In a nutshell
- Elba has over 100 beaches, each with its own character. Here are our 6 favorites — the ones we’d actually go back to.
- For families, the sandy bays of Fetovaia and Cavoli are hard to beat — calm water, gentle slopes, and a great atmosphere.
- Into snorkeling? Head to Sansone or Spiaggia del Relitto — there’s a sunken ship just 150 meters offshore that you can spot from the surface with a diving mask.
- Want to skip the crowds entirely? Rent a boat and explore the Elba island beaches that can only be reached from the water — they’re almost always empty.
Map of the Most Beautiful Beaches in Elba
Elba has around 150 kilometers of coastline and over 100 beaches — but which ones are actually worth your time?
We’ve picked 6 of the best beaches in Elba and marked them on this map so you can plan your days easily.
Sansone Beach: The Most Spectacular Beach in Elba
- Perfect for: Taking photos, snorkeling, diving
- Beach: Pebbles
- Hotel tip: Hotel Paradiso (15 minutes on foot)
Sansone is one of the most iconic beaches in Elba — and honestly, it earns the reputation.
Even the walk down is a highlight in itself: a footpath winds down the hillside from the main road, and along the way you get a breathtaking panorama of the bay and the sea. Perfect for photos!
The beach is made up of smooth, light-colored pebbles and the water is completely clear. Fish swim right up to the shore, making this a fantastic spot for snorkeling.
There’s a beach bar and sun lounger rental at typical Elba prices: two loungers and an umbrella cost €30 per day.
How to get to Sansone Beach:
Sansone Beach is located near Portoferraio. From the SP27 road that runs from Portoferraio to Viticcio, a small path leads down to the beach — you’ll recognize it by the cars always parked along the roadside there.
The walk down from the road takes about 15 minutes.
You can park along the road, but try to arrive as early as possible — spots fill up fast!
Laconella Beach: Unspoiled and Never Overcrowded
- Perfect for: Escaping the tourist crowds
- Beach: Sand and pebbles
- Hotel tip: BnB Il Grecale (5–10 minutes on foot)
Laconella Beach stretches about 200 meters and has a very gradual slope into the water.
That makes it ideal for non-swimmers and families — you can wade quite a distance through clear, shallow water before it gets deep.
The beach sits near the much more famous Lacona Beach. While Lacona has bars and sun lounger rentals, Laconella is completely unspoiled — which means far fewer crowds, but just as much beauty.
At the eastern end you’ll find rocks, so there’s also good snorkeling and jumping spots here.
How to get to Laconella Beach:
From Via Laconella, a narrow path winds through the scrub down to the beach. You can park in the lot at Camping Laconella.
Cavoli Beach: Swimming Like You're in the Caribbean
- Perfect for: Swimming in spring or fall
- Beach: Sand
- Hotel tip: Hotel Baia Imperiale (5 minutes on foot)
Cavoli is one of the most popular Elba island beaches — and it’s easy to see why.
The gently sloping sandy beach works for pretty much everyone: families, water sports enthusiasts, and even night owls, since beach bar parties kick off here after sunset too.
The sand is fine and light-colored, the water is crystal-clear — you’ll genuinely feel like you’ve landed in the Caribbean.
One thing that sets Cavoli apart is its microclimate: thanks to its south-facing orientation and the sheltered bay, the water stays a touch warmer than elsewhere. You can still comfortably swim well into late September.
The beach has several bars, sun lounger rentals, and paddleboat hire.
How to get to Cavoli Beach:
Cavoli Beach sits on the southern coast in the village of the same name, between Fetovaia and Marina di Campo. From Marina di Campo, it’s about a ten-minute drive.
There’s a parking lot at the beach where you pay €2 per hour. You can also take the bus from Marina di Campo.
Fetovaia Beach: Fine Sand and Sheltered from the Wind
- Perfect for: Relaxing and safe swimming
- Beach: Sand
- Hotel tip: Hotel Galli (15 minutes on foot)
Fetovaia is a seriously lovely spot — one of the best beaches in Elba for families and anyone after a genuinely relaxed beach day.
The beach sits tucked into a bay and is completely sheltered from the wind, so the water is always calm and gentle. The very gradual slope means non-swimmers can enjoy it with total confidence.
Most of the beach is taken up by paid beach clubs, but there are a few free sections too.
Fetovaia is really popular, so in peak season get there early!
