This post is for those living in the U.S. who plan to attend Jackie and Chris’ dream wedding in Corsica this coming June and everyone else who may be planning to travel there this year. You’re in for a treat!

Air Travel

For those who haven’t booked their flights yet: According to Farecompare: “You should be shopping now, and booking by mid- to late-May. Flights are heavily discounted from late May to mid-June, and those discounts are slowly leaking into July”.

6 Tips for Booking Flights

• Sign up to receive sales alerts on specific routes at multiple travel sites including www.kayak.com, www.farecast.com and www.farecompare.com.
• Before giving out your credit card, ask about cancellation policies as well. I’d rather pay a little more and know that I can modify my ticket if a need arises (illness, job, family emergency whatever). American Airlines may be cheaper than Delta but they are not a very flexible airline when it comes to making changes.
• To save money, consider flying to London or another large European city and then taking a discount airline such as Ryanair or EasyJet to your final destination. Be aware that you’ll probably have to catch a shuttle and change airports.
• Usually flying from Monday to Thursday is cheaper and you may avoid crowds. Less crowds, means less chances of something going wrong, more chances of sleeping comfortably on the plane (for those who are capable of sleeping on a plane).
• Shop around for the best airfare and remember that the price displayed usually does not include taxes and surcharges. Keep that in mind when comparing ticket prices and be sure to read the fine print and ask questions. $600.00 plus taxes and fees can end up being close to $900 or more.
• For rules on what you can carry on board see www.tsa.gov.

Car Rental

AutoEurope lets you drop your rental car a few days earlier or extend your rental period without any hassles. You can call their U.S. office toll free from Corsica 24/7 and drop your car at multiple locations. Just call them and notify them of any changes ahead of time.

Gas is more expensive in Europe but the cars are very energy efficient, specially if you drive a small car like a Renault Clio.

Staying Connected

There are cyber cafes in every major town and city in Corsica so if you need to check emails or change a reservation just look for the @ sign or ask at a local tourist office for the closest cyber café.

Be Prepared

Luckily I’ve never had a problem yet (maybe because I’m always prepared). Carry all your essentials with you (like medications) and bring and extra shirt and some underwear on your carry-on just in case. I always carry some food with me as well.

The moment you step outside of the 24/7 comfort cocoon of the United States you have to be prepared for anything. If you are not accustomed to the French way of life you need to know that speed and efficiency are not top priorities in France. The good news is the island is stunningly beautiful, there is little or no crime in Corsica and to my knowledge, there are no natural disasters over there either.

Shopping

The Best Place in the Whole World to shop for gadgets, clothes, shoes, outdoor gear, at a great price is the U.S.A. The only items you should buy in Corsica are food and beverage and one or two CDs of Corsican music. You don’t want to pay in Euros for things you can obtain in the U.S. for next to nothing.

Whatever gadget you’ll need for your camera, laptop, camcorder get it before your trip. You can buy travel gear such as transformers and adaptors online at Magellan’s or some other online store.

Money

Last time I checked, Bank of America offered the best exchange rate when buying and selling Euros, without the additional $10 to $15 flat fee charged by SunTrust and Wachovia. (Shop around before buying currency since this may have changed). Most banks will tell you over the phone what the going exchange rate is.

There are ATM cards in all the major towns in Corsica and Visa and MasterCard are accepted almost everywhere.

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Related Posts

Buying Euros
Driving in Corsica
Transformers and Adaptors

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If you have any questions or if there’s any additional tips you’d like me to go over please leave a comment on my site, or email me at liz [at] corsicajourneys [dot] com.

Have a great trip and be sure to share your photos and experiences here!

Best wishes to Jackie & Chris!

Filed under: Travel