Capoliveri

Island of Elba travel guide - Things to do and see in Island of Elba, Tuscany
Itinerary Island of Elba: Sightseeing tours - bike tours - day tours - wine tours

Elba is located in the Mediterranean Sea and belongs to the Italian region Tuscany (province Livorno). The island is almost 10 km away from the Italian mainland.

Today around 32.000 people live on the island (in the winter) in eight municipalities: Portoferraio (capital of the island, with the island Montecristo), Campo nell’Elba (with Pianosa), Capoliveri, Marciana, Marciana Marina, Porto Azzurro, Rio Marina and Rio nell’Elba.

Things to see on Island of Elba

Church “della Misericordia“ (of mercy)

Cathedral of Portoferraio

Pilgrimage church “Monserrato”

Bastions of the Medici 

Fort “Stella”

Tower “Torre della Linguella“ 

Fort “Volterraio“

Fort “Inglese”

Fort “Falcone”

The edifice of “Biscotteria“

Roman mansion “Villa romana delle Grotte”

Shipyard “delle Galeazze“

The houses of Letizia 

Barracks “De Laugier”

Theater “dei Vigilanti”

Museo dei Cimeli

Check our insider's travel guide to Island of Elba, featuring the best Events of Island of Elba, Night Live of Island of Elba and sightseeing tours to discover the stunning landmarks, markets, churches, museums and monuments of Island of Elba Tuscany.

Typical cuisine of Island of Elba

The cuisine from Elba was considered a „poor cuisine“, yet with the onset of tourism it gained much finesse. Are you planing a day trip to Island of Elba or to the tuscany countryside? Please check our travel guide for the best restaurants in Island of Elba, wine tasting courses or selected wine tours discovering the most famous tuscan wineries of the Chianti or the Brunello region guided by a certified Tuscan wine sommelier.

Specialties (old recipes from Elba) are e.g.: dried cod “alla Riese“, a delicious dish with stockfish, onions, basil, tomatoes, parsley, green paprika, black olives, pine nuts, capers, oil, chili and salt. The “Gurguglione” (vegetable stew), “Riso al nero di sepia” (black calamari Risotto), stuffed squid, the “Cacciucco” (fish soup made from 5 types of sea animals), fried picarels, stuffed sardines, “Sburrita di Baccalà” (codfish), the “Zeri Marinati” (marinated fish) and the “Classico Polpo Lesso” (classically cooked calamari), as well as “Schiaccia briaca” (drenched dessert cake).

Moreover you can find quite good wines in Elba for example the Elba Bianco, Elba Rosso, Rosato, the Ansonica, the Moscato and the Aleatico. 

Indulge your passion for Italian food or life style on a cookery holiday combined with language courses in Island of Elba Tuscany and enjoy our hands-on cooking lessons and cookery courses in Tuscany Island of Elba.  

Events on Island of Elba

Festivity of the Sportella.

Hiking festival.

Convention Scooter Ralley. 

Napoleonian May .

Elba, Isola Musicale d'Europa (Europe’s musical island). 

Palio Remiero Elbano: extremly rousing oarmanship competition. 

Literature prize Raffaello Brignetti. 

Award Gaspare Barbiellini Amidei. 

Mediterraneo Jazz Festival. A jazz festival for young musicians.

Leggenda dell'Innamorata. Historical festivity and competitions between the districts of Capoliveri.

Festivity in honor of the patron Santa Chiara. 

Musica del Mondo. 

Ralley Elba Storico. 

Sailing cup A. Vespucci. 

Festa dell'Uva. 

Castagnata. 

Elbaman triathlon. 

Christmas market in Sant'Ilario. 

New Year’s Eve on the square. 

Humorous donkey race. 

Farmer’s markets:

Monday: Rio Marina 

Tuesday: Rio Nell'Elba

Wednesday: Marina di Campo

Thursday: Capoliveri and Procchio

Friday: Portoferraio

Saturday: Porto Azzurro

Sunday: Lacona

Evening’s markets

Holiday in Island of Elba or Tuscany countryside

The Coast line of Tuscany offers many splendid white beaches. A guide to Tuscany's best beaches with reviews and what to do when you're there, chosen by our local experts.

