Forte Stella sits on the eastern promontory above the old town, its star-shaped plan still complete and walkable. The walls and bastions enclose a small parade ground and the lighthouse, all in the pale yellow plaster typical of Medici military architecture. The walk along the upper ramparts gives one of the best 360-degree views on Elba: the harbour and Cosmopoli below, the Piombino channel and the mainland to the east, and the wooded slopes of Capo Pero to the north.
The entrance is a stiff climb through stepped lanes from the harbour; the views begin almost immediately and continue at every turn. Inside, the fort is mostly bare stone — the magazines and casemates open for inspection, the views from the upper terrace at the lighthouse the highlight. A small admission fee. A combined ticket also covers nearby Forte Falcone and the Palazzina dei Mulini — buy it at any of the three.