Portoferraio, Elba,Italy Port

The sight of Portoferraio is difficult to believe at first – an entire port town resting upon a single island hillside, but this enchanting port is truly that intimate. As one of Elba’s most ancient towns, its origins date back as far as the Ligurians and the Greek empire. The walls of the city encircle its centre, designed as a connection between the three strongholds of Falcone, Stella and Linguella, which have guarded the turquoise waters of the bay for centuries.

The canals that separate Portoferrario from Elba proper can be seen from the very centre of the city, filled with barges and small yachts of all shapes and sizes. Although it’s detached from the main island of Elba, Portoferrario retains all the charm that has made this Greek Island popular with tourists.

Sightseeing in Portoferraio

Museo Napoleonico

Exiled from his native country, Napoleon Bonaparte sought out refuge in the idyllic forts of Portoferraio, making his home amongst the red-roofed houses. Surprisingly, the legacy of his historic stay is now clustered within a modest house, known as Mill Villa to the locals. Inside are fascinating artifacts revealing plenty about his personal life after the tumult of his exile, including an extensive library and souvenirs of his military campaigns.

Villa San Martino Museum

In the hillsides above the main town, you can find another remnant of Napoleon’s stay that is not just an historical marvel, but a panoramic one too. Napoleon had his summer residence in the Villa San Martino, but it’s worth a visit for the attractive view of the entire Portoferrario. The neo-classical style of the whole villa has been preserved beautifully by Prince Demidoff, a direct descendant of Bonaparte himself. Make sure to head to the interior, where military maps, personal effects, and costume regalia belonging to the former emperor can be discovered at your leisure.

Forte Stella

This coastal fortification rises from the northern shore of the natural harbour, overlooking the whole bay. The fort itself is surrounded by a complex of curtain walls, which remain covered in bright red tiles and stretch for miles around the hilltops. On your tour of the main fort, you can even get up close to the five bastions that have been icons of the Portoferraio cityscape since the 15th century. The impressive sight of Forte Stella is made even more majestic by the design work of Giovanni Camerini and Giovan Battista Beluzzi, who blessed it with ornamentation as well as strong walls.

Shopping in Portoferraio

Pescheria del Porto is the place to be if you’re looking for an authentic taste of the exciting shopping scene in Portoferraio. You can find everything from curios to antiques being sold amongst the stalls.

Eating out in Portoferraio

Il Castagnacciao is hidden in an alley just off Piazza Cavour, but don’t let its secluded location fool you, this deserves to have pride of place in the centre of town. Oven fired pizzas and tender pastas are the specialities here, as well as some fine wine pairings.