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There is a Università di Corsica, and Corsican press and media. The island produces its own fabulous wines, beers and very high quality local food. Corsican cuisine is splendid, healthy and full of character. Modern Corsica has harmoniously preserved its ancient traditions and customs. Corsica enjoys much wealth, but human values come first. Corsicans are ardently attached to their land, the “Terra Corsa.”
Metaphysics, symbolism and mystical traditions emerging from a very ancient shamanic past are interwoven into Corsican daily life and the island’s customs. Corsicans are people of character, freedom fighters, hospitable and generous. Their spirit has been forged by 9000 years of tumultuous history, successive invasions and the ruggedness and splendor of their beloved land. Magic still lives in Corsica, through its land, and its people.
Corsica is an island of contrasts, with its snowcapped mountains belonging to the ancestral way of life, its fine sand beaches, the medieval Genovese towers and its infinite variety of rocks shaped like supernatural creatures.
"Corsica is a French
département, but Corsica is far from being France”
Alexandre Dumas
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tours more in depth… Tours
in Corsica - Who travels to Corsica with us? When they consult Kalliste Tours, they rapidly realize that we are offering the best in matters of Corsica touring, as well as luxury tours in Corsica. Kalliste Tours offer escorted tours in Corsica to independently minded people who do not want to spend a lot of time researching about restaurants or hotels in Corsica, places to visit or itineraries. These individuals want a rapid answer about the best way to fly from the U.S. to Corsica. When on the island, they want to experience the best of Corsica without a waste of time or money, and to avoid any hassle. Our guests are active people who love to travel in a very small circle of friends to broaden their horizons, and immerse themselves into the local culture of Corsica. They expect to have access to unique and remote places, knowledge, insights and flexibility. They anticipate a stress-free journey, where everything is done for them. They want to know exactly how much they will be spending. They appreciate “real food”, old world luxury, nature and ecotourism. They expect to be cared for with style and kindness and be touched by a beautiful experience, to return home refreshed and fulfilled, with vibrant memories of their tour in Corsica.
Corsica is a “novelty destination” for most Americans. Corsica is an island that seduces and captivates. Some say that the word “seduction” must have been coined in Corsica. Corsica is bewitching. As we have witnessed, some people decide to travel to Corsica after just having heard the name “Corsica”! Travel to Corsica can fulfill a desire for a sensual adventure and a transformation that comes from the immersion in the living culture of the island. By “living culture” we mean that the lineage of many traditions has not been broken, and that today on the island of Corsica, travelers can witness activities and celebrations that have been repeated for centuries or more. In Corsica, you experience archaeological monuments, along with the remains of an ancient culture that's still very much alive. Be prepared to surrender to Corsica’s magic. An enveloping warmth, a proud spirit, a deep sense of history effuses from Corsica. A rich underlying framework of ancient traditions still survives, even thrives: traditions of celebrations, craft traditions, culinary traditions, musical traditions and more subtle traditions attached to the social fabric of the island. Unlike solo travel, Kalliste Tours allows you to enter the culture much more rapidly. As soon as our guests land in Corsica, they are immediately immersed into the cultural landscape. The access to places and the contact with people that our visitors experience right away is invaluable, as the privacy felt in many places.
