The commune of Portoferraio

Arriving by ferry, it is hard not to be mesmerized by the particular beauty of the harbor with the fortresses overlooking it.

At the entrance to the port, considered the safest in the world even by Admiral Nelson, is the Martello Tower, also called Passannante Tower after the time when the fortified area was used as a penal colony, where the assassin who wounded King Umberto I was held, giving the tower its name.

Inside the Linguella complex, you can also visit an interesting archaeological museum where amphorae and artifacts dating back to the Etruscan era are displayed.

Above the historic center is the Forte Stella, named for the star-shaped form of its walls. Built in 1548 based on the design by Camerini, the structure hosts one of the oldest lighthouses in Europe, erected by Grand Duke Leopold of Lorraine in 1788.

Here, in addition to enjoying an excellent panoramic view of the Portoferraio harbor, you can admire from above the Villa dei Mulini, the winter residence of the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

Curiosity: Napoleon landed on May 3, 1814, at Portoferraio to take possession of the small kingdom that was assigned to him in exchange for his abdication, according to the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Despite his brief exile on the island (he stayed on the island for only 10 months), he left a significant cultural and historical legacy on Elba. In addition to the works preserved in the Villa dei Mulini, in Villa San Martino, and the Napoleon’s Memorabilia Museum, where valuable furnishings, artworks, imperial friezes, as well as the extraordinary collection of over a thousand volumes directly from Fontainebleau and the flag with three golden bees, the symbol of the industrious Elbans, can be admired, Napoleon also carried out important works such as a theater and several of the main roads on Elba.

Forte Falcone, located at the highest point of the city, with its bastions, is undoubtedly the most powerful Medici fortification on the island. To demonstrate its defensive capacity, it withstood numerous attacks by the Saracens, unlike the forts in Capoliveri, Rio, and Marciana, which were repeatedly devastated by the bloody pirate raids.

Visiting the historic center of Portoferraio, the heart of ancient Cosmopoli, you can discover, in addition to some interesting historical monuments and sacred places, narrow and winding streets with stairways that open into panoramic squares, old houses with flowered balconies, and picturesque corners where you can meet local characters ready to share anecdotes and curiosities about island life.

In front of the Portoferraio harbor on the Grotte Promontory, excavations have uncovered the ruins of a large Roman villa. Here, parts of decorations and mosaics from the Hadrianic era can be admired. The ruins remained covered by brambles until 1960, when excavation work revealed the large complex with opus reticulatum walls, large terraces overlooking the sea, and a pool equipped with a heating and water purification system.

Not far away, in the Magazzini area, is the Church of St. Stephen at Trane, unique for its particular architectural forms, it is certainly one of the most fascinating Pisan Romanesque churches on the island.

Events: On April 29 each year, Portoferraio celebrates its Patron Saint, St. Cristino.
On August 15, celebrations are also held for Napoleon’s birthday with dances, concerts, and a fireworks display.
To discover the upcoming events, visit the website www.elbaeventi.it