The Island

Just 10 km from the mainland, with a surface area of 224 km², Elba is the third largest of the Italian islands. It is part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park together with Pianosa, Capraia, Montecristo, Giglio and Giannutri. It is a world-famous tourist attraction thanks to the variety of its coastline (which is 147 km long), the beauty of its beaches, the majestic beauty of the Monte Capanne group (1019 m) and the 80 km of completely paved panoramic roads.

Inhabited since prehistoric times and known for its iron mines, Elba was first Ligurian, then Greek, Etruscan, and remained Roman for centuries. In the Middle Ages it was ruled by the Pisans, then the Appiani and the Medici. Various European powers left numerous traces of their rule. The Spanish built the fortress of San Giacomo and Forte Focardo in Porto Azzurro; the reign of Napoleon left significant traces in the Palazzina dei Mulini, the villa of San Martino, the ancient churches of Portoferraio and Marciana Alta.

Today the island is divided into seven municipalities: Portoferraio, Campo nell’Elba, Capoliveri, Marciana, Marciana Marina, Porto Azzurro and Rio.
Appreciated for its famous wines and excellent cuisine, the uncontaminated sea, the mountains surrounded by age-old woods, beaches and coves framed by Mediterranean scrub, small hillside villages immersed in timeless tranquillity and the particularly mild climate, Elba is an ideal holiday and tourist destination in all seasons. The seasonal averages are 10º in winter, 14º in spring, 23º in summer and 17º in autumn. Monthly sea temperatures are: April 19º, May 20º.2, June 24º.1, July 26º.8, August 27º.3, September 25º.5 and October 23º.1.

Each visitor can find their own holiday dimension, practising sports and excursions, relaxing on the beach, or discovering what the Tuscan Archipelago has to offer in terms of history, culture and gastronomy.