Land mcdonald's forgot.

(From Bristol Evening Post)

Corsica, a Mediterranean island gem, is part of France but is geographically closer to Italy. Over the centuries, scores of invaders shaped its history, including the Greeks, the Romans, the Moors, the Pisans, the Genoese and of course the French, but to this day the island retains a fiercely independent spirit.

In Calvi, a town on the island's northern peninsula, the citadel is Genoese, the buildings around the harbour are very Italian and once you leave the coast things start to look French. But the town is unmistakably Corsican, as much for what it lacks as for what it has.

Despite tourism being the major industry here, there are no tower block hotels, there is no McDonald's and no Pizza Hut, either. Why? Firstly, there are very strict rules about development and secondly because the locals are militant: the last time somebody tried to build big here it was nipped in the bud with explosives! The sights A day spent wandering around the lazy pedestrianised streets of Calvi is long enough to get to know the town well. There is no single "must-see" sight but the whole town is charming, historic and beautiful. It's like exploring a three-dimensional picture postcard.

Start at the marina, where the yachts of the rich and famous bob alongside small fishing boats, then start to walk uphill. Beyond the statue of Christopher Columbus (locals claim he was born here but the evidence is flimsy), you enter the Genoese citadel. Walk past the very posh Chez Tao nightclub and go up to the Cathedrale St-Jean Baptiste to see the "black Christ", which is carried though the streets in religious festivals. Finally, walk back into the light to look at the amazing views of the city, the sea, the mountains and the beach.

Walk the walk Corsica is famous for the GR20, a 15-day walk running from Calenzana to Conca.

The track traverses Corsica's many granite mountains, and it's a very tough trek, so unless you already own a pair of broken-in walking boots, a hiking pole and a compass, you shouldn't even think of attempting this.