'Beautiful' island paradise just a two-hour flight from UK that Brits miss out

A stunning European island is so underappreciated that it sees relatively few visitors from the UK - despite boasting breathtaking landscapes, delicious cuisine and charming historic villages.

Corsica has been labelled as France's "best-kept secret" by one Brit who has made the island her home - the very place where Napoleon was born. Janine Marsh, who has resided in Pas-de-Calais for two decades, is puzzled why the island isn't more popular among her fellow Brits.

It's indeed a conundrum, considering even the ancient Greeks - who were quite knowledgeable about Mediterranean Islands - named Corsica 'The beautiful island'. Janine stated that Plato and his contemporaries did this "for a reason".

She shared with GB News: "It's absolutely amazing. It's covered in wild lemon trees and fig trees and olive trees."

"Tiny villages cling to the mountainsides like barnacles on a whale, exceptional baroque style churches abound, fortified seaside villages and cobbled streets combined with glorious sandy beaches and crystal clear water Corsica is a holidaymaker's paradise."

Still not persuaded? Well, the island features hundreds of miles of coastline and over 200 beaches. Plus, it houses some of the most picturesque railways in Europe.

If trains don't get your heart pounding, perhaps you'd be interested in a beautiful town that French tourists would rather keep a secret. Porto-Vecchio has been featured in a list of the best places to visit in Europe this year - but our French counterparts would probably prefer to keep it under wraps.

Brace yourself for the breath-taking sea views of Porto Vecchio and the stunning Santa Giulia Beach - it's certain to make your heart skip a beat. The charm of this town isn't just limited to its coast, with the old town centre boasting a maze of narrow streets.

Elsewhere on the island, you'll find Corsica's amazing Bonifacio, a seaside town perched right on the edge of a cliff, seemingly about to tumble into the sea. Known as the "City of Cliffs", it is famous for its awe-inspiring clifftop citadel.

Just an hour's ferry ride away, you've got the neighbouring Italian island of Sardinia. Maybe this is what has influenced Corsica's fierce spirit of independence, to the point where they are weary of remaining an entity of Emmanuel Macron's France.

Fancy a visit? Well, there are 12 different ways to reach Corsica from the UK according to rome2rio.com, with options including plane, train, ferry or bus. A direct flight from London takes about two and a half hours, with return flights starting at approximately £270 if you fly with AirFrance.

If you're after a cheaper option, consider combining a bus and ferry journey - it might take around 33 hours, but could cost as little as £100.