Elba
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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.
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 Sicily and Sardinia with a population of just under thirty two thousand inhabitants. |
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There are around ten towns with the capital being the port town of Portoferraio. This is where the majority of ferries arrive from the mainland although there are two other ports you can use for this: Rio Marina and Cavo, both of which are closer to Piombino.
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.
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.
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 Piombino from 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.
I've created a website guide dedicated to Elba, another in the Review series called Elba Review. Below you'll find a link to the website which has lots more photos and information about what to see and do.
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.
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.
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 Piombino from 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.
I've created a website guide dedicated to Elba, another in the Review series called Elba Review. Below you'll find a link to the website which has lots more photos and information about what to see and do.
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Category: The Tuscan Archipelago (Arcipelago Toscano)
Administrative area: Livorno Province Population: 31,952 Size: 224 km² Highlights: Cavoli, Sansone, Biodola, Padulella, Morcone (beaches) Island hotels: 135 |
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Arrival ports: Portoferraio, Rio Marina, Cavo
Journey time from mainland: 30 minutes - 1 hour Distance from nearest mainland port: 16 km |
Service handled by Ok-ferry.com
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