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The "Légendines" : an unusual must-see at the heart of Bastia
Bastia, Place Saint Nicolas 4.30 pm. We are almost a hundred to hurry in front of the tourist Office, with the promise of an unusual and mysterious visit of the old Bastia and the different parts of the city.
The group was split in two, with two guides set to accompany each half. Parisa will be mine.
Our tour began in Place Saint-Nicolas, now lined with restaurants and bars and a favourite hangout for Bastians wanting to idly watch the world go by;it was once the favorite playground of young Bastians, but it also housed customs as disturbing as bloody ...
We continued on to Place du Marché, representing the old Italian architectural style seen in so much of Bastia. Our guide Parisa told us the story of Pepe l'Anguille, one of the legends associated with this area. Then we explored the Saint Jean-Baptiste district, its baroque church and its buildings with curved facades and learning where this specific architectural feature comes from (I’ll let you find out for yourself).
We also familiarised ourselves with Santa Zita, patron saint of gardeners, before visiting the Puntettu district linking Terra Nova and Terra Vecchia, a network of cobbled streets steeped in history. Then it was to the citadel, where we’d encounter the most unusual discovery of all…
Our tour ended at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore with a concert given by group E Voce, featuring some of the most beautiful interpretations of sacred and profane songs. Highly recommended.
