Great easy circular walk with good views over the Bay of Calvi and plenty of swim spots on the way back.
This is another firm favourite with locals. The two headlands are wild and have great views over the bay towards Calvi and the mountains.
10.5km / 3h30 / + 145m / – 145 m, RED, some cairns, YELLOW / Provisions in CALVI or LUMIO
- Arinella (to Sant Ambroggio) 1h00 / 3km
From the MATAHARI / ARINELLA car park, head towards the small train station, then turn left onto the tarmac road. After 300 m, a path branches off to the right towards a house, and you will see the ruins of a railway hut on the other side of the tracks. Cross the tracks and turn sharply right at the hut, following the tracks for 75 m back towards the station. The path then turns sharply left and climbs gently to a viewpoint overlooking the Bay of Calvi. The path then becomes a wide track, following the railway line to SANT AMBROGGIO, a holiday village. Continue straight ahead on the road leading to the village; you will soon arrive at the MARINA DI SANT AMBROGGIO train station.
- Sant Ambroggio (to Punta di Spanu) 1h00 / 3km
Cross the railway line and immediately take the road on the left. Follow the railway line and continue along the road for about 300 meters, passing some large villas. After 300 meters, you will begin to leave the villas behind and see fields on your left. Continue along the road for another 300 meters until you reach a roundabout. Go straight ahead with the fields on your left. Follow the road for about 800 meters before turning right at an electrical box towards some industrial ruins. At the ruins, turn left towards the Punta di Spano tower. The paths, both uphill and downhill, are easy to follow and wind around the promontory of the Spano tower down to Le Rocher beach at Punta di Spanu.
- Punta di Spanu (to Punta Caldanu) 1h00 / 3km
Walk back up from the beach and follow one of the paths again; the widest ones start from the Conservatoire du Littoral car park. Stay parallel to the coast; there are paths near the shore that ultimately lead to the same place. At a large junction near a pebble beach (1 km), cross the beach, bear slightly left after the tamarisk trees, then right for a short climb along the coast. The path levels out as it passes an abandoned quarry (worth a quick look). Continue along the coast, crossing other paths, just before a marshy area which you cross before arriving at the sandy cove of Cala Giorgio (1.5 km). From the beach, take the path up the other side. The path curves around the coast to the right and, after 500 m, you reach a tarmac road which you follow for 1 km until you turn right onto the road towards the Punta Caldanu tower.
- Punta di Caldanu (to Arinella) 0h30 /1.5km
From the tower, facing the sea, turn left and follow the coastal path. The path winds through the maquis shrubland, never straying far from the rocky coast. You can walk along the coastal rocks before reaching two villas. Pass them, cross the beach and the rocky area to reach the MATAHARI restaurant on ARINELLA beach.
- Arinella (to Santa Restitude) 1h00 loop /
You can extend the walk to STE RESTITUDE and another pebble beach. Continue along the coast; the path runs alongside the rocks, then passes through a marshy area with another footbridge, and continues along the coast to the next beach, STE RESTITUDE. Cross the beach; you can climb up the other side and continue a short distance to a pebble beach, beyond which are the FIUME SECCU stream and the French Foreign Legion base (military training area out of bounds).
From the start of the pebble beach, turn left under the pine trees, and after 100 meters, you will reach the railway line. Cross to the left and begin the ascent to the parking lot above the Sainte Restitude train station. From the parking lot, descend the path to the station, cross the tracks, turn left, and descend towards the beach. Take the yellow-marked trail that climbs the rocks to the right of the beach, along the coastline. After the wooden bridge, take the path to the left that continues along the coast, quickly returning you to Arinella Beach.
Walks in Corsica 