Villa di San Martino

Villa San Martino was once Napoleon summer residence. It is in the countryside, about 5 km from the center of Portoferraio.

Is it to Count Anatolio Demidoff , married to Napoleon’s niece, Matilde of Monfort, we owe the majestic neoclassical architecture that welcomes visitors. He built it in 1851 with the intentions of establishing a memorial museum, hosting the ex-Emperor’s memorabilia.

The Gallery Demidoff extends at the foot of the initial residence and, once inside, you can contemplate the statue of the original Galatea, the inspiration for which was Paulina Borghese, sculpted by Canova and initially destined to embellish the gardens of “Palazzina dei Mulini” (a copy of the statue, in fact, was put on display right there).

Noteworthy are the Egyptian room, with an octagonal pool designed to accommodate papyrus plants, and the “Sala del Nodo d’Amore” (Love Knot Hall), destined to be the dining room, whose frescoes represent love between Napoleon and Maria Luisa.

Opening times

Summer opening times (valid until 25 October 2018)

Weekdays: 8.30 AM-7 PM (last admission at 6 PM) ; weekends 8.30 AM-1 PM (last admission at 12 PM).

Closed on Mondays (from September 10th); January 1st; May 1st; December 25th.

Winter opening times (valid until 31March 2018)

Weekdays: 8.30 AM- 3 PM (last admission at 2 PM) ; weekends 8.30 AM-1 PM (last admission at 12 PM).

Prices

Full price € 5,00

Reducted € 2.50

Free admission for visitors under the age of 18 (European citizens only)

Reduced price for young between 18 – 25 and state school teachers;

All inclusive ticket: € 8,00 full price; young between 18 – 25 and state school teachers € 4,00 (allows you to visit both “Palazzina dei Mulini” and “Villa San Martino”, valid for three days);

Free entry on the first Sunday of the month

For security reasons, the Museum of “Villa dei Mulini” has a limited entrance of 30 people at a time.

Photo by Petya K-Rangelova