L'isola che non c'è, the island that doesn't exist, is the title of an Italian song dealing with an island that you cannot reach, but this is not the case. In fact, Isola d'Elba, an amazing island situated between the Tyrrhennian Sea and Ligurian Sea and the largest of the Tuscan Archipelago, can be easily reached thanks to the two main ferry companies, Toremar and Moby Lines, available from Piombino.
There is also an airport on the island, Marina di Campo Airport, that is served by Intersky with flights to Friedrichshafen, Munich and Zürich, and ElbaFly for internal flights.
The emotions you feel when you reach the island cannot be described because words do not have place when you see the uncontaminated landscape that links its mountains with the green of the countryside and the blue of the sea, creating a harmony of colours complemented by the presence of its inhabitants, several species of animals including birds and fishes.
Isola d'Elba is often mentioned for its beautiful beaches because the water of the sea is crystalline and there is a wide range of beaches to choose from: sand, gravel, shingle, pebble or cobblestone beach. Moreover, it is the right destination for those who like scuba diving thanks to its barrier reef.
The island was invaded both by Romans and Etruscans but it is famous for having been the place where the emperor Napoleon I was exiled. In fact, the houses where he lived, one in Portoferraio and the other in San Martino, are some of the most famous tourist attractions.
The island is divided into eight municipalities: Campo nell'Elba, Capoliveri, Marciana, Marciana Marina, Porto Azzurro, Porto Ferraio, Rio Marina and Rio nell'Elba. They are totally different one from another but it is worth visiting each of them

 

Getting to Elba

Other than by ferries, Elba can be reached by plane. There are flights available to Tuscany from across different cities of Italy and from there one can reach the island of Elba. You can consider Florence or Milan airport as the reference point. Besides, there are lot of cheap and economical flights available from the European cities to reach Tuscany. There are also rental cars available that can take you to the Island of Elba. Bus services operate from Milan including State Railways provide connectivity to the island of Elba.

Major attractions of Elba

Monte Capanne

Monte Capanne, also known as the "roof of the Tuscan Archipelago", is one of the highest mountains of the island (1,018 metres); it is home to many animal species and it offers a wide variety of plants and trees. This mountain is famous because its peak can be reached thanks to a chair lift that leads the tourists to a scenic place from which you can see the whole Tuscan archipelago and the wonderful effect created by the different blues of the sea.

Castello del Volterraio

It is a Castle situated at the top of Volterraio, whose walls are made of stones; at the basis of its structure there are traces of some ancient roman walls. The castle was built to protect the island from foreign invasions and it was fortified by the Medici family.

Bagnaia

Bagnaia is a small village, twenty minutes from Portoferraio by car, famous for the unique view of the sunset. In fact, when the sun sets you can seat in front of the sea and watch the nuances that the sun draws in the sky with a glass of local wine in your hand and taste the delicious food, cooked with biological products that the island offers, in one of the local restaurants.

Villa di San Martino

The Villa of San Martino, also known as Villa Bonaparte, was one of the residences of the emperor Napoleon from 1814 to 1815. At the entrance of the Villa there is the statue of Galatea, by Antonio Canova, inspired by Paolina Bonaparte.

Capoliveri

Capoliveri is situated on the top of a hill. It is famous for its street markets and typical pubs and restaurants. It is also famous for its ‘borgo medievale', Chiesa di San Michele, a Romanesque church, and for its panoramic route to the Cala dell'Innamorata, a famous beach called in this way because it was the place where, according to the folk tale, Lorenzo and Maria met secretly because they couldn't disclose their love.

 

Portoferrario

This is the main capital and port of the Elba Island and is known to be one of the oldest towns of this region. Just before turning into a Roman colony, Portoferrario comprised of mostly Greek, Ligurian and Etruscan population. Most of the remains of the Roman villa is visible at just a few kilometers away across Portoferrario along the district of Le Grotte. There are lot of ferries seen in the new parts of this city, whereas the old parts comprise of fishing village. Here, you can get a chance to catch a glimpse of two massive fortresses namely Fort Falcone and Fort Stella.

Portoferrario as it stands in the recent times was constructed as per the will of Cosimo I Medici who carried out lot of fortification works during 1548. Besides, in the year 1814 it acted as a host to Napoleon Bonaparte who lived here for around 19 months.  Palazzini dei Mulini and Villa San Martino are some of the significant evidence symbolizing his presence on this island.

