In short
Ajaccio has mountains at its back: Monte d'Oro and the Renoso massif pass two thousand metres less than an hour's drive from the beach.
The Sanguinaires islands close the gulf to the west and give the town one of the most watched sunsets in the Mediterranean. The road out to them is walked or cycled, along six kilometres of seafront.
What it really costs
Being an island puts food roughly a third above the mainland, and the gap shows in the supermarkets.
A car is essential as soon as you leave town, and its price doubles in July and August. Booking it from the mainland, months ahead, changes the budget noticeably.
What nobody tells you
The island is hard to cross: a hundred kilometres of mountain road takes three hours. Trying to see Bonifacio, Corte and Cap Corse from Ajaccio in a week means spending the week in the car.
In August, ferry crossings with a vehicle are booked months ahead and prices triple. Flying without a car and hiring one on arrival often works out cheaper.
Many shops and restaurants close from November to March, in Ajaccio too. Out of season the town runs at half speed.