Portoferraio Attractions

The chief place of the island, Portoferraio (10m/33ft; pop. 11,500), lies on a promontory on the west side of the entrance to a wide bay on the north coast. In the main street, Via Garibaldi, stands the Town Hall and a little way northeast, in Via Napoleone, the Misericordia church, in which a mass is said for Napoleon's soul on May fifth every year; it contains a reproduction of his coffin and a bronze cast of his death-mask. On the highest point in the town is the Piazza Napoleone, from which there are fine views. To the west rises Forte Falcone (79m/261ft), to the east, above the lighthouse, Forte Stella (48m/158ft), both originally built in 1548 and later completed by Napoleon. On the seaward side of the square is the simple Villa dei Molini, Napoleon's official residence, which contains his library.