The Italian island you may have never heard of - Elba Island - is a slice of tucked away paradise off the coast of Tuscany. Elba is a small island located in the Tuscan archipelago. Save this FREE guide to learn more about Elba Island for your next vacation to Italy.
Elba Island (Isola d'Elba) is a slice of paradise, in the Tyrrhenian Sea’s Tuscan Archipelago National Park. This island is known for its gorgeous beaches, and as Napoleon’s place of exile in 1814–15. 🕶👙
From the Tuscan town of Piombino it is very easy to reach this island by a 45 min ferry.⛴
Why Visit Elba?
Avoid Crowds
Elba is a stunning spot off the beaten path. It is not a typical tourist destination, so you’ll not find hordes of people or lines and crowds like in other Mediterranean islands. Usually Elba is mostly frequented by Tuscan residents and, if you want to avoid even those travelers, book a trip in Spring or early Autumn to have the island all to yourself.
Fresh Fish
At every restaurant you can enjoy fresh fish and seafood, from polpo (octopus) to cozze alla marinara, linguine allo scoglio, and calamari alla griglia.
Explore Untouched Hamlets
Elba is home to many historical hamlets that have remained untouched and unchanged. You can easily discover its history seeping from the streets and walls of the old town.
Gorgeous Sunsets
There are so many wonderful spots to capture a breathtaking sunset overlooking the Tyrrenean Sea.
How to Arrive
Take the Ferry into Portoferrario ⛴
From the town of Piombino, you can easily take the ferry (about 45 min) to a few different places on the island. I recommend taking it into Portoferrario, especially if you don't have a car.
For example, from Florence you can easily take the train (a few hours) to Piombino, walk to the port, and hop on the ferry.
I don't recommend rushing your time on the island. Stay for at least 2 nights, 3 days but I highly recommend at least 3 nights are needed for full relaxation and time to explore. 🍴🏖⚓
This five star hotel feels more like a resort, and I couldn't recommend it more. You can spend your entire vacation just here, and have a fantastic experience in Elba, even just on their private beach and enjoying the hotel's many amenities, such as the multiple pools, swim up pool bar, jacuzzi, or gym.
There are multiple restaurants onsite, as well as a super delicious breakfast buffet that is included.
They also have tennis courts, a spa, and it makes for a great wedding venue as well.
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(View from our room in Hotel Hermitage)
Swim up pool bar/aperitivo
Unlimited breakfast buffet with fantastic views. They had a section for "cornetti" (croissants/pastries), cereal, omelettes, fresh juices, alternative milks, fruits, cured meats/cheeses, etc
This modest hotel was all about its views. With standard, clean rooms it made for a great landing point to quickly escape to the beaches. We had a private balcony overlooking the beautiful private beach, and free breakfast included.
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Our free breakfast was simple, a coffee and an Italian cornetto (croissant) but what more do you need when this is the breakfast bar view. We came to the hotel's bar for lunches as well, with fresh seafood and killer views🤩
Views of the private beach from our hotel room balcony. (Le Ghiae)
Another great pebble beach for those seeking tranquility is Sansone. The beauty of Sansone lies in its its incredible water color, incomparable shades of blue. To get to the beach, just park along the road and follow the directions on foot (about 20 minutes).
If you are looking for an enchanting and quiet cove (but with no services), drive to Marciana Marina and follow the signs for “La Crocetta”. Take the steep path and go down the steps leading to this pristine cove, right under the ridge of the mountain. Find a comfortable spot among the rocks (better bring a mat) and enjoy a swim in this unique setting.
about 50 meters long, with Mediterranean scrub, excellent for diving
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Discover its Ancient History
Napoleon has been an extremely important character for the island, which still celebrates him and preserves his major works, such as villas, theatres, museums and houses.
The residences that hosted the French general and emperor in Portoferraio, Villa dei Mulini and Villa San Martino, are now home to two museums that dive into Elba's Napoleonic past.