Our portfolio of hand picked rental villas with pool, holiday houses, romantic country houses and cottages, apartments or rooms for rent with a view in Tuscany offers you authentic, charming and private accommodation for a unique holiday experience.

No matter if you favor family holidays, beach holidays, golf holidays, luxury holidays or a pet friendly accommodation, we have the best private rentals in Tuscany available for you!

Things to do on Island of Elba

Discover the marvelous countryisde of Island of Elba and Tuscany joining a grape harvest festival or olive harvest festival, taking a bicycile tour in Tuscany visiting one of the nature parks or follow up our tracking itinerary.

If you want deeply to relax and re-charge all your energies a Spa journey would be perfect within your Island of Elba or Tuscan holiday. Tuscany has many natural hot springs.

In most towns there is a modern spa where hot springs water is brought into a swimming pool and you pay a daily ticket to use the pool.

Diving

Lovers of snorkeling and diving will discover real hidden treasures in Elba‘s / Portoferraio‘s underwater world. 

Sport Fishing

Sport fishing for amateurs in the crystal clear water of Elba's ocean is allowed in defined areas.

Sea Kayak

Kayaks and kayak excursions can be booked in many places.

Sailing

There are numerous sailing schools on the island / Portoferraio. 

Hiking

On Elba / Portoferraio there are sufficient hiking trails. 

Mountain bike

The mountain bike is due to the nature of the beautiful landscape of the island / Portoferraio a particularly suitable means of transport in order to get to know Elba. 

Free climbing

Also for free climbers there are particularly beautiful locations on the island / Portoferraio. 

Golf

The golf club „Acquabona“ on Elba has a 9-hole course.

Tennis

There are plenty of tennis courts and tennis clubs.

Horseback riding

There are several riding stables on the island of Elba / Portoferraio. 

Playgrounds

On Elba / in Portoferraio there are different playgrounds for every age and every taste. 

Water games

Appropriate equipment (e.g. banana boat, water skis and skysurfing boards) guarantees you to have even more fun at Elba's beaches.

Cinema and theater

Elba offers many cinemas outdoors, but also regular movie theaters, also with 3D. 

Nightlife

Especially during summer there are many places in Elba / Portoferraio to enjoy the nightlife.

Further education

All year round you can take classes in various disciplines on Elba / in Portoferraio.

Wellness

The thermal spa of San Giovanni in Portoferraio is known all over Italy and throughout Europe for the unique healing fango.

Beaches

Elba’s many beaches are very different. You can find long „golden“ sandy beaches, beaches with black sand, small pebble bays or e.g. beaches with rocks from smooth granite. The crystal clear sea reminds you of the Caribbean.

The depth of the water increases relatively rapidly with further distance from the beach on almost all shores. Exceptions are the sandy beaches in Biodola, Marina di Campo, Lacona, Procchio and Fetovaia, where you can still stand in the water even when you are 30-40 meters away from the beach.

All beaches on Elba have a part of free beach. The larger beaches offer lidos, sun beds and parasols as well as cabins for rent. At the "Punti Blu" you can rent sun beds and parasols to use at the free beach.

On Elba there are designated beaches where dogs are allowed and which are thus accordingly equipped so that dogs can be taken along.

The most beautiful beaches are:

Beaches in the north of the island

Acquaviva

Bagnaia

Bagno

Biodola

Cala dei Frati

Capo Bianco

Crocetta

Enfola

Forno

Frugoso

La Fenicia

La Paolina

Le Ghiaie

Le Sprizze

Le Viste

Nisportino

Nisporto

Padulella

Procchio

Prunini

Redinoce

Remonto

Sansone

Scaglieri

Sorgente

Sottobomba

Viticcio

Beaches in the south of the island

Acquarilli

Barabarca

Cavoli

Colle Palombaia

Felciaio

Fonza

Innamorata

Lacona

Laconella

Lido di Capoliveri

Madonna delle Grazie

Margidore

Marina di Campo

Morcone

Norsi

Pareti

Seccheto

Zuccale

Beaches in the west of the island

Chiessi

Fetovaia

Le Tombe

Patresi

Pomonte

Sant'Andrea

Beaches in the east of the island

Barbarossa

Cala Seregola

Cavo

Istria o Istia

Naregno

Reale

Remaiolo

Straccoligno

Terranera

Topinetti

Nude bathing is not explicitly allowed in Elba yet mostly tolerated.  For this purpose, here a list of six beaches that served for a couple years now as “unofficial” nudist beaches

