You can reach TOUR DE CAPANELLE tower either from PORTO POLLO, or the beach at CUPABIA, one of the best beaches on the island.
“One of our local favourites, coastal walking, a good beach and a Genoese tower !
What more could you ask for on a Sunday stroll…?”
This is a great “Sunday afternoon” hike, the path runs along the coast before or after the tower, past creeks of fine sand and the water is pure and transparent, ideal for a dip. (see below for the beach option *).
6.5km (to CAPANELLE), 3h00, +260m/-735m, ORANGE & YELLOW. Food supplies in PORTO POLLO or paillote at CUPABIA.
- Porto Pollo (to Capanelle tower) 1h30 / 4km
From the hotel, walk down towards the harbour, turn left, until you reach the SPAR supermarket on your right, take the MARE E MONTI left uphill, for around 1.5km, the path flattens on the ridge, and a path leaves to the left as the main MARE E MONTI trail heads distinctly right. After 250m on the smaller path, head right, soon dropping very steeply downhill to the CAPANELLE tower which you reach after another 0.5km. Head past the tower down to a wide track, turn left and follow the track all the way to PORTO POLLO (approx 3km). Walk downhill along the tarmac road to the port, and your hotel is to the right.
- Capanelle Tower (to Cupabia beach) 0h45 / 2km
From the tower, head down hill to the wide track, cross the wide track following signs for CUPABIA beach. The path is way-marked YELLOW and drops down to a stone hut near the first creek. From here it is 0h40 to CUPABIA. The path more or less hugs the coast, all the way to the beach at CUPABIA. As above – Retrace your steps to below the tower and turn right on the main track, all the way to PORTO POLLO.
- Cupabia (to Capanelle Tower) 1h00 / 2.5km
From the parking area, head down to the beach, cross the bridge over the stream and head left to the beach. Walk along the beach towards the campsite with the sea on your right, continue along the sand until the far end of the beach and at a yellow sign you will see the path climbs steeply into the trees marked TOUR DE CAPANELLE. The path more or less hugs the coast, all the way to below the tower, after 300m you cross a first creek, and soon after the path forks and you can walk to the right to be close to the sea navigating around each of the creeks. The creeks you pass are unspoilt, a second track follows the coast marginally inland if you want to cut corners. After around 40mins from leaving the beach at CUPABIA, you will see a glimpse of a small stone building, the trail then heads inland steeply from the beach here to the tower at CAPANELLE. Cross a wider track and take a climbing zig zag path to the tower. Climb to the tower, then retrace your steps to the wide track, for a shorter route back, turn right and follow the track to the beach at CUPABIA.
Walks in Corsica 