Ajaccio's Napoleon Bonaparte Airport celebrates the city's link with Corsica's most famous son. The French empire-builder was born in this city. If you pick up a hire car at Ajaccio Airport you'll find it stands on flat land at the centre of the Gulf of Ajaccio, three miles east of the city. The N193 road leads straight from the terminal to the waterfront city, which is Corsica's largest. This French-owned island stands in the Mediterranean, 200 miles southeast of Marseille. Its capital, the historic harbour city of Ajaccio, stands on the west coast, sheltered at the foot of wooded mountains.
If you have a hire car at Ajaccio Airport you'll be able to explore the beautiful beaches and villages nearby, including the rugged Scandola Nature Reserve, or drive straight to the capital itself. It's a picturesque old waterfront city that deserves an exploration. The main attraction is Maison Bonaparte, the Bonaparte family home. The family lived in this tall ochre-washed house for generations before Napoleon, and right up until 1923. It's now a national museum - look out too for the elegantly domed baroque cathedral. Nearby is the surprisingly grand Musée Fesch, a fine art gallery housing one of France's best collections of old masters.