Taking a cruise that will include Corsica, and spending a few hours off the boat in touristy places to then be rushed back on board in time to cruise to the next island. One may travel with a large group
in a motorcoach, and be herded around as “another one of
those tourists” with hotels and restaurants based on a budget,
not on authenticity and quality. For this type of vacation, any
sunny island can do the trick. Organizing Corsica travel from the U.S can be rather challenging. It involves a lot of research, preparation, and taking the risk to be disappointed through misinformed choices. Corsica is a difficult place to enter, where English is seldom spoken. Considering the uncertainties about where to go, what to visit, where to stay, where and what to eat, driving on Corsican mountain roads with a stick-shift French car, and dealing with bank schedules, frequent local strikes, endless holidays when all the shops are closed, and insular idiosyncrasies, all this is far outweighed by the benefits of traveling with a handful of similar-minded people, and being escorted by somebody who has already done all the work for you and can help you, on-site, if needed. When you go to Corsica with Kalliste Tours, there is no personal work involved researching restaurants and hotels in Corsica, itineraries and transportation. We take care of everything. All that you have to do is to rest,
to contemplate, to listen to nature or music, to savor Corsican
gourmet cuisine, taste Corsican cheeses and Corsican wines, to
smell the aromas of the maquis, to feel the incredible energy
of the granite, everywhere present on the island or acquire knowledge
during private visits to museums and ancient sites. Kalliste Tours are unique because we never sub-contract any of our tours and we are specialized in Corsica exclusively. For other companies, Corsica is one of many other destinations they work with, where they send English speaking guides who, as we have witnessed many times, are far from being integrated into the Corsican landscape. In Corsica, the insular quality of the society makes that personal introduction is a very important factor. That minute of personal introduction determines that you are not a stranger in a strange land, or perceived as a tourist, but rather welcomed and accepted, personally and warmly greeted. It makes a very significant difference when it comes to the authenticity and the quality of your trip in Corsica. We provide personal introductions to local places and people, native guidance and knowledge, and private visits. With us, you are not a “cultural voyeur” because this is about authentic cultural immersion. When you travel with Kalliste Tours in Corsica, you can have it all: ecotourism and luxury. Most luxury travel is not health conscious, and most ecotours lack comfort. With us, you walk and explore outdoors during the day and have luxuries in the evening. Redefining luxury in Corsica Luxury in Corsica means the vibrant brown of an old chestnut floor, the heirloom silverware and white linen, the shade of centuries old’ exotic trees, the hand crafted furniture, the family antiques, the privacy of a museum open just for you, the character of the cuisine, the exquisite attention of the staff, the unparalleled quality of the food and the keen inborn quality of life of Corsicans who share it generously with you. A Tour in Corsica as a sacred,
extraordinary and unique experience Because we are taking care of all the preparation work for you, you are free to savor your experience to the fullest. In Corsica, you will decide from the high perched villages, the rugged coastline or the defiant mountains, which one casts the strongest spell. You will be surprised how fast you will succumb to that special relaxed mode that comes from being in a very special place. The intimate contact with 9000 years of ubiquitous and tumultuous history provokes “something” in you that often translates into more personal awareness. Corsica, it is the wildness of an untamed land. Corsica is often compared to a woman, and it is the Wild Woman archetype in its unbounded splendor. Corsica has a free spirit, a rebel spirit. It is probably the freest area in Europe. In Corsica, disobeying the laws is a custom and challenging French and European authorities is expected. Corsicans are freedom fighters, and in this new order of world globalization, it is an inspiration and often the source of personal empowerment. Our thoughtfully designed hand crafted tours in Corsica are educational tours, and such a small group size allows plenty of questions and answers during the day, at meals, while driving. You hear stories, lore and secrets of the places we visit. Everything you see, taste or experience is available to be explained or commentated. During these historical tours, you enrich your savoir, your personal cultural knowledge, and you remember it, because it is alive, it is experiential transmission. One visitor, seduced by the uninhabited coastal land and trackless mountainsides of Corsica, wrote that the island “evokes no association except, perhaps, travelers’ tales of Tibet.” Corsican food To be continued… Please visit our website regularly for new additions. © Kalliste Tours 2005– Copyrights |
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In this text of 1755,
during the independence of Corsica, Pascal Paoli defined the great
principles of the Corsican Constitution that will later be part
of the inspiration for the Constitution of the United States of
America. Today, five American towns are named Paoli, in Pennsylvania,
Indiana, Oklahoma, Colorado and Wisconsin.
Corsican traditional
polyphonies, sacred and secular singing and music, are some of
the most powerful expressions of the island’s culture. Corsican
polyphony was described by the late Lady Dorothy Carrington as:
"it was like hearing a voice from the depths of the earth;
a song from the dawn of time; from a beginning that one never
dares believe is accessible.”