Our tip: After your beach day, don’t skip Restaurant Calamarata right next to the beach. The menu is small, but everything is freshly made and seriously delicious. Make a reservation — it fills up fast!
How to get to Fetovaia Beach:
The beach is about ten kilometers from Marina di Campo. From the main road 25, shortly after the town entrance, look for a small road signed “mare” — that leads to the two parking lots.
Parking costs €18 per day or €12 for half a day. You can also take the bus from Marina di Campo to Fetovaia.
Spiaggia del Relitto: With a Sunken Ship
- Perfect for: Snorkeling and diving
- Beach: Rocks and pebbles
- Hotel tip: Hotel Corallo (5 minutes on foot)
Spiaggia del Relitto — the Wreck Beach — is on the western coast of Elba and is made up of pebbles and rounded stones.
The big draw is the sunken cargo ship Elviscot, which went down in the seventies and now rests 150 meters from shore at a depth of 12 meters.
You don’t need to be a certified diver to see it — with just a diving mask, you can make out the wreck clearly from the surface.
For divers, it’s even more exciting: you can actually swim inside the wreck.
The beach has paddleboat and sun lounger rentals. Renting a lounger is definitely worth it here — otherwise you’re lying on rocks all day.
How to get to the Wreck Beach:
The beach sits right along the main road SP25, which circles the entire western coast of Elba. From Marina di Campo it’s about 20 minutes by car, and from Portoferraio around 45 minutes.
There’s a paid parking lot nearby, costing €2 per hour.
Viticcio: Our Insider Tip for Elba
- Perfect for: Snorkeling and relaxing
- Beach: Sand
- Hotel tip: Hotel Paradiso, Hotel Viticcio (with private paths to the beach)
Empty beaches are hard to find in Elba — but they do exist!
Viticcio is one of those places. Here you’ll find several hidden little sandy coves teeming with fish, surrounded by rock walls that keep things pleasantly shady in the mornings.
The only way to reach them is via steep paths down the rock face.
There is one catch: the paths cross the private property of the Viticcio and Paradiso hotels, so they’re only accessible to hotel guests.
If you haven’t booked accommodation yet, we’d genuinely recommend one of these two — you’ll have these little coves right on your doorstep.
Not a guest? You can still reach the beaches by boat, since the beaches themselves are public.
Note: You can rent boats in pretty much every fishing village on Elba — and for a motorized inflatable boat, you don’t need a license.
How to get to Viticcio:
Viticcio is located near Portoferraio. Take the main road SP27 from Portoferraio — it ends right in Viticcio. The drive takes about ten minutes.
Alternatively, rent a boat in the nearby village of Biodola and approach Viticcio’s beaches from the sea. Biodola also has a really beautiful beach of its own!
General Tips for Your Beach Vacation in Elba
Arrive Early in the Morning
If you’re driving to the beaches in Elba, get there as early as you can. Parking is always limited and spots can fill up as early as 9 AM.
If you prefer to sleep in, book a hotel with a private beach, or plan your trip during the off-season!
Take the Marebus to the Beach
To take the parking headache out of the equation, several municipalities on Elba run the Marebus every summer.
It’s a small shuttle bus that runs from Capoliveri, Porto Azzurro, or Portoferraio to the most beautiful nearby beaches — and it’s completely free.
The bus runs once an hour, with the first departure usually between 8 and 9 AM. Super convenient!
Explore Secluded Beaches by Boat
The easier a beach is to reach, the more crowded it tends to be. But there are plenty of spots on Elba that can only be accessed from the water — and those are wonderfully empty.
Renting a boat is actually one of the most popular activities on the island: you set your own pace and discover secluded dream beaches that most visitors never see.
You can rent a boat almost anywhere in Elba — full sailboats with a skipper, or small inflatable motorboats you can handle yourself without a license.
An inflatable motorboat for five people costs around €200 per day.
Book a Beach Vacation on Elba During the Off-Season
In Italy, peak travel season runs from mid-July to mid-August — that’s when cities empty out and beaches fill up.
And since Elba is popular with both Italians and international visitors, the island gets absolutely packed during this window.
For a beach vacation, this is honestly not the best time: parking is nearly impossible, sun loungers are fully booked, and accommodation prices are at their peak.
We’d strongly suggest traveling in September or June instead — it’s not vacation season in Italy then, but it’s still warm enough for a great beach holiday. That’s when Elba really shines!
