Porto sits at the head of a deep gulf, where the mountains come down to the sea in a great amphitheatre, and it is the base for exploring the whole of this part of the coast. It is a small place, a marina and a few hotels and restaurants around a shingle beach, with a Genoese tower of the sixteenth century on a rock at the end of the bay and a row of eucalyptus trees along the road. The inland village, Ota, climbs the hillside behind and is older and more authentic.
Behind Porto lies the Spelunca gorge, a narrow, winding valley with old Genoese stone bridges, where the river runs between granite walls, and above it the high peaks of the interior. Walkers come for the paths, and swimmers for the cold green pools. Boats leave from the marina for the Scandola reserve, a wild, volcanic headland where the rocks plunge into the sea in red and black cliffs, and which is inaccessible by road. Scandola is a protected area, a UNESCO listing, and the home of ospreys, cormorants and rare marine life.
For a rider, Porto is the heart of the D81. The road runs from the Calanche of Piana down towards the gulf, with views of the bay and the sea, and then continues north over the Col de Palmarella. In summer it is busy, but the combination of sea, cliffs and bends is among the best in Europe, and it rewards patience. The surface is good, though tight and narrow in places, with little room for error. The most important thing is to keep to your side, to be careful on the blind bends and to give way to the large coaches.
Porto is small, but it has fuel, a few shops and several restaurants, which makes it a useful stop on this route. It is also the place to eat well. Corsican cooking is hearty, with wild boar stew, chestnut-flour cakes, strong cheeses such as brocciu, and sausages. Fresh fish is served at the quay.
The evening light on the gulf is memorable. As the sun sets, the cliffs behind the bay turn red and then purple, and the sea goes dark.