French License Plate - Corse-du-Sud (2A) |
The Fortress-City of Bonifacio, built on steep peninsula protecting an excellent harbor at the very south of Corsica |
Bonifacio was founded by the Tuscans in 828AD after Spanish Moors were evicted from the island after a brief 22 year occupation |
Today, Bonifacio's harbor is home to a fleet of pleasure boats and yachts |
50m Feadship M/Y Broadwater - yours for $22.9 Million |
Bonifacio Harbor, Corsica |
Bonifacio - Capitale Pittoresque de la Corse |
Quai Jérôme Comparetti, harborside Bonifacio |
Monte Rastello, Bonifacio |
Art and souvenirs, Lower Town, Bonifacio |
Art in the Lower Town, Bonifacio |
Looking up at the fortifications of Bonifacio from the Lower Town |
Bonifacio's fortified Upper Town is built atop steep cliffs |
Limestone cliffs of southern Corsica looking east from Bonifacio |
Eastern fortifications of Bonifacio with Monte Saint-Roch leading up to the Bastion de l'Etendard |
Fortification of Bonifacio from the east |
Fortified Upper Town, Bonifacio, Corsica |
The well-protected harbor of Bonifacio |
Hidden Beach beneath the overhanging cliffs, Bonifacio |
Limestone cliffs of Bonifacio, Corsica |
South Coast of Corsica at Bonifacio |
Amazing that Bonifacio wasn't fortified until the 9th C. |
Clear Mediterranean waters off the rocky coast at Bonifacio |
South Coast of Corsica at Bonifacio |
What a stunning location for a fortified medieval city |
Upper Town of Bonifacio from the cliffs to the east |
Panorama of the Upper Town, Bonifacio |
They hardly needed to bother with city walls |
The Lower Town and Harbor, Bonifacio |
Cliff Walk and Sea Stack, Bonifacio, Corsica |
Place du Marché, Haut-Ville, Bonifacio |
Pietra Bionda, the very drinkable Corsican beer |
Pietra Blonde, Bonifacio, Corsica |
View of the south coast of Corsica from the Fortress of Bonifacio |
Église Sainte-Marie-Majeure, Bonifacio |
Église Sainte-Marie-Majeure, Bonifacio |
Stunning stairs carved into the cliffs on the south side of Bonifacio |
187 steps lead from the top of the plateau to the sea, Bonifacio |
The Staircase of the King of Aragon, Bonifacio |
Legend has it that the steps were carved in 1420 during the siege of Bonifacio by Alphonse V of Aragon |
Apparently, the steps predate the 1420 siege |
Passageway carved into the cliff at the base of the King of Aragon's Staircase |
Walkway at the base of the King of Aragon's Staircase leading to the Well of St-Barthélémy |
Bonifacio from Sea Level at the base of the Staircase of the King of Aragon |
Cliffs below the Fortress of Bonifacio |
Cliffs below the Fortress of Bonifacio |
Lower Cliff Walk, Bonifacio |
Limestone Cliffs of Bonifacio |
The Staircase of the King of Aragon slopes around 45 degrees |
It's a tough climb back up to the top, but well worth it |
Il Torrione, part of the original 9th C. fortress, Bonifacio |
Monument de la Légion Étrangère, Bonifacio |
Église Saint-Dominique de Bonifacio |
Église Saint-Dominique de Bonifacio |
Église Saint-Dominique de Bonifacio |
Église Saint-Dominique de Bonifacio |
Modern 3-Masted Sailing Cruise Ship, Le Ponant |
Bonifacio - Bunifaziu in the local dialect |
Tapas Bar in the old Upper Town, Bonifacio |
Serena and Pietra, Corsican Beers |
Event Poster - Milleliri 2014, Bonifacio |
Descending from the Upper Town, Bonifacio |
Limstone Cliffs of southern Corsica at Bonifacio |
Protected Harbor of Bonifacio |
Boat tours are popular ways to see the cliffs of Bonifacio from sea level |
Kissing Pigs Wine Bar, Bonifacio Harbor |
M/Y Broadwater, Bonifacio Harbor |
Bonifacio Harbor protected by the fortress |
Le Ponant, an 89m luxury sailing yacht with 32 cabins for 67 passengers |
Bonifacio, Corsica - Santa Teresa, Sardinia Ferry Giraglia |
Sailing out of Bonifacio Harbor on a boat tour of the cliffs and caves |
Sea Cave "Chapeau Napoléon" - Napoleon's Hat |
Another tour boat returning to Bonifacio Harbor |
Sea Cave "Chapeau Napoléon" - Napoleon's Hat |
Peninsula of Bonifacio from Sea Level |
Phare de la Madonetta - Lighthouse, Bonifacio |
Phare de la Madonetta - Lighthouse, Bonifacio |
Limestone Cliffs to the west of Bonifacio Harbor beyond the lighthouse |
Inside the sea cave Grotte de Sdragonato, Bonifacio |
Several sea caves around Bonifacio are big enough for fairly large boats to enter |
Grotte de Sdragonato, Corsica |
Hole in the ceiling of the Grotte de Sdragonato |
Grotte de Sdragonato, one of the sea caves entered by the tourist boats |
Grotte de Sdragonato, Corsica |
That cave doesn't look quite big enough to enter by boat |
Sailing a bit farther west along the cliffs from Bonifacio |
The tour boats continue into a small bay in front of Fazzio Beach |
Leaving the bay at Fazzio Beach, Corsica |
Entrance to the Grotte de Sdragonato, Bonifacio |
Phare de la Madonetta - Lighthouse, Bonifacio |
Phare de la Madonetta - Lighthouse, Bonifacio |
Walls on the west end of Bonifacio's fortified peninsula |
Looking up at the top of Napoleon's Hat, Bonifacio |
Cruising along the cliffs of Bonifacio |
Le Gouvernail, Bonifacio |
Napoleon's Hat, Bonifacio |
Le Gouvernail, Bonifacio |
Le Gouvernail, the southwest corner of the Bonifacio Peninsula |
A tunnel cut through the rock leads down to Le Gouvernail |
Tower of the original 9th C. Citadel of Bonifacio |
Near vertical cliffs on the south side of Bonifacio |
The King of Aragon's Staircase cut into the cliffs at a near 45 degree angle |
I'd be a bit nervous if I had one of those houses on the cliff's edge |
The King of Aragon's Staircase, Bonifacio |
The King of Aragon's Staircase, Bonifacio |
Upper Town of Bonifacio built right to the edge of the cliffs |
View of the fortified city of Bonifacio from a scenic boat tour |
Most of the south side of Bonifacio doesn't even need a city wall to be safe |
Tour boat cruising along the cliffs of Bonifacio |
Tourist boats cruising Bonifacio |
Limestone cliffs to the east of Bonifacio |
Clifftop Upper Town, Bonifacio |
Haut-Ville, Bonifacio |
9th C. Citadel, Bonifacio |
Upper Town, Citadel and King of Aragon Steps, Bonifacio |
Panorama of Bonifacio from the Mediterranean Sea |
Passing Napoleon's Hat returning to Bonifacio Harbor |
Afternoon sun silhouetting the Madonetta Lighthouse, Bonifacio |