Heavily forested, but sprinkled with granite outcroppings, Elba is a study of deep green and pink. Dominated by a chain of mountains, the tallest ones are to the West, with the highest peak being Monte Capanne.
HISTORY
Colonized since around 3000 BC,
people were originally drawn to
Elba for its wealth of metals.
Started by the discovery of
copper during the Copper Age,
and continuing on through the
Bronze Age, as the residents
alloyed it into bronze. The
copper was depleted just as the
world entered the Iron Age.
Fortunately for Elba, the island
also contained vast deposits of
iron ore. When the steel mills
on Elba were closed after World
War II, tourism was developed as
the new source of wealth. Today
the Island boasts of 35,000
residents and upwards of
2,000,000 visitors on a yearly
basis.
ECONOMY
Tourism has now assumed increasing importance. The island has museums, sport centers, one golf club, riding-schools, diving centers and sailing schools, amusement parks for children and adults. At the highest peak stands Monte Capanne, (1,018 meters) a popular hiking destination. Established summer resorts are Procchio, Marciana Marina, Marciana, and those on the Gulf of Biodola in the north, Marina di Campo on the south coast, and Porto Azzurro, with its great Spanish fort (1602; now a prison), facing the mainland. This growing and renowned tourist spot of Italy is also famous for its wine production. Elba’s mild climate supports a varied vegetation of Mediterranean type, with rich olive groves and vineyards. Traditional employment includes anchovy, sardine, and tuna fishing as well as iron ore mining on the east coast.
CRUISE SHIP SCHEDULES TO
LIVORNO FOR 2011:
HERE
GETTING THERE
There are two ferries leaving from Piombino, one goes to Rio Marina and the other goes to Portoferraio. Check their websites below:
Moby: www.mobylines.com/offers/elba-island.html
Toremar: http://www.toremar.it/pages_it/index.asp
GETTING AROUND
Four Wheels
If you’re ferrying your car
across the sea, the roads in
Elba are good and it is not too
difficult to drive here.
Alternately you can rent a car.
If
you're going to spend your time in Portoferraio,
almost all of it is accessible on foot. The climb to
Napoleon's city house and to the fortresses can be
difficult for those with mobility problems, but
there are plenty of taxis. There are also tourist
vans that do a tour of the city and surrounding
areas, and during the summer, from the end of May to
the end of August, there's a little tourist train
(on wheels) that offers a series of different
sightseeing tours from two to four Euros. All
options are easily accessed from the parking lot in
front of the ship's dock.
Two Wheels
Rent scooters and bikes from
around 38€-49€ a day and bikes 8€ upwards.
Public Transport
Elba has a good bus service and the starting point
is at Viale Elba 20 in Portoferraio. These buses
travel to all regions of the island and the drivers
will drop you off where you want. These buses
operate between 8am and 8pm in summer and between
7:40am and 1:20pm and again from 4pm to 6:05pm
during winter.
CAMPERS
You’ll find plenty of camping opportunities on the island. But before you pitch tent, ask at the tourist office for a catalog of campgrounds as you can’t pitch your tent everywhere.
Elba is speckled with picturesque villages - Marciana, Capoliveri, Porto Azzurro, Cavo and Rio Marino - and remote hamlets - San Piero in Campo and Capo d'Arco.
