San Galgano in Torrita of Siena in Siena countryside on a Sunday Learning to fly ... our paragliding Paganella! how to save on the entrance ticket to Disneyland Paris, the Blue Lagoon and the Neverland ... in Zanzibar! a visit to the Vasari Corridor, starting from a weekend in Copenhagen Florence: useful info
"... At 18:30 on 3 May, 1814, the British corvette Undaunted threw the anchor in the bay of Portoferraio. Aboard British unit was the new lord of the island of Elba, Napoleon Bonaparte, the former French emperor" . So there the historian Louis de Pasquali in his book "Napoleon on Elba, 1814-1815", stating boi that the leader of Ajaccio fell to the ground until the next day at 15:30, to "give it time to adjust the ceremonial of entry and its reception "(quotation marks is taken from the last letter of the Countess of Albany Ugo Foscolo). And so it was: the chronicles tell us of a welcome in full regalia with flags and triumphal arches, carousels of beautiful girls and bands. A grand entrance! The defining moment of an island that emerged from the torpor of anonymity to rise almost at the center of the whole of Europe.
After two centuries, the 'island of Elba celebrates the only time in its history in which it was united under one ruler (as pointed out by Marino "Il Genio del Bosco" who accompanied us in the journey of which I am about to speak to you today Elba is divided into 8 squabbling municipalities) with a series of shows, pageants and initiatives (# of Napoleon200 I spoke some time ago) that will last throughout the summer. Maybe it will not be as glitzy societal events boi in which Napoleon loved to participate or as memorable dance party that Pauline Bonaparte organized in the hall of Villa Mills on the eve of the departure of his brother (destination: France), but the island d ' Elba is organizing the events very nice, such as the reenactment of the meeting of Napoleon with his mistress Maria Waleska September 1 to Marciana. Villa Mills, Portoferraio
10 months but at the same time ... just enough to leave an indelible mark. Let's see what are the most significant places of residence of the great French leader Elba. THE THEATRE OF VIGILANT Contrary to what you might think, the exile of Napoleon from Elba was anything but tranquil: 10 months were intense, characterized not only by high society (the largest maker in this regard was Pauline, she always, came in late October boi 1814 to cheer along with her mother and brother, he thinks, to prepare his fierce return home). Napoleon spent much of his time to improve the urban island and raising their cultural level. An example boi of this is provided by the transformation of a former church in the "Theatre of Lucky", in Piazza Gramsci in Portoferraio: the former emperor endowed him with three tiers and a magnificent imperial loggia and inaugurated in January of 1815 with a dance party. The Theatre of the Watchers boi (the name that has become today) is still in operation and proudly displays its most valuable piece, the curtain painted by Paolo Ravelli boi (arrived on the island along with the later imperial) which depicts Napoleon in version Apollonian , inserted in a rural setting boi with sheep and cows, rock mountains and waterfalls. Theatre of the Watchers
The route continues to the square Napoleonic De Laugier where you will find the church and the museum of the Arch of Mercy, where on May 5 every year there is a mass in memory of Napoleon, and the Art Gallery of the Cultural Center Foresiana "De Laugier" , a memorial museum that collects boi some heirlooms, furnishings and furniture, boi as well as a part of the 2378 books (especially history but also of comedy and tragedy, and of Greek and Latin literature, not to mention the complete works of Voltaire ) that formed the personal library of Napoleon, subsequently donated to the Community of Portoferraio. The collection was set up in a short time by himself, adding to about 200 volumes removed from the libraries of Fontainebleau (the place where the treaty was signed after the defeat of Leipzig who exiled him to Elba) other works sent him to his uncle Cardinal or purchased boi in Livorno and in other Italian cities.
Church of Mercy VILLA MILLS Definitely not to be missed is the residence of Napoleon Mills, Napoleon to the square of Portoferraio. The windmills there are more facts to demolish the former ruler for the creation of an Italian garden, but at least you can walk between the beds of the small palace park and admire the view of the sea which he basked. The house is open to visitors, in groups of 30 people, every day 8:30 to 19:30 hours (in fes
