Isle of beauty

Perched dramatically above the Tyrrhenian Sea, Bonifacio in southern Corsica blends craggy cliffs, medieval history and a bustling harbour, as well as quiet luxury and exceptional cuisine

- KATHRYN MADDEN.

"THE WORLD IS BEAUTIFUL IF YOU KNOW how to look at it." My tour guide Lola is reciting a Corsican proverb as we stand on the edge of a granite peak and peer out at the jewel-blue Tyrrhenian Sea. Honeyed-stone homes hang dramatically over the cliff's edge, swallowed in scale by the ocean below, and I can't help but wonder if the old adage has its limitations. "U mondu he bellu basta a sapellu piglia" suggests we simply open our eyes wider to appreciate the beauty all around, when clearly the world in these parts would appear arresting even through a lazy squint.

We're in Bonifacio, an ancient fortress town on the French island of Corsica, a landmass so ravishing the ancient Greeks named it Kalliste, "the fairest one", and countless empires battled to claim it as their own. Bonifacio is the island's oldest and most southerly town, and, with its medieval citadel set 70 metres above the sea and a marina bobbing with yachts below, it's widely considered the most beautiful, too. We wind up cobblestone streets and vertiginous staircases that open onto sun-bleached squares, then through bustling alleys to lookout points where we gaze back in time. "Bonifacio's strategic location on maritime trade routes made it a prime target for pirates," explains Lola, gesturing out at the panorama. "But it's notoriously treacherous to navigate and the sea floor is scattered with wreckage. According to legend, pirate treasure is still buried in the caves. This place is full of secrets."