Place Saint-Nicolas

Place Saint-Nicolas, the beating heart of Bastia

The Bastia audio-guided tour takes you to Place Saint-Nicolas, the city's main square. Bordered by the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is the favourite meeting place of the inhabitants, lively in every season. At 280 metres long, it is among the largest esplanades in Europe.

An esplanade lively all year round

The square lives to the rhythm of the seasons: open-air concerts in summer, an ice rink, a big wheel and a Christmas market in winter, a flea market every Sunday morning and the Chocolate Fair each year in October. Lined with trees along its whole length, it reveals tall palm trees at its end, which immediately plunge you into the Mediterranean atmosphere.

What there is to see

At the centre of the square stands a bandstand, recently restored but dating from 1908. The square is also adorned with statues and monuments, including a tribute to figures of local history. Open onto the sea on one side and the city on the other, it is the ideal starting point for discovering Bastia.

Practical information

Place Saint-Nicolas is in the heart of Bastia, by the sea, halfway between the commercial port and the Old Port. It is freely accessible at all hours and on the level. The flea market is held there on Sunday mornings; the other events vary with the season.

How big is Place Saint-Nicolas?

The square measures about 280 metres long by 80 metres wide, making it one of the largest esplanades in Europe, bordered by the Tyrrhenian Sea.

What events take place there?

The square hosts summer concerts, an ice rink and a Christmas market in winter, a flea market on Sunday mornings and the Chocolate Fair in October.