Elba is the third largest Italian
island and the biggest in the Tuscan Archipelago.
There are numerous ferry and hydrofoil
crossings every day between the island and the mainland.
The 10 km crossing takes just one hour.
Although the island’s perimeter
is only 147 kilometres, the island offers a mild climate
and a multitude of different landscapes: romantic fishing
villages, little hillside hamlets, ancient castles,
green valleys and enchanting gulfs alternate with splendid
sand and shingle beaches.
In just a few minutes you pass from the sheer cliffs
that dominate the crystal clear sea to the Mt. Capanne
granitic massif, (1019 metres). The presence of numerous
historic and cultural testimonies combined with extraordinary
natural beauty make this island one of the world’s
most magical and unique places.
 Elba
can be reached by car, boarding the ferry at Piombino
Marittima, where two shipping companies (Toremar and Moby
Lines) run an excellent ferry service with numerous daily
crossings during the summer months. The
ferry takes just one hour to cover the 10 kilometres
that separate the mainland from the island harbours
of Portoferraio, Porto Azzurro and Rio Marina. The hydrofoil,
for passengers only, takes just 20 minutes to cross
from the mainland to Cavo, near Rio Marina, after which
it continues for a further 15 minutes to Portoferraio.
From the North: Take the A12 Genoa-Livorno
Motorway, leaving at the Rosignano exit. Continue along
the S.S. Aurelia road to the Venturina-Isola d' Elba
exit and then follow the road-signs for Piombino Marittima.
From the North-East: Take the A1 Bologna-Florence-Pisa-Livorno
motorway, leaving at the Rosignano exit.
Continue along the S.S. Aurelia road to the Venturina-Isola
d' Elba exit and then follow the road-signs for Piombino
Marittima.
Alternatively, leave the Autostrada del Sole motorway
at the Florence Signa exit and take the Florence-Pisa-Livorno
trunk road to Collesalvetti; take the Motorway to Rosignano
Marittimo, the Superstrada (dual carriageway) to Venturina,
and then continue to Piombino Marittima.
From the South: Take the A12 Rome-Grosseto
motorway, then the S.S. Aurelia road, leaving at the
Venturina-Isola d' Elba exit and continue to Piombino
Marittima.
AIRPLANE -
Aeroporto di Marina di Campo
Alatoscana
s.r.l.
tel. 0565.976011 - Fax 0565.976008
Telex 500231 elbair - S.I.T.A. : EBAAPXH
E.mail: alatoscana@elbalink.it
ElbaFly
soc. coop.
Tel. +39.0565.919620 - Fax +39.0565.930342
www.elbafly.it
- info@elbafly.it
Superb beaches, breathtaking cliffs,
green hills with the scent of flowers, forests with
centuries-old trees, silent little villages on the sea
front or perched on mountain ridges.
All this - and
more besides – is there for you to discover when
you visit the Isle of Elba and make your way along the
numerous trails in the National Park with a knapsack
on your back, on horseback, on a mountain bike or as
you plough the waves in a canoe or sailing boat.
Daily excursions are organised, accompanied by a guide,
on mountain bike, on foot or in a kayak around the island
or in the splendid nearby Island of Pianosa.
Diving in the Elban sea is every
scuba-diver’s dream, and of course all relative
services are provided. And a wide variety of seabed
scenarios is there for you to explore: shallows, submerged
shoals, mountain faces that plunge deep into the sea,
magnificent places where you can admire a multitude
of marine fauna and flora.
| Elba’s
wealth lies not only in its natural resources,
but also in its history and culture. The traditional
folk festivals are an absolute must , some of
which are quite outstanding and enthralling, like
the Inamorata legend pageant and the Wine Festival,
as well as firework displays, village fêtes,
cinemas, concerts and theatre shows.
In the summer months numerous
competitions and races are held, many of which
of international importance: sailing-boat, windsurf,
mountain bike, walking and golf competitions,
vintage car rallies; these and other sports
events all fit well into the island environment.
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Although
the islands are small, there is a wide variety
of scenery: from Elba’s indented and complex
landscape to the Pianosa plateau, to the rocky
cone of Montecristo. Along the coasts forged
by the sea, cliffs and grottos alternate with
little beaches protected by wild promontories,
while a variety of flowers in bloom cover the
rocks and crags, reminding us of man’s
millennial presence.
The island’s
characteristic vegetation consists of “high”
shrubs, mainly heather and strawberry trees,
combined with lentisk and myrtle.
Low shrubs grow in the windier areas, where
red rock roses and marine rock roses prevail.
A fine forest of a mixture of hop-hornbeam,
common alder and chestnut trees, with relict
specimens of yew, cover the slopes of Mt. Capanne
on the Isle of Elba. Endemisms, which are present
in only some of the islands, like the Elba violet
and cornflower and the wild snapdragon of Capraia,
are particularly interesting.
Birds are an important part of
the faunal patrimony which includes the herring
gull (600 nesting pairs) the Corsican gull (approx
200 pairs), shag (30 pairs), Cory’s shearwater
and puffin, raven, peregrine falcon, solitary
thrush and wild pigeon, in addition to a large
number of migratory species.
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Elba
has a classic maritime climate, with mild temperatures
even in the winter months. There are few rainy
days, especially in the summer.
The prevailing wind is Sirocco (from the south-east),
although it rarely blows with great intensity;
during the summer months it alternates in the
afternoon with a cooler north-westerly wind (Maestrale)
which contributes to lessen the sultry atmosphere
and make days spent on the beach more enjoyable.
Conversely,
when the strong south-westerly wind (Libeccio)
and westerly wind (Ponente) blow, albeit less
frequently, they tend to make the sea swell
considerably.
Ferry connections between the island and the
mainland are rarely suspended due to bad weather
and this may occur at the most once or twice
a year, and rarely for a whole day.
The bitter Tramontana north wind and Gregale
from the north-east rarely blow, except on a
few sporadic days in the winter, and thanks
to the particular conformation of the coastline,
the island invariably provides shelter from
the blustering wind.
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