Palm tree lined street.

Pete Seaward

Ajaccio

Commanding a lovely sweep of bay, the handsome city of Ajaccio has the self-confidence that comes with a starring role in world history. In summer, there’s more than a whiff of the Côte d’Azur to its pastel-toned, cafe-filled historic core and the trendy waterfront promenade that stretches west, buzzing with beachgoers by day and party people later on. But it’s in the tangled old-town lanes that the spectre of Napoléon Bonaparte looms largest, with the house where he was born in 1769 now serving as a museum to his memory. The headland alongside is dominated by a redoubtable citadel that’s sadly off limits to visitors, while a palace amid the newer boulevards to the north displays magnificent art collected by Napoléon’s uncle. With ferries from mainland France mooring right alongside, Ajaccio’s always bustling with activity.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • The Galerie, a great room for the guests, in the Maison Bonaparte in Ajaccio, ancestral home of the Bonaparte family and the birthplace of Napoleon.

    Maison Bonaparte

    Ajaccio

    Unremarkable from the outside, the old-town house where Napoléon was born and spent his first nine years was ransacked by Corsican nationalists in 1793,…

  • The main gate into Palais Fesch with the central museum of fine arts in Ajaccio on Corsica.

    Palais Fesch – Musée des Beaux-Arts

    Ajaccio

    Established by Napoléon’s uncle, cardinal Joseph Fesch (1763–1839), Ajaccio’s superb art museum holds the largest French collection of Italian…

  • Empty Porticchio beach.

    Plage de Porticcio

    Ajaccio

    Dedicated beach bums generally prefer the sands of Porticcio to Ajaccio's busy city beaches. It’s 15km by road around the bay from Ajaccio, or 6km…

  • Cathédrale Ste-Marie

    Cathédrale Ste-Marie

    Ajaccio

    Surprisingly small but in a commanding position facing out to sea, Ajaccio’s ochre-coloured cathedral dates from the 16th century. As well as a depiction…

  • Chapelle Impériale

    Chapelle Impériale

    Ajaccio

    The crypt of the imperial chapel, across the courtyard from the Palais Fesch, holds the tombs of Napoléon's parents and several other relatives. Don't…

  • Citadel

    Citadel

    Ajaccio

    Constructed on the rocky headland during the 16th century, the imposing military fortress that adjoins old Ajaccio still belongs to the army. It has been…

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