A Boat Trip and a Stunning Gorge

The first stop of the day is in the pretty village of Piana, for some food and shopping – you’ll need a picnic lunch today.
Castellani Epicerie is an old-fashioned grocery store/delicatessen in an old stone building with indoor and outdoor seating. Grab something for lunch here and stock up on picnic items for your boat trip.

This drive to Porto takes you straight through the Calanche de Piana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring stunningly shaped red rock cliffs plunging into the turquoise sea.
Join the boat trip to Scandola, which departs at 12:30 p.m. This is a stunning journey along the coastline of the Scandola Nature Reserve, with a visit to the caves at Elbo Bay and a short stop at the old fishing village of Girolata.
Scandola is a marine and terrestrial reserve covering 1,900 hectares (900 on land, and 1,000 in the sea). The landscape is volcanic red rock from an ancient caldera that has been carved into wonderful formations, coves, and caves. En route, you’ll pass Gargalu Island, with its lighthouse and Genoese tower, and, as you get closer to the rocks, look out for osprey's and peregrine falcon's. The village of Girolata is only accessible by boat or on foot and makes a good place for your picnic.
Please note that the boat takes only 12 passengers, so tickets need to be booked in advance. Book via this link.

Ota is a small village surrounded by two chains of mountains and the starting point for a hike into the magnificent Spelunca Gorge. Starting from the ‘Mairie’, the path is well-marked and easy to follow. The trail is shady, with incredible gorge and mountain views. It passes along three old stone bridges – the last of which is Pont de Zaglia where you can have a dip in the river before turning back and following the same path back to Ota.
Please note that it is possible to follow the path all the way to Evisa, but this makes the walk very long, and this last section isn’t that picturesque.

A small traditional hotel at the edge of the village with simple but comfortable rooms for your overnight stay.
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A brasserie with an outdoor terrace on the main street in the village.
Please note that the restaurant closes at 10 p.m.

Return to the hotel to get some rest.
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