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Prefecture and commune in Corsica, France
Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Ajaccio (Corsican: Aiacciu) is the capital of the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, home to 71,000 people (2019). It is a sun-kissed tourist town with frequent visits by cruise ships. It has a boardwalk along its attractive coastline, with excellent restaurants and lots of Napoleon-related sites.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Maison Bonaparte
House where Napoleon Bonaparte was born. Now a museum.
Church of Ste. Marie.
The Citadel was founded in 1492. Its current Genoese appearance dates to some time after 1559. You can only admire the exterior, as it remains a military base out-of-bounds to the public.
14th- to 19th-century Italian art collection amassed by Napoleon's uncle, Cardinal Fesch. Includes works by Titian, Raphael & Botticelli.
Prehistoric (mostly Bronze Age) settlement with standing stones and small museum. Easiest visited from Ajaccio, but also an easy day-trip from Bonifacio or Porto Vecchio. Other notable standing stones in the area are at Palaggiu and Stanfari. Restaurant on site.
The train from the Gare d'Ajaccio leaves daily at 07:41 and takes under an hour through forests and past mountains to get to Bocognano, a village with an alpine feel, a few restaurants and bars, a couple of boulangeries, and a spectacular view of the mountains. There are hiking trails in the area (check the board beside the mairie. Or you can just have a coffee, enjoy the view, and return on the 10:49 train to Ajaccio. Hikers can take an 18:30 train back.
Simple dishes cooked in a traditional "grandmother style".
Sophisticated bistrot serving Corsican food with modern panache.
Central market selling French cheeses, charcuterie, olives, oranges, and zucchini in season. Close to the cruise ship port.
40 comfortable rooms.
By ferry
There are direct ferry routes to Ajaccio from Marseille, Nice, Toulon, and Ciutadella. Companies operating ferry boats are Corsica Ferries, La Meridionale.
By train
A single railway line connects Ajaccio with Bastia (3½ hours and around €22) on the island's east coast via Corte. The main railway station,
By bus
There are frequent bus routes from various destinations in Corsica. Most arrive at the bus station directly adjacent to the main cruise ship and ferry terminal at Quai L'Herminier.
By cruise ship
Several cruise lines have port stops in Ajaccio.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Ajaccio · Regional · AJA
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