Today’s Propriano dates from the early 19th century, its engaging town center full of boutiques, cafés, and bars in repurposed traditional houses. Its environs include unspoiled woodlands and charming small villages: the hilltop citadel of Bonifacio, seemingly one with the limestone cliffs on which it perches; and ancient Sartene, its homes designed like fortresses, a style born of local traditions steeped in superstition and vendetta. Ajaccio is the capital of Corsica and the island's largest city. Elegant and sophisticated, it offers varied architecture and handsome squares, where the spirit of native son Napoleon seems ever present.