Seventy-five years ago, the island of Corsica, specifically the town of Calvi, became the birthplace of the modern package holiday. In 1950, Vladimir Raitz, owner of Horizon Holidays, chartered a plane from London to bring a group of British tourists for a two-week stay on the French island. This innovation, unlike earlier Victorian-era escorted tours catering to the elite, made travel accessible and affordable.
Raitz leveraged the post-war expansion of commercial aviation to create what is widely considered the first modern package getaway. For £32 10s—approximately £900 today—travelers could book flights and accommodation in a single payment. The initial trips in 1950 were experimental, with participants flying on a Dakota DC-3, enduring a six-hour journey, staying in surplus army tents, and enjoying entertainment that included dancing on the beach to gramophone music. A year later, in 1951, Raitz launched a more advertised campaign for these trips.
Despite its role in revolutionizing travel, Calvi has maintained a low-key atmosphere. The rugged terrain, characterized by pine-covered mountains, has largely prevented the development of large-scale resort hotels. Instead, Raitz's successors sought destinations in Spain to meet the growing demand for package holidays. Today, a visit to Calvi, with its medieval citadel, pastel-colored houses, and small marina, offers a serene experience. Modern travel, such as a two-and-a-half-hour flight with easyJet Holidays, provides a stark contrast to the early days of package tours.
The northern coast of Corsica, over 100 miles from the French mainland, retains an untamed quality. Mountain roads wind through quiet villages, deserted beaches, family-run vineyards, and ancient fortresses built by the Genoese. St. Florent, a scenic coastal town, serves as a base for exploring the Patrimonio wine region, known for its crisp white wines made from Vermentino grapes. This region has a winemaking history dating back 2,000 years.
Corsica, also known as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte and a former favored summer destination for Marie Antoinette, offers a rich history alongside its natural beauty. Boutique hotels, like Hotel Basgi Basgi near St. Florent, provide accommodations that emphasize local ingredients and artisanal products. The coastal road leading to the island's northernmost point features secluded pebble beaches, often experienced in solitude, evoking a sense of stepping back in time, far removed from the mass tourism that package holidays would eventually foster elsewhere.