Forte Falcone sits 80 metres above the harbour, on the highest ground above Portoferraio's old town — the higher and larger of the two Medici forts that anchor the historic centre. It was built by Cosimo I de' Medici from 1548 onwards as the keep of his new ideal city, and the massive bastioned walls have survived almost unchanged. The walls enclose a substantial inner courtyard, the foundations of barracks and a chapel, and a deep cistern.
The fort is reached by a steep cobbled walk up from the Piazza della Repubblica in the old town centre. Inside, the parade ground is open to wander and the upper ramparts give views down to the harbour and across to Forte Stella to the east. The fort closed for a long restoration in the 2010s and is now partly reopened — check current hours at the tourist office or with a combined Forte Stella / Palazzina dei Mulini ticket. The walls and the views can be enjoyed at any time from the perimeter path.