The port of Ajaccio is located in the gulf of the same name, located in the south-western part of Corsica. It is characterized by the presence of a series of piers where ships from Toulon, Marseille and Porto Torres dock.
Inside the port area there is also an area dedicated to pleasure boats, which, especially during the summer, crowd the piers of the Ajaccio port.
The port of Ajaccio can be reached in various ways.
Car
from Porto Vecchio (139 km) via T40. The journey takes 2h 36m. approximately;
from Bonifacio (130 km) via T40. Journey time: 2h 26min. approximately;
from Bastia (149 km) via T20. 2h 37min. to reach your destination.
Bus
The main towns of the island are connected by a bus service. As for Ajaccio, the bus station is located in the city center, near the ferry terminal. For more info on buses, we suggest you consult the website of the Tourist Office.
Train
Ajaccio and Bastia are connected by a railway line owned by the Collectivité Territoriale de la Corse. The races are run by CFC (Chemins de fer de la Corse), a joint venture set up by the CTC.
For information on timetables and ticket prices, take a look at the CFC portal .
The closest airport to the Corsican capital is Ajaccio-Napoleon Bonaparte: located east of the city, it is the largest on the island. At the airport it will be possible to rent a car, take a taxi, a shuttle or wait for the train that from the Campo dell'Oro stop will take you to that of Les Salines and to the central station of Ajaccio (the latter are both located in the area of the port).
Ajaccio station is located on the port of the Corsican capital, a few hundred meters from the boarding points.
The ticket offices of the companies operating in the port of Ajaccio are located near the embarkations.
Corsica Lines, Gare Maritime - 20000 Ajaccio
The historic center of Ajaccio, close to the port area, offers a wide choice of commercial activities where to shop. Walking along its streets, you will find boutiques, grocery stores, souvenir shops, artisan shops, etc.
Ajaccio is a city that can be easily explored on foot: the monuments and the most important places in the Corsican capital, in fact, are all concentrated in the same area, namely in the historic center.
The tour can only start from the most important church building in the city, namely the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta , seat of the diocese. It was in this church, in 1771, that the future emperor of France Napoleon Bonaparte, to whom Ajaccio was the birthplace, was baptized.
To testify the event is an inscription in Latin, present on the baptismal font, which reads: "Here the great Emperor was baptized ". In the chapel of Our Lady of Mercy there is the statue of the Madonnuccia, patron saint of Ajaccio, celebrated on March 18 each year.
Not far from the Cathedral there is another monument linked to the French general. We refer to the house where he lived until he was nine years old: the Maison Bonaparte. The palace - transformed into a museum in 1967 - can be visited.
The beating heart of Ajaccio is the famous place Foch, in the center of which stands a statue of Napoleon and four lions (Fontaine des quatre lions). However, the latter is not the only thing that characterizes the square. In fact, the town hall overlooks it, where the Napoleonic Museum is also located . If that weren't enough, the Petit Train leaves from Place Foch , leading tourists to discover the city. Last but not least, a characteristic market of Corsican products is organized in the square .
Another place that absolutely deserves to be visited during your stay in Ajaccio is the Fesch museum, second only to the Louvre in Paris and one of the most important in the Old Continent. The palace is named after Cardinal Joseph Fesch, Napoleon's uncle, and is a very precious treasure chest: inside, in fact, masterpieces of Italian art ranging from the '300 to the' 700 are kept. Inside the museum center you will also find the Chapelle Impériale, where some members of the Bonaparte family rest.
Finally, it is necessary to mention the commemorative monument of Napoleon, which is located in a more secluded position than the historic center. It consists of a bronze statue of the general placed on a block of granite. At the base of the monument are listed all the victorious exploits of Napoleon.