In a nutshell
- Elba may not be huge, but there are tons of highlights to discover. We’ll show you the best things to do in Elba — and what’s truly worth your time.
- Our personal favorites: a stroll through the staircase alleys of Portoferraio and a ride on the cable car up Monte Capanne — from the top you can see the entire Tuscan Archipelago.
- Elba is home to some of the most spectacular beaches in Italy. Our top pick is Sansone Beach, with its towering white cliffs and crystal-clear water.
All Elba Highlights on One Map
Elba is one of the most beautiful islands in Europe and has a lot to offer for such a small island. The top things to do in Elba are scattered all across the island. To give you a better overview, we’ve marked all the highlights on one map.
Portoferraio
Portoferraio is the capital of Elba and also the largest town on the island.
You could easily spend a whole day here: strolling up the staircase alleys, catching glimpses of the sea around every corner, and walking up to the imposing fortress above the town.
The fortress is absolutely worth a visit. From the fortress walls, you get a breathtaking panorama of Portoferraio, the harbor, and the sea. From up here you can also spot the seriously beautiful beach Le Viste, with crystal-clear water and pale rocky cliffs.
Monte Capanne
Monte Capanne is the highest mountain on Elba, rising over 1,000 meters. From the top, you get a truly impressive view of the entire island and the other six islands of the Tuscan Archipelago.
From the mountain village of Marciana, there’s a cable car station that takes you all the way to the summit.
The ride up is quite an adventure — you travel in yellow metal baskets that hold a maximum of two people standing. So you’d better not be afraid of heights!
At the top there’s a café with an observation terrace and a helicopter landing pad. The ride takes about 18 minutes.
Mountain Village Capoliveri
Capoliveri is Elba’s most lively town, where the nights really come alive.
For a night out, Capoliveri is great: there are a few clubs, plenty of wine bars, restaurants, and shops open until midnight.
But Capoliveri is also beautiful during the day, with winding alleyways, artisan boutiques, and the Piazza Matteotti with views out to the open sea.
If it’s too hot during the day, make sure to come for sunset — it’s absolutely gorgeous with a glass of wine and a view of the sea!
Porto Azzurro
Porto Azzurro is a small fishing village with the most beautiful harbor on Elba. It’s no coincidence that Porto Azzurro translates to “Blue Harbor.”
With its colorful little houses and many boats, the harbor is one of the most photographed scenes on Elba.
The lively little town is full of restaurants, cafés, and boutiques. Beaches are only found outside the town, as the coastline here is very rocky.
That’s also why Porto Azzurro is a smart base on Elba: because the town isn’t exactly ideal for a beach vacation, hotel prices aren’t quite as high as elsewhere on the island.
Mountain Village Marciana
Marciana is one of the oldest mountain villages on Elba and is over 2,000 years old.
It sits on the slopes of Monte Capanne and is full of alleyways, old staircases, and medieval houses — with glimpses of the sea or the surrounding forests around every corner.
Above the village stand the remains of a medieval fortress you can also visit. It was built when Elba was under the rule of Pisa, hence the name Fortezza Pisana.
From the watchtowers, you get a great view of the sea and the surrounding landscape.
Marina di Campo
Marina di Campo is the most popular beach resort on Elba — and it’s easy to see why, with its 1.5-kilometer-long sandy beach, the longest on the island.
It’s a great spot if you want to take an evening stroll along a beachfront promenade and have a wide selection of trattorias to choose from.
In July and August, Marina di Campo gets incredibly busy and the beach is packed. That’s why it doesn’t make our list of favorite beaches on Elba. But you’ll have everything you need right on-site, so we do recommend the town for a relaxed beach vacation.
Mineral Park
Even in ancient times, mining was Elba’s most important source of income, primarily for the extraction of iron ore. The most important mining area was the Giove Valley, just outside Rio Marina.
This is where Elba’s Mineral Park is located today. In the red-yellow-orange moonscape, you can search for crystals yourself and take guided tours through the abandoned mine shafts.
A visit to the Mineral Park starts in Rio Marina at the Mining Museum. Here you can learn about life in the mines through original artifacts and see enormous crystals that were found on Elba.
From the Mining Museum, a small narrow-gauge train takes you out to the Mineral Park.
Our tip: Even if you’re not into hunting for minerals, the surreal landscape is a fantastic spot to take really cool photos.
Volterraio Castle
Volterraio Castle is the oldest fortress on Elba and was built by the Etruscans.
You can actually spot it from the ferry from Piombino.
The remains of the castle sit on a steep rock at about 400 meters above sea level, offering a spectacular vista of land and sea.
You can only visit the interior of the fortress with a guide — you can book a tour at the tourist office. But even without a tour, the climb up to the castle is totally worth it, as the view is one of the best on Elba. And it’s most stunning at sunset!