The emperor’s more private residence is in the greener area outside of Portoferraio and near San Martino. He had to have a summer home to pass the warm months in the shade. He went less wild on the decorations of this villa, choosing to decorate only a few symbolic rooms.
The perfect museum for art enthusiasts. Visitors can enjoy an exciting exhibition of works — prints, paintings, and artistic goodies of various kinds — from Mario Foresi's private collection.
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Walk around the Port area
Lined with restaurants, cute boutiques, artisans selling crafts/artwork, and boats, the port area is very cute for an evening stroll on the way to/after dinner.
This higher-end restaurant is the perfect place to dine at if you wish to celebrate a nice occasion. The chef does a fantastic job creating delicious dishes, with the most fresh and local ingredients.
I recommend everything fish here, from their insanely good crudo antipasto, to their scampi pasta, or scallops.
The top of Mount Capanne is the highest point on the Elba island and offers an unbeatable panoramic view, 1000 metres above the Tyrrhenian Sea.
It can be climbed on foot or by cable car.
Hikers who want to enjoy the view just have to follow the path beginning at Marciana.
The trek is not too demanding: there’s an easy start in the shade of a chestnut wood and a steep finish between granite rocks and barren Mediterranean scrub. The 8 km uphill route can be done in about 4-5 hours, with an altitude difference of 800 metres. There are several paths, so it is best to plan the excursion before starting, to avoid getting lost.
Climbing on foot is ideal for appreciating the wild nature and hoping to see local wildlife (such as hawks, buzzards, mouflons and wild boars).
It's best to hike this on a sunny day with clear skies, to have the best views and avoid hazey skies. The best option is to walk up and get down with the cable car, to avoid the steep steps of the downhill path. The cost of a single cable car trip is 12 €.
The other option to reach the top of Capanne is to take the cable car both ways. The entrance and the car park are located in Pozzallo, just 1 km from the village of Marciana. The ascent by cable car is fun and fast (about 18 minutes to get to the top).
The cost of the return ticket is € 18 (single journey costs € 12) with discounts for children. The cable car is usually open in the morning and in the afternoon, closing at lunchtime.
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Take a Day trip to another Island
Elba is the perfect location to use as a stepping stone to visit Tuscany's other smaller islands of the Tuscan archipelago. A full day excursion, ideally organized with a local tour operator, is the best way to explore these beauties.
Capraia is the only island of volcanic origin in the entire archipelago, with only 20 square km of surface. It is 90 minutes by boat from Elba, but its beautiful landscape makes the journey worth it.
The ferry to Capraia brings you close to the wonderful Cala Rossa cove, where you can see the contrast between the red volcanic rocks and the turquoise water.
The boats dock in the village of Capraia, where you can find all restaurants, shops and tour agencies. There are many tour operators organizing half-day excursions in the wilderness, but you can also rent a mountain bike to explore the island on your own.
The islets and rocks of Capraia are perfect for divers. Or you can enjoy the beautiful waters at one of the many small beaches. Capraia also features two interesting viewpoints: Punta Bella Vista and the Tower.
The island of Pianosa is about an hour by boat from Elba, with departures from Marina di Campo and Rio Marina. To protect the Pianosa ecosystem, the last mile of navigation is forbidden to private boats; therefore its best to join one of the many tours taking visitors there in the summer.
I hope you have a great trip! If you appreciated this map at all, please consider leaving a tip and spreading the word to anyone you know about this service. Thank you so much for your support!
Ciao! My name is Danielle and I'm a Californian from San Diego, who's been living full time in Florence, Italy since 2020. I studied in Florence in 2016 and absolutely fell in love with the food, culture, and history, and made it my mission to move back. I moved right before the pandemic, and staying here through all the lockdowns and pandemic life really helped me discover slow travel and find all of Italy's beauty, including lesser known gems, and off the beaten path travel spots.
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