Napoleon's Island and the Jewel of Tuscany
Elba is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the coast of Tuscany, and the largest in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park. It is the third-largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia, with about 224 square kilometres of granite peaks, pine-scented slopes, vineyards and more than a hundred beaches and coves. Its landscape is unusually varied: sandy bays to the south, rugged cliffs to the west, old iron-mining country in the east and a mountain, Monte Capanne, rising to about 1,019 metres above the sea.
History gives Elba its romance. Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled here in 1814 and ruled the island for about ten months, leaving behind two residences: the Villa dei Mulini in Portoferraio and the countryside Villa San Martino. Earlier, Etruscans and Romans prized Elba's iron ore, and the mines around Rio Marina still tell that story. Today the island blends outdoor life with a gentle Tuscan sense of leisure, and the local sweet Aleatico wine and fresh seafood suppers keep the mood easy and warm.
Sandy Coves, Mountain Cable Cars and Island Tables
Beach choices are generous. Marina di Campo and Procchio offer long, family-friendly sweeps of sand, Fetovaia and Cavoli are loved for their clear water and rocky frames, and Sant'Andrea is a favourite for sunset. Away from the shore, a cable car from Marciana climbs towards the summit of Monte Capanne, rewarding visitors with views across the archipelago and, on clear days, towards Corsica. Walkers, cyclists and sea kayakers all find routes here, and hilltop villages such as Marciana and Capoliveri deliver stone lanes and trattorie.
The table is part of the experience: cacciucco fish stew, stuffed squid, schiaccia briaca, the sweet bread of Elba, and local white wines sit beside simple grilled catch of the day. Elba pairs naturally with a mainland Tuscan stay, from Tuscany itself to Portoferraio, the island's capital and port. A hotel group could showcase Elba as a classic Italian beach holiday with real depth, since history, hiking and swimming-quality coves share one compact island.
Read the full Elba guide on Visit Travel Group, or see ElbaIsland.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.