken languages

    • French

To know

  • Opening period

    All year round, daily.

  • Other information

    As an inhabited district of the town, the Citadel is accessible throughout the year, any time of day or night. Guided tours are proposed by independent organisations in cooperation with the Tourist Office.

  • Animals welcome

    Pets not accepted

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