Porto Vecchio (meaning Old Port in Italian) is just that – a long-established harbor town on the southeastern coast of Corsica.
With an area of around 6 km east to west and 5 km north to south, the natural bay was a great attraction to the early rulers who arrived on Corsica.
Today, its vibrant marina sits in front of Porto Vecchio town with stunning beaches flanking it.
However, can you swim at Porto Vecchio’s beaches?
Let’s find out.
Porto Vecchio Beaches
Porto Vecchio is a relatively small town on the island of Corsica.
The district (also named Porto Vecchio!) is famous for its beaches that beckon travelers from far and wide.
There are many beaches to be had in the area each with its own intriguing pull for beach lovers, including:
- Baie Stagnoli Beach
- Marina di Fiori Beach
- Cala Verde Beach
- Chiappa Beach
- Caratagju Beach
- Palombaggia Beach
- Tamaricciu Beach
- Folacca Beach
- Acciaju Beach
- Santa Giulia Beach
Whilst the list may seem quite long for a small part of an island, each beach has its unique charm and characteristics.
We’ll take a look at each one so that you can choose your favorite to visit – and answer the question as to whether you can swim there, of course!
Baie Stagnoli Beach
Features:
- Small
- Public
- Sailing center
Baie Stagnoli beach is one of the more northern beaches in the Porto Vecchio area.
It sits within the Baie de Stagnolu and is one of the only public beaches in this bay as the rest are owned by private campsites.
This beach is small but is accessible via a bath between the Fauvettes sailing center and a campsite.
If you want to enjoy some sailing activities, this beach is a good shout.
However, if swimming and bathing in beautiful waters is more your thing, there are certainly better options on our list.
Marina di Fiori Beach
Features:
- Public
- Sports club
- Near town
- Trees for shade
- Safe swimming
This beach is situated right at the edge of the Sports Club and private area.
Despite this, it is a public beach, and many say it’s their favorite beach in the north of the Gulf of Port Vecchio near to the town center.
This beach is around 350 in length and there are trees for shade in the hot summer months. To the north of the beach lies a private port.
There aren’t a lot of facilities here, but it’s a lovely, wild sandy beach for you to enjoy. You can swim here quite safely too!
Cala Verde Beach
Features:
- Quiet
- Lovely views
- Free parking
- Close to the town
Cala Verde beach is towards the north of the resort of Porto Vecchio.
It reaches several hundred meters in length and is restricted toward the north by a river.
It’s a relatively narrow beach but is never really that crowded, even in the height of summer.
There are lovely views from here of Porto Vecchio station to the right and Cala Rossa to the left. This beach is not only close to the town, but it’s also got free parking!
Chiappa Beach
Features:
- Nudist
- Sheltered from the winds.
- Diving club
- Water sports
- Difficult to access.
This beach is difficult to access – but for good reason! It’s one of two nudist beaches in Porto Vecchio.
So, if you fancy a swim in the buff, this is the place to be (and the place to avoid if not!).
The sandy beach at Chiappa is sheltered from the winds that other beaches around here experience.
In the summer months, there is a diving club and a water sports center open near the beach.
Daily excursions depart from here to the Cerbicale Islands in the Bonifacio nature reserve.
There’s also a nearby naturist campsite at the tip of the peninsula.
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Caratagju Beach
Features:
- Wild
- Unexplored
- Secluded
- Nudist
- Quiet
Located between Chiappa Beach and Palombaggia, Caratagju Beach (also called Carataggio) is in a nature reserve.
The beach is therefore a wild, sandy beach and is referred to as Tahiti beach. It’s very much unexplored and secluded.
You’ll find a fair few naturists here as it’s also near the nudist campsite mentioned above.
Near the beach there is a small pond surrounded by reeds.
If you’re looking for tranquility away from the crowds for a quiet, wild swim and don’t mind people in the nude, you’ll feel at home here.
Palombaggia Beach
Features:
- Vast sandy beach
- Rocky outcrops
- Water activities
- Beach huts
- Pine trees
- Sand dunes
- Gently sloping waters
- Disabled access
- Smoke-free
- Sunbeds
- Paddle boats
- Restaurants
We’re here at the most famous of Corsica’s beaches. This beach is vast, with over 1.5 km of fine, white sand.
The beach is segmented into several areas by natural rocky outcrops. In the northern part of the beach, there are private beach areas, water activities and beach huts.
The central part of the beach is the main public area with a large sandy area for tourists that is lined with pine trees and small sand dunes.
This beach is perfect for swimming, thanks to its gentle slope into the crystal-clear turquoise waters.
What’s more, there’s disabled access in the Casa di Lume area with a monitoring system set up in the summer months. It’s also a smoke-free area – the first of its kind in Corsica.
At this beach, you can hire sunbeds and paddle boats. There are also places to eat, toilets and water sports.
Tamaricciu Beach
Features:
- Near Palombaggia
- Idyllic setting
- Pine trees
- Fine sand
- Shallow waters
- Restaurants
- Sunbeds
- Parking
- Paddle boats
Tamaricciu is an extension of Palombaggia beach toward the south.
It’s less well-known than Palombaggia, but pictures of it advertise Corsican island beauty all over the world.
It’s an idyllic setting and perfect for swimming thanks to its pine trees, fine sand and shallow waters.
There are private beaches here and several restaurants.
Here, you can hire sunbeds, find free (and paid) parking and there are even paddle boats for hire.
Folacca Beach
Features:
- Sunbeds
- Parking
- Fishing
- Watersports
- Scuba diving
- Restaurants
- Can be choppy.
South of Palombaggia lies Folacca Beach. It borders the Acciaju pond to the south and stretches northwards where it becomes narrower.
It’s a true tropical paradise as it reaches the tip of Colombara.
Whilst this beach is perfect for swimming, you need to take note of the wind direction.
When it comes from the east, the sea can become quite choppy. You can head to Acciaju Beach nearby which is more sheltered if this is the case.
This beach has sunbeds, parking, paddle boats, fishing, watersports, scuba diving and restaurants too!
Acciaju Beach
- Very calm waters
- Near to Folacca
Also known as Asciaghju, this beach is the southernmost of the beaches in Palombaggia bay.
It’s the least known and is actually pretty interesting to visit thanks to its location!
There are very few waves here, even on windy days, and many people seek refuge here to swim when the waves are too high at nearby Folacca.
Santa Giulia Beach
Features:
- Shallow bay
- Sheltered
- Lagoon
- Rocky areas
- Boardwalk
- Popular in summer
- Accessible to disabled people
Last, but by no means least, we have Santa Giulia Beach.
This is one of the most famous of all of Corsica’s beaches. It is in a shallow bay which is very sheltered.
The area is covered in rocks, making the beach very distinctive. There’s a boardwalk out into the ocean and set back is the Santa Giulia lagoon.
There are several beaches in the gulf, and they’re simply beautiful.
Swimming here is like being in paradise. It’s clear to see why it gets so popular in the summer – so be prepared for it to be a bit busier than other beaches on our list.
It’s also accessible to disabled people too.
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The Takeaway
To answer the question Can You Swim in Porto Vecchio’s beaches, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”
Depending on what you want from your swim (scuba diving, nudist swimming, or calm water bathing!), there are beaches in Porto Vecchio for everyone’s preferences.
If you’re going to try swimming in riskier areas, or even scuba diving, be sure to have adequate travel insurance, however. Time to pack your bathing suit and get on that flight!