Beach of Acquarilli

Capo Canata

Cliff of Le Piscine

Beach Le Tombe

Cliff between the beaches Barabarca and Zuccale

Cliff between the beach Felciaio and the beach Lido di Capoliveri

History of Island of Elba

The Etruscans had an increasing influence on the island after 750 BC and were mainly interested in the extensive iron deposits and mining. From the 9th century on, the island was repeatedly attacked by Arab Muslims (Saracens) (The attacks continued into the 16th century).

The pope gave Elba to the rising naval power Pisa in the year 1015 to thank them for their fight against the Saracens in the same year. Gerardo Appiano, the former sovereign of Pisa sold the Pisan state in the year 1399 to the Milanese duke Gian Galeazzo Visconti. Yet he retained Piombino, the island Elba and further small areas. Hence he established an independent “city government” in Piombino, to which he assigned the island Elba in the year 1442 in accordance with Siena.

In the year 1593 Piombino was declared a princedom. From 1548 Portoferraio belonged to the grand duchy Tuscany. 

During the revolutionary wars, Elba was temporarily occupied by Great Britain and was then assigned to France in the year 1802. The island was assigned to Napoleon in the Treaty of Fontainebleau as a sovereign princedom (April 11th, 1814), yet he resigned the same day as emperor of the French.

On the May 4th 1814 Napoleon landed on Elba. Already on the February 26th the following year Napoleon escaped from the island Elba and returned to France. At the congress of Vienna Elba was assigned to the duchy of Tuscany. In 1860 the duchy Tuscany merged into the kingdom Italy.

From the 60s on, tourism began to develop in Elba. In the year 1982 the last iron mine closed on Elba. In 1998, the nature park Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Toscano was founded, among other things, to allow the tourism in Elba to develop harmoniously in tune with nature.

Economy

Before tourism started to play a major role in Elba, the mining industry was the most important economic sector on the island. The dominance of the mining industry, which developed over the years, can still be detected when looking at the present day landscape. The huge demand of charcoal for processing the minerals and the steady demand of wood for the architecture of the mines led to the clearance of the durmast oak forests. 

The vegetation of the island today is mainly characterized by the “high” maquis with Erica, strawberry trees, mastics and myrtle. 

Climate of Island of Elba

Elba has a typical Mediterranean climate with fairly mild temperatures. On average, rainy days are seldom.

The prevailing wind on Elba is the Scirocco (from the south-east), which is rather seldom very strong, and in the summer it is often replaced in the afternoon by the cooler Maestrale (north-west wind), making the days at the beach more comfortable and less hot. 

In contrast, the Libeccio (from the south-west) and the Ponente (west wind) are not as prevalent, but they are often stronger and lead to a high swell. 

Arrival to Island of Elba

Elba can be reached with the car ferry from Piombino. There are ferry services to the harbors of Portoferraio, Cavo (municipality Rio Marina) and Rio Marina. The airport Marina di Campo is located in the municipality Campo nell’Elba.

Local transportation on Elba

The island Elba has a good network of roads. All important villages and towns are well marked and easy to reach via asphalted roads.

For those who decide to visit Elba without their own car, there are numerous rentals on the island that rent cars, motorcycles, scooter, quad bikes, bicycles and boats; or you simply take a cab or use the busses that connect the most important villages of the island. 

On the busiest days, like the bridging days April 25th and May 1st as well as the weekends in July and August, you should leave early for the harbor of Portoferraio, as there might be traffic jams on the roads from Porto Azzuro and Procchio to Portoferraio, depending the departure time of your ferry.

Bus

Departure times and information about the busses that service the entire island. The Marebus that heads to the sea. The Elbacard can be bought as subscription as well. 

Taxi

Numbers and addresses of the taxis and rental cars with chauffeur in all the mayor towns of the island Elba.