Villa dei Mulini was home to Napoleon during his stint in exile on this small isle. With its Empire-style furnishings, splendid library, fig-tree-studded Italianate gardens and unbeatable sea view, the emperor didn't want for creature comforts – contrast this with the simplicity of the camp bed and travelling trunk he used when on campaigns. While that history lesson is nice, the dearth of actual Napoleonic artefacts here is a tad disappointing.
Museo Nazionale della Residenze Napoleoniche
Elba
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Parco Archeologico di Baratti e Populonia
15.07 MILES
The Etruscan sites on display here are some of Tuscany's finest. Four marked walking trails lead through a vast green park, revealing a ruined town and…
Museo Villa Napoleonica di San Martino
3.4 MILES
Napoleon personally supervised the transformation of what had been a large farmhouse in the hills 5km southwest of Portoferraio into an elegant villa…
-
Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago Toscano
11.73 MILES
The Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago Toscano safeguards the delicate ecosystems of Elba's seven islands as well as the 600 sq km of sea that washes around…
-
Riserva Naturale Provinciale Diaccia Botrona
29.08 MILES
The marshes surrounding the coastal town of Castiglione della Pescaia are an important shelter for migrating birds, and this 12.7-sq-km nature reserve off…
-
Parco Archeominerario di San Silvestro
22.78 MILES
The area's 3000-year mining history is explored at this intriguing industrial site in Campiglia Marittima, approximately 10km inland from San Vincenzo…
-
0.19 MILES
Portoferraio's loftiest highest hill is crowned by this largely intact, 16th-century fort (1548) – a key point, together with Fort Stella and Torre del…
-
Santuario della Madonna del Monte
9.31 MILES
To enjoy an invigorating 40-minute hike, head up through Marciana along Via della Madonna to reach this much-altered hilltop chapel with its 13th-century…
-
1.07 MILES
About 5km out of Portoferraio town, wander through the ruins of this 1st-century-BC Roman villa overlooking the sea at Punta delle Grotte and you will be…
Nearby Elba attractions
0.05 MILES
The dimly lit, 17th-century Chiesa della Misericordia is home to Napoleon's death mask.
0.09 MILES
The salmon-pink Star Fort, so called due to its shape, is one of Portoferraio's defining hilltop forts. It was commissioned by Cosimo l de' Medici and…
0.15 MILES
This 17th-century church-turned-theatre was one of the grandest, most elaborate churches in Portoferraio when it was constructed in 1618. The Chiesa del…
0.19 MILES
Portoferraio's loftiest highest hill is crowned by this largely intact, 16th-century fort (1548) – a key point, together with Fort Stella and Torre del…
5. Area Archeologica della Linguella
0.32 MILES
The 16th-century Torre del Martello was where Napoleon was 'imprisoned' at the start of his fleeting exile on Elba in 1814 and the russet-red, hexagonal…
1.07 MILES
About 5km out of Portoferraio town, wander through the ruins of this 1st-century-BC Roman villa overlooking the sea at Punta delle Grotte and you will be…
7. Museo Villa Napoleonica di San Martino
3.4 MILES
Napoleon personally supervised the transformation of what had been a large farmhouse in the hills 5km southwest of Portoferraio into an elegant villa…
8. Museo dei Minerali e dell'Arte Mineraria
4.86 MILES
Rio's mining history dates from Etruscan times, with open-cast working continuing right up until 1982 when the mines closed. This museum charts that story…