Note: A fairly rocky trail leads from the parking lot to the castle, so sturdy shoes are a must.
Napoleon's Villas
Napoleon spent almost a year in exile on Elba and had two residences: the Villa dei Mulini in Portoferraio and the Villa San Martino, further inland.
Both villas make up the Museo delle Residenze Napoleoniche — the Museum of Napoleon’s Residences. The villas aren’t large, but it’s genuinely fascinating to see Napoleon’s personal belongings.
In the library of the Villa dei Mulini, for example, you’ll find books Napoleon brought from France, his personal travel bed, and an original dress belonging to his sister, who also lived in the villa.
The garden of the Villa San Martino is particularly beautiful, with a great view of Portoferraio and the sea.
The ticket costs €6 and is valid for both villas. It can only be purchased on-site.
Neighboring Island Pianosa
If you’re vacationing on Elba, you really should take a day trip to the small neighboring island of Pianosa.
Pianosa is known for its unspoiled nature and stunning beaches. However, only the beach Cala Giovanna is open for swimming.
Pianosa is also a prison island, similar to Alcatraz in San Francisco. The walls of a former maximum-security prison still stand here — it was closed in the 1990s.
Most parts of the island can only be visited with a guide, as the goal is to preserve the island’s unspoiled nature. Only in the village are you free to explore on your own. There you’ll find a small restaurant, two museums, a fortress, and Roman catacombs.
Ferries run daily from Elba — from Marina di Campo and Porto Azzurro — to Pianosa. The crossing takes about an hour.
The Most Beautiful Beaches on Elba
All beaches on Elba are beautiful, but a few truly stand out. These are the beaches you absolutely have to visit:
- Sansone Beach: towering cliffs, grottoes filled with colorful fish, and crystal-clear water — Sansone Beach is the most impressive beach on Elba.
- Fetovaia Beach: golden sand surrounded by pine trees and sheltered from the wind — Fetovaia Beach is the perfect swimming beach for families.
- Cavoli Beach: light-colored sand, sheltered from the wind, with rocky cliffs at the edges — from Cavoli Beach you can see the two islands of Pianosa and Montecristo. The beach is also known for its beach parties.
We’ve written up the beaches we love most on Elba in a separate article, including an under-the-radar pick:
Activities on Elba
Elba is the perfect vacation island if you don’t just want to lie on the beach but also want to get out and explore. Here’s everything you can do on Elba:
Snorkel to a Sunken Ship
Near the beach at Pomonte, on the southwestern coast of Elba, the sunken cargo ship Elviscot has rested at a depth of 12 meters for over 50 years.
Experienced divers can explore the bridge, dive through the smokestack into the engine room, where the ship’s engine is still clearly visible.
But since the wreck isn’t all that deep, you can also see it from the surface with a mask and snorkel — it’s only 150 meters from the beach.
Explore Mountain Villages
Elba’s many mountain villages are absolutely worth a visit.
Among the best known, alongside Marciana and Capoliveri, are Rio nell’Elba, with its colorful little houses, and Poggio, which sits near the summit of Monte Capanne.
In summer, the villages are a bit cooler thanks to their elevation, and you always have a wonderful view of the surrounding forests stretching all the way to the sea. Plus, the trattorias in the villages are always a great place to try genuinely delicious, home-style Elban cooking.
Take a Sailing Course
Water sports are especially popular on Elba, and there are plenty of sailing centers offering courses for all levels.
In Bagnaia, on the northern coast of Elba, there’s a sailing center that also offers diving courses — with special sailing programs for children aged six and up.
Explore Hiking Trails
With its many viewpoints and protected natural landscape, Elba is simply perfect for hiking. There are plenty of trails suited for both beginners and more experienced hikers.
A lovely route that even kids can handle is the Carmignani Walk. It’s only one kilometer long and leads from Porto Azzurro to the Barbarossa beach.
But there are more challenging options too: the GTE, Grande Traversata Elbana, is Elba’s main hiking trail, crossing the entire island. It stretches about 58 kilometers.
Several hiking trails of varying difficulty levels also lead up to Monte Capanne.
Try Elban Cuisine
The food on Elba is really excellent, and to sample the local dishes, you should definitely go on a tasting. You can do this at the farm Terra e Cuore, above Porto Azzurro.
In summer, the farm hosts tastings with a view of the sea, featuring grilled meat, local wine, cheese, and homegrown vegetables.
Where to Stay on Elba
Most hotels on Elba are located on or near the beach. In July and August, a beachfront hotel costs around €250 to €350 per night; in other months it’s more affordable.
These are the three hotels we recommend on Elba for their good value for money and beachfront location:
For more hotel search tips and the best places to stay on Elba, check out our hotel tips for Elba.
