Things to see in Elba

Latest update: 18 February 2024

Mention Elba and most people will immediately think of Napoleon Bonaparte who was exiled here for 10 months from April 1814, but his brief sojourn tells just a tiny part of the island's story. There are a huge amount of things to see in Elba, not least its beaches which number in excess of eighty.

The largest of seven islands in the Tuscan Archipelago (Arcipelago Toscano), Elba is situated sixteen kilometres from the mainland sea port town of Piombino, in the Province of Livorno. With a total size of 224 km² Elba is the third largest island in Italy, behind only Sicilyand Sardinia with a population of just under thirty two thousand inhabitants.

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Livorno Tours

Dotted around the island's shoreline are a number of port towns; the most important of those is Portoferraio, the capital of Elba and the first place most visitors see when they arrive by ferry. There are other ports that you can sail to from the Tuscan mainland as well: namely Cavo and Rio Marina. Porto Azzurro is one of the liveliest ports on the island while Marina di Campo and Marciana Marina offer enticing alternatives with their beaches, accommodation and restaurants.

Aside from the towns, the main attraction of Elba is its vast array of beaches. In total, there are more than eighty beaches of different shapes and sizes around the island. The characteristic they all have in common is the bright blue, azure water which is what makes this such a popular destination for holidaymakers. Some of the most famous beaches are Sansone, Cavoli, Padulella, Biodola and Morcone but one of the best things about visiting Elba is that there are so many others to go and explore.

Local Tours

Cruise ships dock in Portoferraio carrying day-trippers who will typically spend some time walking around the town centre, shopping, eating, drinking or visiting Palazzina dei Mulini, the official residence of Napoleon during his period of exile here. But a day-trip doesn't allow enough time to really capture the essence of Elba and most people tend to stay for longer periods such as a week or two, with so much to see and do on offer.

It's really simple to drive around Elba; the roads are very well maintained and wide enough to allow for coaches, camper vans and buses so if you're in a car you have plenty of space. A car allows you to explore some of the hill towns of the interior such as Capoliveri, Marciana, Rio nell'Elba and the colourful Poggio. These hill towns are also a great place to find some cooler breezes in the hottest summer months.

If you're planning a holiday in Elba it makes most sense to fly into Pisa Airport. From there it's just over an hour down the coast to Piombinofrom where you take the ferry across. The journey time to Portoferraio is an hour but there are shorter crossings to Rio Marina (45 minutes) and Cavo (30 minutes) also available. You can find detailed information on travelling to and from the island with the Elba ferry Tickets and Timetables page, along with more ideas for places to see on the must see Elba page.

Must See Elba