Ajaccio is the city where Napoleon was born, but it's also the city where you find yourself sitting on a harbourside terrace at eleven in the morning, wondering why you'd ever want to do anything else. The capital of Corsica has that rare combination: enough to see to fill a few days, yet relaxed enough that you never feel obliged to do anything at all.

The old town and the harbour

The centre of Ajaccio is compact and easy to navigate. On the website of the Office de Tourisme d'Ajaccio you'll find an up-to-date map and events calendar. Everything revolves around the sixteenth-century citadel (military property, not open to the public), the Place Marechal Foch and the harbour. The old town is a tangle of narrow streets with pastel-coloured houses, shutters in every shade of decay, and the occasional washing line strung between buildings. It feels Italian, and in a way it is -- the Genoese influence is visible everywhere.

The Place Foch is the place to start. Beneath the plane trees, cafe terraces spill onto the square where you can sit and watch city life pass by. From here it's a short walk to Napoleon's birthplace on Rue Saint-Charles, now a museum with family portraits, furniture and personal belongings. You don't need to be a Napoleon enthusiast to find it interesting -- above all, it paints a vivid picture of how the Corsican elite lived in the eighteenth century.

Napoleon everywhere

You can't escape Napoleon in Ajaccio. There are statues, street names, squares and the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de l'Assomption where he was baptised -- the marble baptismal font is still there. The cathedral itself is modest for a capital, but the Delacroix painting inside makes a visit worthwhile. The most impressive monument can be found in the Jardins de Casone, just outside the centre: a grand statue of Napoleon as a Roman emperor, surrounded by lions.

Musee Fesch

Two hundred metres from the Place Foch lies the Musee Fesch, named after Napoleon's uncle who became a cardinal and a passionate art collector. The museum houses one of the most important collections of Italian Renaissance paintings outside Italy. Even if you normally skip museums on holiday: this one is worth the exception. The collection is surprisingly rich for a city of this size.

The coast and the beaches

Along the boulevard stretches a series of beaches, starting from the city centre and becoming increasingly peaceful as you head south. The promenade itself is pleasant: palm trees, petanque courts, a skate park, and that relaxed atmosphere everywhere. Further on, heading towards Capo di Muru, you'll find the nicer beaches, but the city beach is perfectly fine for a quick dip between sights.

Day trips from Ajaccio

The surroundings offer plenty for several days. The Route des Cretes is a walk along the hills above the city with panoramic views over the gulf. The Iles Sanguinaires, a cluster of small islands at the mouth of the bay, can be reached by boat and are at their most beautiful at sunset. And anyone willing to drive forty kilometres south will find at Filitosa one of the most important prehistoric sites in the western Mediterranean -- mysterious menhirs with carved faces, thousands of years old, set among olive trees.

The feel of Ajaccio

Ajaccio is neither a monumental city nor a seaside resort, but something in between. It's a city that works best when you join its rhythm: the market in the morning, the beach in the afternoon, the harbour in the evening. The climate is mild year-round thanks to its sheltered position on the gulf, the food is excellent and the terraces stay open late. Napoleon may be its most famous resident, but it's the Mediterranean art of living of its current inhabitants that stays with you longest.