following napoleon’s trail on elba
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Following Napoleon’s trail on Elba

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Following Napoleon’s trail on Elba

Rome - Arabstoday

The island of Elba, the largest in the Tuscan archipelago, is a 260km drive and 15km ferry ride north of Rome. In July and August, the population density and traffic becomes so thick with vacationing Romans that one can push their car across the capital, Portoferraio, at about the same pace as driving it. There is good reason for this popularity. The modestly proportioned 28km-long, 19km-wide-island offers copious rewarding trekking, cycling and camping opportunities in addition to abundant beaches and a substantial drool trail leading from one Slow Food-endorsed dinning establishment to another. A slightly more roomy and inexpensive shoulder season visit (April to May and September to October) is highly recommended. Elba has been inhabited since the Iron Age. Ligurian tribes were followed by Etruscans and then Greeks. A rotating cast of residents, refugees and pirates made appearances in subsequent centuries including the Pax Romana, bands of North African raiders, the Spanish and Cosimo I de' Medici, who in the mid-16th Century founded and fortified the port town of Cosmopolis, today's Portoferraio. But none of these occupants did more in so little time as France’s all time greatest military mastermind and badboy, Napoleon Bonaparte. Though the Emperor escaped less than a year after being “banished” to Elba (the penal equivalent of a shoulder massage), Napoleon left a lasting mark on the island and its inhabitants who, even now, almost 200 years later, still say a Mass each May for his soul at Chiesa della Misericordia. Indeed, upon his arrival, Napoleon spun into a veritable tornado of activity, ordering a plethora of public works, like boosting agriculture, road-building, marsh draining and a thorough overhaul of the legal and education systems. He also oversaw improvements to the island's iron-ore mines, the revenue of which now kept him comfortably stocked in hair care products. Nine months later, in a panic over rumours that nervous European leaders were scheming to have him shipped off to the remote Atlantic island of Saint Helena, Napoleon slipped aboard a departing ship and strode back into Paris for one last run at ruling Europe (the Hundred Days), ending in his defeat at Waterloo. He was summarily dumped on Saint Helena, where he died in 1821. Despite remarkable work and intervention during his stay, the only appreciable evidence of Napoleon’s internment on Elba are his two homes Villa dei Mulini and Villa Napoleonica di San Martino. Perched up on the bastions between Portoferraio’s duel defensive forts is Villa dei Mulini, Napoleon's primary home while serving as “emperor” of Elba. Why Napoleon ached to flee this sumptuous villa, with its enviable views, terraced garden and library, to once again live out of a travel trunk and trampoline-caliber camp bed (on display in the home) taxes the sensible mind to distraction. While touring the villa is certainly a worthwhile history lesson, the overall scarcity of genuine Napoleon artefacts may disappoint some. Roughly 5km southwest of Portoferraio, set in low, green hills is Villa Napoleonica di San Martino, the Emperor’s summer residence. Despite being more opulent and peaceful than Villa dei Mulini, Napoleon reportedly never spent more than a few hours at a time here. An unassuming iron fence-enclosed square leads into the eight-room villa, including bedrooms, a study and the “Egyptian room”, decorated with hieroglyphs, pyramids, and a large zodiac painted on the ceiling to commemorate his campaigns in Egypt. The villa, owned, occupied and modified by several entities after Napoleon, including being used as a headquarters during German occupation in WWII, was restored before being opened as a museum. Finally, budget travellers can glean a small thrill from staying at Albergo Ape Elbana. This historic, butter-coloured, building overlooking central Piazza della Repubblica is both Elba's oldest hotel and where guests of Napoleon are reputed to have stayed.

almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

following napoleon’s trail on elba following napoleon’s trail on elba

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

following napoleon’s trail on elba following napoleon’s trail on elba

 



Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 09:22 2018 Monday ,22 January

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Modern colorful bedroom renovation

GMT 10:57 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Modern colorful bedroom renovation
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president

GMT 13:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 21:00 2011 Thursday ,29 September

Al Jaber to agree debt deal by year-end

GMT 05:50 2012 Saturday ,05 May

French patisserie with delightful structure

GMT 01:56 2012 Friday ,06 April

Sheraton Hotels to boost spa offering

GMT 08:51 2012 Thursday ,26 April

Arab women still unrecognised

GMT 07:08 2011 Thursday ,22 September

Hotel Shilla sets up first free shop in Macau

GMT 08:52 2018 Friday ,12 January

Film legend Delon says he's ready to die

GMT 14:48 2017 Sunday ,31 December

UAE cancels Tunisia handball games amid row

GMT 18:49 2017 Tuesday ,31 October

Celtics snap NBA losing streak to injury-hit Spurs

GMT 12:54 2011 Monday ,26 December

Anti-bullying program launched by Tulsa schools

GMT 15:07 2012 Wednesday ,07 November

Oriflame to launch Sparkle in Paris collection

GMT 07:31 2017 Friday ,20 October

Tillerson heads to Gulf, downbeat

GMT 18:23 2017 Wednesday ,19 July

Chile moves to ease strict abortion laws
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
 
 Almaghrib Today Facebook,almaghrib today facebook  Almaghrib Today Twitter,almaghrib today twitter Almaghrib Today Rss,almaghrib today rss  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

.almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday almaghribtoday almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday