Barcaggio is the end of the road. To reach it you leave the D80 at Ersa and follow a narrow lane that twists down through the maquis for several kilometres until the land runs out at a tiny harbour, a few houses and a long pale beach. This is the northernmost village in Corsica, and it feels like it.
Two kilometres offshore lies Giraglia, a bare green-grey islet carrying a 19th-century lighthouse and a square Genoese tower from the 1580s. It gives its name to one of the Mediterranean’s best-known offshore yacht races, which rounds the island each June. The islet is a protected site and there are no public landings; you admire it from the beach.
Top things to do: Barcaggio & Giraglia
Swim at Barcaggio beach
East of the harbour a sandy beach runs for several hundred metres, backed by fragile dunes that are fenced for protection. The water is exceptionally clear. A small herd of cows roams the area and sometimes lies down on the sand — keep your distance and do not feed them.
Walk towards the Agnello tower
Follow the Sentier des Douaniers east from the end of the beach for 30–40 minutes to the Agnello tower for a wide view of Giraglia and the coast. Going west, it is about half an hour to the neighbouring hamlet of Tollare, with its own tower by the water.
Have lunch at the harbour
A couple of simple restaurants and a snack bar open in season beside the quay. Out of season the hamlet is almost deserted; bring a picnic.
How to get to Barcaggio & Giraglia
- By car: from the D80 at Ersa (Botticella), take the signed side road north to Barcaggio — narrow, with passing places, and around 20 minutes down. From Macinaggio allow about 35–40 minutes in all.
- Parking: in summer you must leave the car in the car park at the entrance to the village and walk the last few minutes.
- On foot: about three hours from Macinaggio along the coast path.
Insider tips
- A second lane links Barcaggio and Tollare back to the D80 further west, so you can make a small loop instead of returning the same way.
- There is no fuel and no cash machine here; the nearest are in Macinaggio.
- With a strong north or west wind the beach is exposed. On such days it is still worth coming for the view, but swim elsewhere.
Best tours & boat trips for Barcaggio & Giraglia
These experiences pair well with a visit to Barcaggio & Giraglia:
Private tour from €399 per group Bastia: Private Driver – Customised Tour of Haute-Corse
If you would rather not drive the corniche yourself, this is the one product that lets someone else do it: a private driver for four hours, on a route you agree together — panoramas, villages, beaches and tastings. A new listing with no reviews yet, priced per group of up to three, so compare it with the cost of a day’s car hire.
- Price is per group of up to three
- Your own itinerary: villages, beaches, viewpoints
- Food-tasting stops possible
E-bike tour Macinaggio: Discover Cap Corse by Electric Mountain Bike
One of the very few bookable activities that actually begins on the cape: three hours on an electric mountain bike from Macinaggio with a qualified guide. A new listing without reviews yet; check the price for your group size and the minimum age on GetYourGuide.
- Starts on the cape itself
- Qualified guide
- Electric assistance makes the hills manageable
