Calvi
A walled Genoese town on Corsica's northwest coast, with a citadel and a British siege in 1794 in its history.
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Calvi sits on the northwest coast of Corsica, within the Haute-Corse department of France. The name is pronounced KAL-vee and is the same in Corsican and Italian. The town was founded in the 13th century under Genoese rule, and in 1278 the Republic of Genoa set up a walled city centre, the préside, there. Its motto, "Calvi semper fidelis," refers to its loyalty to Genoa. In 1794 British forces under Admiral Nelson captured the town during a siege, and Nelson lost an eye in the bombardment. Corsicans retook Calvi the following year.
Summer tourism has driven the economy since it took off in 1950. August is the warmest month, averaging about 24.7 °C, and November is the wettest. Calvi is about 95 km from Bastia and about 24 km from L'Île-Rousse. Calvi Sainte-Catherine Airport is the town's international airport, the Xavier Colonna Port takes sea arrivals, and a metre-gauge railway runs to L'Île-Rousse and Ponte-Leccia, where it joins the Ajaccio to Bastia main line.
Calvi in five
- Fly into Calvi to skip the mountain driveCalvi has its own small airport with seasonal flights, which saves a long, winding road from Bastia. Check that your route runs in your travel month.How to get to Corsica
- Pick the citadel for views, the marina for dinnerThe old citadel sits above the harbor and is quiet at night; the marina below has the restaurants. Walk up in the evening for the light.Where to stay in Corsica
- Book a boat toward Scandola aheadBoat trips along the northwest coast toward the Scandola reserve fill in summer and depend on the sea. Reserve the day before and keep a spare day for weather.
- Use the Balagne rail line only as a bonusA small tram-train runs along the coast to L'Île-Rousse in season. It is slow and useful for a beach hop, not for crossing the island; check timetables first.
Things to do in Calvi
See all attractions in CalviNeed to know
- Airport
- Calvi Sainte-Catherine (CLY), about 10 min by taxi
- Getting there
- Flight, or road from Bastia about 2–2.5 hours
- Getting around
- Walkable center; a car or taxi for villages and beaches
- Best base
- The marina area, near the beach and restaurants
- Time needed
- 2–4 days with the Balagne villages
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh12°Low7°Quiet, closedJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 83 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, closed
- FebruaryClear8 rainy daysHigh13°Low7°Quiet, mildFebruaryClear
Mixed
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 82 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, mild
- MarchPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh15°Low8°Mostly quietMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 73 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mostly quiet
- AprilPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh17°Low10°Spring, openAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 63 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, open
- MayPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh20°Low14°Warm, calmMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 74 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, calm
- JuneClear4 rainy daysHigh26°Low18°Warm seaJuneClear
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 27 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm sea
- JulyClear2 rainy daysHigh29°Low21°Peak, crowdedJulyClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 10 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak, crowded
- AugustClear4 rainy daysHigh28°Low21°Peak, crowdedAugustClear
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 25 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak, crowded
- SeptemberClear7 rainy daysHigh25°Low18°Warm sea, calmSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 48 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm sea, calm
- OctoberClear10 rainy daysHigh21°Low15°Mild, quieterOctoberClear
Good
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 78 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, quieter
- NovemberRain13 rainy daysHigh16°Low11°Mostly closedNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 136 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mostly closed
- DecemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh14°Low8°Mostly closedDecemberPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 123 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mostly closed
Average daily high and low in Calvi, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Calvi
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
16
- Feels like
- 14°
- Humidity
- 63%
- Wind
- 8 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Calvi
09:47 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today17°13°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue20°10°5%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 20°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Wed18°13°15%Wednesday: Rain. High 18°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 15%.
- Thu19°15°18%Thursday: Rain. High 19°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 18%.
- Fri19°15°23%Friday: Rain. High 19°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 23%.
- Sat16°13°17%Saturday: Rain. High 16°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 17%.
- Sun19°13°7%Sunday: Rain. High 19°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 7%.
Updated 09:24 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Day trips by train
- Scandola reserveabout 2–3 hours by boat round tripRed cliffs and sea caves on the northwest coast, reached by boat tours.
- Balagne hill villagesabout 30–60 min by carStone villages with workshops and viewpoints inland from the bay.
- Corteabout 1.5–2 hours by roadA citadel town in the mountains, on the way to the island's center.Read the guide
Before you go to Calvi
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Rules for Calvi, checked
- Non-EU visitors should check France's entry rules on the French foreign ministry site before flying, as France is part of the Schengen area.Source
- Prefectoral orders can ban open fires and barbecues in forest areas during dry periods. Check local notices before you light one.Source
- Dial 112 for police, fire or ambulance from any phone in France.
Plan around Calvi
Ferries, roads and how many days to give the island
Read the guideWhere to stay in CorsicaCalvi compared with Bonifacio and Ajaccio
Read the guideBonifacioThe far south, for cliffs and boat trips
Read the guideCorteMountain citadel at the island's center
Read the guideAll of FranceRegions, cities and train routes
Read the guideCalvi FAQ
Is Calvi worth visiting?
Yes, if you want beach days with a citadel and boat trips in one place. It is quieter than the south in shoulder months. It is a poor base for the south coast, which is too far for day trips.
How many days do you need in Calvi?
Two days covers the citadel and the beach. Three or four let you add a boat trip toward Scandola and a drive through the Balagne villages.
How do you get from Bastia to Calvi?
By road in about 2–2.5 hours, or by train with a change; check timetables because services differ by season. Flying into Calvi directly saves the drive.
Is Calvi good for families?
Yes: a long town beach with calm shallow water, a walkable harbor and boat trips. Summer heat and crowds peak in July and August, so shoulder months are easier.
Is Calvi or Bonifacio better?
Calvi suits beach days with a long sandy bay; Bonifacio suits dramatic cliffs and short stays. They are far apart, so choose by the half of the island you plan to cover.