Elba Room

BAY CITY:La Chiusa vineyard has a great view of Portoferraio

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It's not often you see Napoleon Bonaparte while performing an early-morning yogic salute to the sun. But then, not every place that the old Emperor conquered is so fond of his memory that they annually dress a short man in a big hat and parade him around to mark the anniversary of his death. Welcome to the island of Elba, off the west coast of Tuscany, and more specifically to Tenuta La Chiusa, a working vineyard where the warmonger once spent two nights during his nine-month Elban exile, before escaping to prepare for his last battle.

Today, peace lovers can enjoy a relaxing farm holiday in one of the nine peasant cottages among the vines and olive groves. The decor is rustic — simple furniture and no mod cons — but each cottage has a small garden and access to a quiet beach with mesmerizing views of the medieval walled town of Portoferraio.

It's also here that John Le Carré set part of his best-selling novel, The Constant Gardener, and in his author's note he urges readers to visit: "There is even an oil room [once used for crushing olives, now for wine tastings] where those in search of life's answers to life's great riddles may seek temporary seclusion." Or at least, some fine Elban wine. www.tenutalachiusa.it