The island, 114 miles long and 52 miles wide, has an astonishing variety of landscapes and ecosystems. The thick pine forests in parts of the interior are almost alpine, while much of the coastline is subtropical. The island’s food and wines are superb, and each of the towns has an intriguingly different personality.

Ajaccio, its capital — and the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte — is a delightful small city; Bonifacio, on the southern coast, boasts a spectacular clifftop setting and a dramatic citadel; and Calvi, in the northwest, has the charming atmosphere of the 1960s Riviera, with seafood restaurants overlooking an attractive marina.

This itinerary incorporates new discoveries I made on my road trip there earlier this year, as well as some old favorites. Certainly, completing the whole of the itinerary would make for a sensational vacation, but even doing just one section as part of a longer European trip would also be most enjoyable.