Bastia’s Old Port

The Old Port of Bastia, cradle of the city

The Bastia audio-guided tour takes you to the Old Port, an essential spot on the Island of Beauty. Set in a small cove dominated by the mountain, it has shaped the history of the city since the eleventh century, even though it now only welcomes pleasure boats.

From the marina of Cardo to the Genoese mole

In the eleventh century, fishermen settled around the cove, built huts and developed the wine trade with the Pisans. They lived in the village of Cardo, on the heights, and the port was then called the marina of Cardo. When the Genoese arrived, they built a mole in the sixteenth century, behind which the Old Port has kept all its historic character.

What there is to see

The Old Port lines up its tall colourful houses, its pleasure boats and its quays lively with bars and restaurants. Dominated by the two bell-towers of Saint-Jean-Baptiste church and by the Terra Nova citadel, it offers a picturesque, particularly photogenic setting. It is the historic and tourist heart of Bastia.

Practical information

The Old Port of Bastia is at the foot of the Terra Vecchia district, in a cove of the historic centre. The quays are freely accessible at all hours and on the level. Bars and restaurants keep their own hours; the port is particularly lively in the evening.

How long has the Old Port existed?

The Old Port has shaped the history of Bastia since the eleventh century, when fishermen settled around the cove. The Genoese built a mole there in the sixteenth century.

Why was it called the marina of Cardo?

The fishermen who used the port lived in the village of Cardo, on the heights of Bastia. The port was then named the marina of Cardo.