In a nutshell
- Elba has several distinct towns to base yourself in — each with its own vibe and advantages. This guide helps you pick the right one.
- Marina di Campo: home to Elba’s longest sandy beach and great infrastructure. Our top pick: Hotel Barracuda — set in a palm garden with a pool, just minutes from the beach.
- Capoliveri is the perfect base if you want to party at night as well. Our top pick: Hotel Antares — right on the beach with its own sun loungers. A rare find on Elba!
- Marciana Marina: perfect for a quieter stay without all the tourist bustle. Our top pick: Marina Garden Hotel — seriously good value with modern rooms and a lovely palm garden.
How much does a hotel on Elba cost?
Elba is one of the most beautiful islands in Europe and seriously popular with tourists. That’s why it — just like the rest of Tuscany — is not a budget destination.
Most hotels on the island are located directly on the water or at least close to the beach.
That comes at a price: in July and August, even the most basic hotels cost at least 200 euros per night.
For a nice room with modern furnishings and maybe a hotel pool, you’ll easily pay 300 euros per night.
Outside of peak season it’s a bit more affordable: in June and on a trip in September, you can get a simple hotel room at the beach for 150 euros. During these months you can still enjoy a great beach vacation on Elba.
The best places to stay on Elba
Every town on Elba has its own character. Here we introduce you to the four best spots to base yourself — all of them right on the water:
- Marina di Campo: Ideal if you want the complete beach vacation package. Long sandy beach, plenty of restaurants, and lots of entertainment.
- Capoliveri: Ideal if you also want to go out at night. The best combination of beach vacation and nightlife.
- Marciana Marina: Ideal if you’re looking for peace and quiet and don’t need fancy restaurants.
- Porto Azzurro: Ideal if you want to spend less money.
The most beautiful spots on Elba at a glance on a map
We’ve marked the best places to stay on Elba on a map so you can get a quick overview of where they sit on the island.
Staying in Marina di Campo
A hotel in Marina di Campo is the best choice if you want to spend a lot of time at the beach and have a wide selection of restaurants, boutiques, and entertainment.
Marina di Campo is the most popular beach resort on Elba, home to the island’s longest sandy beach. It’s not quite among our picks for the most beautiful beaches on Elba, but you’ll find everything you need for a relaxed beach vacation here.
The 1.5-kilometer-long beach slopes very gently, and its fine sand is lined with beach clubs, boat rentals, and beach bars.
During the summer months, Marina di Campo is incredibly lively: there are plenty of restaurants, a pedestrian zone with cafés and boutiques, a long beachfront promenade, and several hotels.
Because the town is so popular, book your accommodation in Marina di Campo well in advance — things fill up fast.
Advantages of staying in Marina di Campo:
- Longest sandy beach on Elba, perfect for swimming
- Lots of entertainment, shops, and restaurants
- Good selection of hotels
Disadvantages of staying in Marina di Campo:
- No hotels under 200 euros per night
- About a 30-minute drive from the capital Portoferraio
- A large portion of the beach is taken up by paid beach clubs
Our hotel recommendations for Marina di Campo
Because Marina di Campo is so popular, Elba hotels here are pretty expensive: in summer, you won’t find anything under 200 euros per night. And everything books up early!
We recommend the Hotel Barracuda. It’s not exactly cheap either, but it’s set in the middle of a palm garden, has an outdoor pool, and the rooms are really stylish with individual décor.
A somewhat more affordable option is the Hotel Meridiana. The décor is a bit dated, but the hotel is only 150 meters from the beach and offers free bike rentals.
Good and affordable
Better
Luxurious
Staying in Capoliveri
A hotel in Capoliveri is the best choice if you want to go out and party in the evenings.
Capoliveri sits on a hilltop above the sea and is known for stunning sunsets, medieval alleyways, and a lively nightlife scene.
If you want to head out for a cocktail or some live music in the evening, Capoliveri is your spot. The town is so beautiful that it’s one of our picks for the top highlights on Elba.
Most hotels are down by the beach, so not directly in Capoliveri itself. But you can easily reach the old quarter from the beach on foot or by car.
From the central Piazza Matteotti you get a wonderful panoramic view of the sea and the rooftops. There are many trattorias, a few clubs and wine bars, and boutiques lined up one after another.
Most shops stay open until midnight in summer, and the streets are buzzing right up until then.
Advantages of staying in Capoliveri:
- Lower accommodation prices
- Something going on until late in the evening
- Beautiful views of the sea
Disadvantages of staying in Capoliveri:
- The beaches in the area are small and fill up quickly
- The historic center gets very crowded in summer
- Most hotels are down by the beach, so you’ll need to make your way into town to go out
Our hotel recommendations for Capoliveri
A true beach hotel is the Hotel Antares, with a pool and a private beach. Most hotels on Elba don’t have their own beach, and since Elba’s beaches can get crowded fast, having hotel-reserved sun loungers is definitely a bonus.
To get to the village, you’ll need a car or a rental bike — but that’s pretty much the case at most hotels in Capoliveri.
Good and affordable
Better
Luxurious
Staying in Marciana Marina
A hotel in Marciana Marina is the best choice if you’re looking for peace and relaxation and don’t need stylish restaurants.
Marciana Marina is located on the northern coast of Elba and is one of the smallest towns on the island.
There’s a small harbor, several cafés and restaurants, and a 1.2-kilometer-long sandy and pebbly beach — yet it’s never too crowded here.
You won’t find any clubs or chic boutiques; life here is simple and unhurried. But there are plenty of typical trattorias, gelato shops, a beachfront promenade, and lots of greenery.
Marciana Marina is honestly perfect if you just want to switch off and recharge.
Advantages of staying in Marciana Marina:
- Not as touristy as other beach resorts on Elba
- Lower accommodation prices
- Directly on the beach
Disadvantages of staying in Marciana Marina:
- Only a small selection of hotels
- Not as glamorous as Marina di Campo or Capoliveri
- The beach is long but very narrow
Our hotel recommendations for Marciana Marina
In Marciana Marina we recommend the Marina Garden Hotel. By Elba’s standards, it offers excellent value for money — modern rooms, a lovely palm garden, and a pool.
Staying in Porto Azzurro
A hotel in Porto Azzurro is the best choice if you don’t need a beach right on your doorstep but still want to experience the typical charm of a fishing village in Italy.
Porto Azzurro, with its colorful little houses surrounding the small boat harbor, is a true postcard-perfect scene.
There’s a lovely harbor promenade lined with trattorias and boutiques, a lively historic district, and above all, much cheaper lodging than elsewhere on Elba.
That’s because Porto Azzurro has no beach right in town, so hotels have to bring their prices down.
There’s only the tiny pebble beach Spiaggia della Pianotta, which you can reach on foot from Porto Azzurro. All other beaches are a few kilometers away.
Advantages of staying in Porto Azzurro:
- Lower accommodation prices
- Lively old town right on the water
- Most beautiful harbor on Elba
Disadvantages of staying in Porto Azzurro:
- All beaches are outside of Porto Azzurro
- The beaches in the area are all small and fill up quickly
- Porto Azzurro gets overcrowded during peak season
Our hotel recommendations for Porto Azzurro
Porto Azzurro has a relatively large selection of hotels. Many advertise being close to the beach — but keep in mind that the beaches around Porto Azzurro are very small and get packed in summer.
We recommend the Hotel Plaza, which has a pool and sits right next to the sea. If the beach below gets too crowded, you’ll always have the hotel pool with its sea view as a backup!
