The port
Sheltered at the head of a 9 km gulf, Porto-Vecchio marina offers 350 berths beneath the Genoese citadel on Corsica's southern coast.
Porto-Vecchio marina sits at the head of a 9-kilometre gulf that cuts deep into the southeastern coast of Corsica. Framed by wooded hills, this natural inlet shelters the anchorage from prevailing winds and makes it one of the most protected harbours on the island. The port lies beneath the citadel that overlooks the old town, giving arrivals by sea a striking first view.
The marina offers 350 berths, around 150 of which are set aside for visiting boats. Facilities can accommodate vessels up to 50 metres in length with a maximum draft of 4.5 metres, allowing it to receive both cruising sailboats and larger craft. The harbour office, located on Quai Pascal Paoli, manages berthing and welcomes visiting crews.
Close to the water, the old town of Porto-Vecchio rises above the port with narrow streets, ramparts and bastions, along with shops, restaurants and lively terraces in season. The gulf gives access to well-known beaches such as Palombaggia and Santa Giulia, while the wooded uplands of the Ospedale forest offer a mountain contrast a short distance from the coast.
According to several sources, the site's origins trace back to a trading post founded or re-founded by Greek settlers from Syracuse in the 6th century BCE, on what later became the "Portus Syracusanus" under Roman rule. The town as it stands today was established by the Genoese, who built a citadel from 1539 onward to defend against Barbary raids; the current ramparts date largely from 1589. This layered history, ancient and Genoese, is still visible in the silhouette of the port and the upper town.
