PORTOFERRAIO private tour: Napoleon’s luxury “prison” on the island of Elba

Portoferraio is positioned between the splendid waters of the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea.Arriving by boat or ferry you are welcomed into the port built by Cosimo I de’ Medici who in the Renaissance period wanted an island impregnable for enemies by building a fortress town.

In the guided tour you will walk in the dock also known as “lower into the sea” seeing the boats and admiring the entrance doors and the characteristic alleys of the historic center until arriving in the upper part of the city to visit the Villa dei Mulini, the building that was chosen

by Napoleon as the official residence of his exile on the island.

During his 10-month stay in Portoferraio in the early 19th century, the French Emperor chose this building for its strategic position between two forts and for the stupendous view of the sea;

inside the villa you can admire sumptuous furnishings in the Reception Hall, the Officers’ Hall, the personal study, the bedroom and other rooms all furnished in Empire style to which is added an elegant Italian garden overlooking the crystal clear waters and not far from the Forte Stella lighthouse.

This beautiful round lighthouse with a battlement on its top is located inside the architectural complex of Forte Stella, a 16th century defensive structure and one of the three Medici fortresses incorporated into the imposing defensive walls. The other fortress on the other side of the Villa is Forte Falcone, the most imposing and located on the highest hill while the Torre della Linguella or del Martello which we will visit externally has become the symbol of the port as it welcomes sailors arriving on the

island. We can admire the beauty of its octagonal shape, built directly on the rocks with red bricks and white marble finishes, initially used as a watchtower and then transformed over the years into a prison until it was restored by discovering the remains of an ancient villa Roman.

We end the guided tour by admiring the most panoramic points of Portoferraio on the sea

Included:

• Walking tour with licensed tour guide

Not included:

• Villa dei Mulini (Napoleon’s Residence) tickets
• Food and drinks
• Ferry / Boat tickets
• Transfer service

What to bring:

• Comfortable shoes
• Water
• Sun hat on hot days

Meeting point:

• Ferry docking on the port