Palazinni dei Mulini

This is located at the highest point between Fort Falcone and Fort Stella and was the residence of the Emperor and was symbolized the four water mills found here.

 

Villa di San Martino

This place is situated at around 6 kms from Portoferrario towards the road to Marciana and used to be the summer residence of the Emperor. You can take a ticket to explore this place that reminds of the glorious past of this island.

 

Baths of San Giovanni

You can explore this place that covers almost five hectares of muds, which are abundant in iodine and sulphur. In the earlier days, it used to contain salt marshes but now you can find sophisticated spas in this place, which are well equipped to offer all the modern treatments. Many treatments are offered here including use of sodium chloride, iodide and bromide for curing various skin related problems.

 

Porto Azzurro

 

Across eastern Elba lies the Spanish capital of Porto Azzurro, which has a fortress and was used as a prison. Here, you can see the Gulf of Mola, which is one of the huge inlets found along eastern Elba. There is a protected port where boats and ferries can be seen in the waters. This is known to be the village for fishermen and countryside workers alongside. Besides, you can make a trip to Miniature Mine to watch the reconstruction activities of the mine. You can also visit the other historical sites along this region including the Sanctuary of Madonna del Monserrato along with the Spanish Church. Porto Azzurro is one of the eight municipalities of the island. It is very beautiful and smart. This place is famous for its typical small streets where cars do not have access. It is renowned for its local street markets where you can buy souvenirs or the local ores, extracted from the mines of the island, used to create jewellery.

 

Marciana

Just across the western Elba, you can find the old settlement of Marciana, which offers a scenic glimpse of the town and the surrounding areas with shady trees and stone streets.  You can visit the Museo Archeologico to have a look at some of the Roman collections and also know the prehistoric culture.

 

Eating and drinking in Elba

You can find lot of restaurants serving the traditional Tuscan fare along with all kinds of local food from Liguria, Campania. Most of the local restaurants try to combine the best of all the three cuisines to their customers to give them the taste of the local flavor of this island. Besides, they also offer different varieties of Tuscan wine including red, rose and white wines made using the best quality ingredients available locally.

Food is more simple here but you can get authentic flavors and the dishes are specially prepared based on traditional recipes using fish and vegetables. Seafood is more common here due to the rich sea life found on this Island.

Cacciucco, a fish stew with different types of fish and shellfish cooked in wine, tomatoes and chili pepper, is one of the most popular fish dishes.
Stoccafisso all'elbana is another local recipe consisting of fresh stockfish cooked with Mediterranean spices.
As for dessert, Schiacciabriaca is the most traditional cake; it is made using raisins and nuts together with other local ingredients. Together with the food, wine is another famous and tasty product that the island offers thanks to its vineyards that benefit from the mild temperature and clean air.

 

Shopping in Elba

If you love shopping, you can find a lot of shops on the island; Portoferraio and Portoazzurro are the main centres that can satisfy your shopping needs. Isola d'Elba is famous mostly for its local jewelry, created from local stones and ores, and for a famous perfume, a fresh and subtle essence, that takes its name from the island.

 

Stay and Accommodation in Elba

There is a lot of choice offered to the travelers coming to Elba with different options available for staying across economical hotels and luxurious ones offering the best services. Most of the modern hotels are located just a few minutes away from the beach and comprise of pool and restaurants with delicious local cuisine served. There are also many cheap accommodations available including campgrounds along with apartments on rent, where one has all the required facilities required for self-catering. If you want to have your own independence you should rent villas or flats. Besides, there are a lot of bed and breakfasts that are often the best option because they are built from old ‘casali', Tuscan villas, that are renovated in a luxurious way respecting the harmony of the local environment.

 

Events in Elba

There are lot of cultural and historical events held in Elba with concerts and village fairs to preserve the local traditions of the region and also attract the tourists. The International Sailing Regatas is organized here throughout the year and the Island of Elba Raffaello Brignetti is also an important literary event held here every year. Besides, local competitions are held regularly here including sporting events and rallies for classic car enthusiasts. This provides good opportunities for individuals to engage in some nice entertainment and spend their leisure time in different activities.

Wine tasting, relaxing, swimming, boating, walking through the scenic landscape ‘made in Tuscany' are all unique experiences Isola d'Elba can offer you.

By Irene Tischenko & Anna De Filippo

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