Capo Rosso Hike – The Genoese Tower or Torra di Turghju in Corsica

When Is the Best Time

This is by far my absolute favorite hike offering breathtaking views of Corsica's wild and pristine coastline. Here, too, you will encounter the glowing red rocks of the Scandola Nature Reserve, with the only difference being that hiking is permitted here. (Scandola can only be explored by boat tour.)

The magnificent view from the finish of Capo Rosso. — This is the most spectacular view of Corsica in my opinion.

The view from the end point of the hike, the Genoese tower: Torra di Turghju, is one of the most spectacular we have ever seen, and we would even compare it to the Kalalau Trail in Hawaii.

A hiker at the beginning of the Capo Rosso hike. — The top of the massive rock formation in the distance is where the hike leads to.

Most people hike back the same way, but the trail can be extended as a circular trip, which I absolutely recommend. As only a few hikers choose to branch off via the “Sentier Littoral”, you can enjoy the magnificent coastal sections on your own and have the opportunity to go swimming in one of the bays.

A hiker at the junction where the path branches off. — The trail is well marked but the indicated hiking time is extremely ambitious.

Distance: Full-day tour 14 km same way back - 15 km as a circular tour along the coast.
Length: 5-6 hours for the round trip
Elevation gain: 630m outward and return the same - 700 m if you opt for the route with swimming
Difficulty level: Medium - Well marked
Parking and Trailhead Google Maps
Pack sun protection, snacks and plenty of water into your backpack. I was happy about my hiking poles for the steep ascent as you can see in the photo below.

A female hiker on the last part with a spectacular landscape in the back. — The last part is steep and rocky.

There is a small café at the parking lot that offers drinks and sandwiches. The hiking trail is more popular but not too crowded. The trail's destination, the old Genoese tower, is well signposted.

Lots of people-hikers on the watchtower Torra di Turghju. — One of the few accessible watchtowers which offers are breathtaking view.

The path starts at around 300 elevation and drops to around 73m, after which the path zigzags over gravel up to around 330 elevation and the end of the track.

The gravel rocky trail and in the back the blue sea. — The spectacular landscape and down to the coast we hiked afterwards.

There is hardly any shade except at an old farmhouse that serves as a shelter for hikers in inclement weather. We could already see the old Genoese watchtower on the ridge from the distance. The path leads around the mountain and from there up to the tower.

The turquoise sea and a rock formation like a spire. — Down there after the impressive rock we went swimming.

On the way back, we didn't take the same route as most hikers do, instead we took a small detour along the coast which is just one kilometre longer and stretches for a total of three kilometres past gorgeous turquoise-blue bays with a few boats and bizarre rock formations.

A hiker admiring the beautiful view to the sea. — We got rewarded with such views on the short detour along the coast.

Far below, we climbed down a bit and jumped off the rocks into the sea. The crystal-clear water was simply splendid and a welcome way to cool off.

Accommodation Tips

Campers at their open van at the nearby campground. — Our spacious campsite nearby Capo Rosso.

The Hotel Capo Rosso is one of the closest for this hike offering stunning views to the coast from the balcony or terrace. A delicious breakfast is included.
My tip for campers is the nearby Camping d'Arone for two or at least one night. We really liked the location close to the beach and the spacious pitches. The site is more expensive than others and the sanitary facilities are outdated, but we still found the proximity to this hike very convincing. Find out more in my additional Camping Guide.