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Travel Destination Guide - Elba
Elba (Tuscany, Italy) 
Elba Information
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Elba is located 7 mls off the W coast of Tuscany, an hour's ferry ride from the port of Piombino; less by hydrofoil. 32 mls from the NE coast of Corsica. It is the largest and most central island in the Tuscan Archipelago, surrounded by the clear waters of the Tyrrhenian sea between the mainland peninsula and the French island of Corsica. It is dominated by mountainous regions at its E and W ends.
In spite of Napoleon Bonaparte's brief exile here before he met his Waterloo, this small mountainous island remains one of Italy's best kept secrets. An hour's ferry ride from the mainland, and with only a tiny local airport unsuitable for jets, mass international tourism has never gained a foothold and is unlikely to do so.
Portoferraio is the main town and principal point of entry, with a fortified old town occupying a small headland that guards the harbour. With a small waterfront lined with commercial buildings and some bars, the town is predominantly residential. The principal tourist haunts have developed around the small seaside villages of Procchio and Marciana Marina on the N coast and Marina di Campo in the S.
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The area is almost exclusively middle to upmarket Italians during July and August, with a small contingent of discerning Germans accompanied by a few Swiss. Many wealthy Italians have summer residences in the hills. Very few British. The clear waters make Elba a favourite among divers and snorkellers.
The main hotels here are dotted in penny packets across the central, N and S coasts, augmented by simple family-run pensions, B&Bs and apartments.
The verdant coastline is littered with small, picturesque rocky coves and some fine sandy bays nestling beneath rugged hills. Some properties have their own reserved sections that are scrupulously maintained and furnished with ranks of sun loungers, deck chairs and colourful parasols. Varied water sports include windsurfing, sailing and water-skiing depending on where you are based.
Each local village has its own handful of unsophisticated tourist-orientated merchandise, with purveyors of fine jewellery and designer fashions remaining on the mainland.
Activities and entertainment are very much centred around the beach and various water-sports. Numerous hilltop fortifications and several ancient villas purporting to have been Napoleon's former residence during his year-long exile.
Nightlife is generally low-key except during July & August. One or two nightspots and bars are open until the small hours in the principal villages, but be prepared to rely on motorised transport if staying at outlying hotels.
Various boat trips and other excursions can be taken around the coast and to uninspiring mainland port of Piombino. Choice of historic hillside fortifications, ancient churches and Napoleonic residences such a Palazzina de Mulini and Villa di San Martino.
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Population: 58.103.000
Languages: Italian (official); German-, French-, and Slovene-
Currency: euro
Currency code: EUR
Local Times:
Italy - Rome
Italy - Rome
Country Dialling Code: +39
Voltage: 127/220V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
 
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Italy is often described as an open-air art gallery - every town and village seems to have a beautiful little church to wander round or a historic square where you can sit and enjoy a cappuccino. You will stumble over theatres and other buildings dating back to ancient Greek and Roman times. Visit Roman ruins, gawk at Renaissance art, stay in tiny medieval hill towns, go skiing in the Alps, explore the canals of Venice and gaze at beautiful churches. Naturally you can also indulge in the pleasures of la dolce vita : good food, good wine and improving your wardrobe.
Italy dips down out of Europe and into the Mediterranean like a women's leg firmly planted in a sleek stiletto, so it's hardly surprising that Italians are known for their impeccable style and fashionable dress sense. They're also known for once having an empire that stretched across the globe, and for having the most spectacular churches, frescos, sculptures and Renaissance paintings in all of Europe.
The Italy of today is littered with the relics of more than 3,000 years of history, and an atmosphere that ranges from the Armani-wearing-scooter-driving-espresso-drinking buzz of its cities to the quiet, pastoral existence of its hillside olive farms and seaside fishing villages.
From the depths of the canals in Venice, which floats on a series of islands in an Adriatic lagoon, and the bleached sands of San Remo on the Riviera, to the rocky crags of the Alps, Dolomites and Apennines, Italy has everything from beach holidays to luxury mountain ski resorts.
Italy's cities reveal awe-inspiring architecture from the curved arches of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence to the crumbling magnificence of the Colisseum in Rome. Home of da Vinci, Michelangelo, Carvaggio and Botticelli, its artworks are a visual delight to all visitors.
Nestled into the outskirts of Rome is the independent Vatican City, the seat of the Pope and home to the famous St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. The influence of the Holy Catholic Church on the people of Italy is still evident today in a series of holy festivals, carnivals, and parades involving young and old alike in almost every city, town and village. |
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Local Area Weather
Milan/Linate, ITALY |
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6°C
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