Only accessible from the top, this impressive staircase cuts down Bonifacio's southern cliff-face. Legend says that during the siege of 1420, Aragonese troops carved its 187 steep steps from the bottom up in a single night, only to be rebuffed by Bonifacio’s defenders at the top. In reality the steps gave access to an underground freshwater well.
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.18 MILES
The great joy of visiting Bonifacio lies in strolling the tangled medieval lanes of the citadel. The paved steps of montée du Rastello and montée St-Roch…
28.5 MILES
The high pass by which the D268 crosses the mountains, the Col de Bavella (Bavella Pass; 1218m), is overlooked by the magnificent silhouettes of the…
28.86 MILES
Corsica's most important prehistoric site, 20km north of Propriano, preserves extraordinary granite menhirs (standing stones) that were originally erected…
14.74 MILES
When it comes to longing for the archetypal 'idyllic beach', it's impossible to think past the immense Plage de Palombaggia, southeast of Porto-Vecchio…
22.95 MILES
A side turning north from the D268, 3km west of Levie, arrives after 4km at a beautiful forest, where an easy 2.5km loop trail leads past two remarkable…
19.75 MILES
Giuseppe Garibaldi, professional revolutionary and all-round Italian hero, bought half of Caprera in 1855 (he got the rest 10 years later). He made it his…
Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago di La Maddalena
18.72 MILES
Established in 1996, Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago di La Maddalena consists of seven main islands and several smaller granite islets off Sardinia's…
29.54 MILES
Dotted with granite boulders and backed by fragrant macchia, this gorgeous half-moon bay has water that goes through the entire spectrum of blues and is…
Nearby Bonifacio attractions
0.18 MILES
The great joy of visiting Bonifacio lies in strolling the tangled medieval lanes of the citadel. The paved steps of montée du Rastello and montée St-Roch…
0.19 MILES
Inside the citadel’s old gateway, the Porte de Gênes, the Bastion de l’Étendard was the town's main stronghold. Built to hold heavy artillery, it now…
5.84 MILES
Paradise! If you love to splash in tranquil lapis-lazuli waters, this protected clutch of uninhabited islets was made for you. The largest, the 65-hectare…
9.88 MILES
The 'just like the Caribbean' comments come thick and fast when it comes to this bay – a glorious sweep of pale sand lapped by shallow, crystal-clear…
9.88 MILES
The 16th-century Torre di Longonsardo is in a magnificent position, overlooking the natural deep port on one side and the entrance to the town's idyllic …
11.82 MILES
The northwesternmost island in the archipelago, Isola Razzoli is a popular destination for boat tours, which ply the waters of its fjord-like Cala Lunga.
12.42 MILES
This small island near the northwestern corner of the Maddalena archipelago is best known for its Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach), so-called because of the…
12.94 MILES
The most exciting part of a visit to Isola Santa Maria is the journey across the crystal-clear aquamarine waters that lap its southern shores – known as…