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Crossposted at the HuffPo.com. Comments not included here.
Any coastline on the Mediterranean is beautiful, so what is it about Corsica that makes it so dreamy?
One perfect day: The Lone Wolf, Cheese Princess, and I were wandering around Calvi's magnificent citadel when we came across the one and only Christopher Columbus, a native son according to the signs.

We knew Napoleon Bonaparte came from Corsica, before he put the "E" in
emperor. But Christopher Columbus? T.C.P. pointed out that Corsica was
actually closer to Italy's mainland than France, and that Corsica was
once part of Genoa. T.C.P. has a photographic memory, so she always
knows the skinny.
Got to say that the views from the citadel were stunning, and we found the ideal place to have lunch.
And in the open-air perfection of A Candella, we savored every single
bite of our flawless lunch.
So far, the day was nirvana. The Cheese Princess and I love boat rides,
and we take them wherever we go.
After lunch, we climbed down Calvi's mountain and hopped on a tourist boat to the Reserve de Scandola, which can only be seen from the water
The Scandola Nature Reserve park is a Natural World Heritage Site, and
has been inscribed on the World Heritage List since 1983. The
definition of natural grandeur.
To end our perfect day, we enjoyed Corsican specialties at restaurant

Imagine a sizzling skillet of wild boar stew and a creamy casserole of cannelloni with Corsican brocciu cheese. The maquis flavors every taste and smell on this island.
The soul of the island is rooted in it--as was our perfect day.
A Candella
9 Rue St Antoine
20260 Calvi, Corsica
France
+33 4 95 65 42 13
U Minellu
Traverse de l'eglise Santa Maria
20260 Calvi, Corsica
France
+33 4 95 65 05 52
See more to come in Part 3!