Every design for Bastia

Bastia clings to the north-east coast of Corsica at the foot of Cap Corse, squeezed onto a narrow strip of land between the steep slopes of the Serra di Pignu and the Mediterranean, with the Italian island of Elba across the water and, on the clearest days, mainland Italy beyond.

Its defining trait is the sea. Bastia is the island's principal port and its main commercial town, and has been at the centre of Corsican trade since the days of Genoese rule; the Genoese governor Leonello Lomellino built the castle of Bastia to keep his sea links open, and the Citadelle and the Palais des Gouverneurs still stand above the town. Below them lies the Vieux-Port de Bastia, while the Villa Lota and the Musée d'ethnographie de Bastia add other chapters. The town is also known for its wines, has won three flowers in the national contest for towns in bloom, and is second only to Ajaccio in population on the island.

Whether you were born beneath the Citadelle or simply fell for the old port, take this stretch of coast with you wherever you go.