Excursion Porto azzurro & napoleon's villa san martino tour at Portoferraio

Experience the scenic beauty of Elba and the winter home of Napoleon during this half-day sightseeing excursion to Porto Azzurro and the Villa San Martino.

Porto Azzurro

Depart the pier for the scenic, approximately 30-minute drive to Porto Azzurro, one of the most picturesque and relaxing seaside resorts on Elba. Situated along a deep inlet on the eastern side of the island, Porto Azzurro is dominated by the early-17th-century, star-shaped Fort of San Giacomo, or ‘Forte Longone’, and overlooks a lovely bay. Following some free time to explore Porto Azzurro at your leisure.

Villa San Martino

You will then board the coach again towards Villa di San Martino, Napoleon's summer residence, located in the countryside, about 5 km from Portoferraio. Shortly after his landing on the island, Napoleon purchased this property, intending to transform it into a comfortable and refined residence that would rival the Parisian residences. He made several changes, including: expanding the building, restructuring the facade, with the creation of a spacious hanging garden overlooking the Portoferraio bay, and decorating the interiors. In 1856, the villa was purchased by the Russian nobleman Anatolio Demidoff, a great art collector who planned to build a museum to house the many Napoleonic relics he had collected and commissioned the construction of a gallery that still bears his name. At the end of the visit, you will be transferred back to Portoferraio.

Portoferraio

The bus will drop you off on the pier and you may decide to board your cruise ship again or, for those guests who are interested in having an introduction about Portoferraio, the guide will proceed with a short walk along the Marina, to give you a brief historical background and some tips about what to do and what to see during the remaining of the day in Elba.

Each guest can walk back to the ship, independently, at any time.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Porto Azzurro, Villa San Martino (Napoleon’s Villa)

Note

Please note: This tour requires an extensive amount of walking for approximately 2.20 miles (about 3.5 kilometres), and ten steps to be negotiated at the villa. This tour is not suitable for guests with limited mobility and guests who utilise a wheelchair. Guests are advised to wear lightweight, comfortable clothing and bring sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses from the ship. A minimum number of guests per guide is required to operate this programme. Tour itinerary order may be reversed.