Coverage · France
Bastia
Bastia is Corsica's busiest port city, shaped by four centuries of Genoese rule and still wearing that history openly in its citadel, its Baroque churches, and the tall ochre facades that line the Old Port. The Church of Saint John the Baptist, the largest on the island, rises directly above the harbour as a reminder of just how seriously this city has always taken its identity.
25+ researched places in the app
Places researched in this city
A selection of the 25 places we've researched in this city. The full set is in the Parroo app.
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Old Port of Bastia
The harbour that predates the city itself, originally called Porto Cardo in the 14th century, the Old Port became the commercial engine of Corsica under Genoese rule and is still ringed by the Tuscan-style facades they left behind.
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Saint John the Baptist Church
Corsica's largest church was built between 1636 and 1666 and features a vault soaring 25 metres high, rare imported marbles, and a distinctive 'swallow's nest' organ loft cantilevered over the nave.
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Citadel of Bastia (Terra Nova)
Founded in 1380 by Genoese governor Leonello Lomellini on a rocky promontory as a maritime surveillance post, the citadel grew into a walled quarter with its own palace, cathedral, and neighbourhood streets that still feel separate from the rest of the city.
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Place Saint-Nicolas
One of the largest squares in France at over 22,400 square metres, it passed through five different names including Champ de Mars and Place Louis-Philippe before settling on its current one, and it still centres on a statue of Napoleon Bonaparte.
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Church of the Holy Cross
The centrepiece here is a dark oak statue of Christ, pulled from the sea by fishermen in 1428 and venerated ever since; the church built around it in 1542 is a tight, ornate example of the Genoese 'barocchetto' style.
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Oratory of the Immaculate Conception
For two years, from 1794 to 1796, this small Baroque oratory served as the parliament of the short-lived Anglo-Corsican Kingdom, and a throne was installed inside for King George III of England, who never actually set foot on the island.
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Chapel of Our Lady of Monserrato (Scala Santa)
Pope Pius VII personally authorized the installation of a replica of Rome's Holy Stairs here in 1816, as a gesture of thanks to Bastia for sheltering exiled Roman clergy; pilgrims still climb all 33 steps on their knees.
Good to know
- How many places does Parroo cover in Bastia?
- 25 researched places, from the Old Port and the Citadel of Bastia to lesser-known spots like the Chapel of Our Lady of Monserrato. Each one has a short summary, a full article, and a ~3-minute audio story.
- Is there an audio guide?
- Yes. Every place has a ~3-minute audio story, written from the perspective of a guide standing next to you and produced with premium narration, not the article read aloud.
- Which languages is Bastia available in?
- German, English, and French. Pick whichever you'd rather read or listen in.
- Do I need to book anything or be online?
- No booking, no signup. It's a self-guided walk you start whenever you like. You do need a connection for now to stream the audio and load articles; offline support is something we're still building.
Open this city in Parroo
Get the full articles, audio stories, and map for this city in the Parroo app. One payment per geography. Yours to keep.
Updated: 2026-05-29