Elba: the back story

About Elba: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Tuscany Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Elba is the largest of the Tuscan islands, an hour’s ferry from Piombino: sandy bays and pebble coves, Monte Capanne’s granite and the fortified port of Portoferraio.

Getting there

Ferries run from Piombino with Toremar, Moby and Blu Navy; book cars ahead in summer.

Portoferraio

The Medici forts and Napoleon’s residences, the Villa dei Mulini and the Villa San Martino.

Most of Elba’s interior is part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park (islepark.it).

Beaches and trails

La Biodola, Procchio and the coves of the west; the national park’s trails over the mountains.

Our advice: visit in June or September, when the sea is warm and the ferries quieter.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Elba: the back story before you go.