The town of Ajaccio is located on the southwestern side of the French island of Corsica. The largest town of the island and the capital of Corse-du-Sud, Ajaccio has the distinction of being the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Ajaccio’s famous son is celebrated in the Musée National de la Maison Bonaparte, which contains the room in which Napoleon was born. The town also has a number of other museums, including the Musée Fesch, devoted to the works of Boticelli, Titian and Bellini.
The Municipal Library, commissioned by Napoleon's brother Lucien Bonaparte, contains an impressive collection of books, many of which were confiscated from aristocrats and members of religious denominations, during the French Revolution.
Most of Ajaccio’s restaurants are concentrated around the old town and the citadel, while most bars can be found around rue du Roi de Rome. A cinema, casino and a number of bars and discos provide night-time entertainment.
Corsica’s coast offers superb beaches where visitors can engage in water sports, diving and swimming, or simply lap up the sun. Every morning, a farmers’ market is held in Campinchi Square. Village Corses sells a variety of Corsican delicacies, including cheeses, meats, liqueurs, wine, chestnut flour and honey.
Touring the Ajaccio area by car is a wonderful experience, due to the region’s amazing beaches, stunning mountain ranges and quaint historical villages. Porticcio lies south of Ajaccio, and is known for its gorgeous beaches.
To the north, the stretch of coastline between Ajaccio and Cargese, known as the Cinarca, makes for a stunningly scenic drive. To the northeast of Ajaccio and into the mountains lies the island’s youngest, liveliest and least touristy destination, Corte, dominated by an ancient, crumbling citadel and surrounded by beautiful nature trails.
Corsica can be reached by means of sea or air. Corsica is served by four main airports, all of which have connections to most European airports. Ajaccio-Campo Airport deals with nearly half the island's arrivals and departures. Ferries run from various destinations in Europe to ports on the island.
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