Elba is the biggest island of the Tuscan Archipelago. It can be reached by just an hour's ferry ride from Piombino and has an area of 224 square km and a coastline of 147 km. The highest mountain is Monte Capanne with its 1018 metres. The island offers a territory rich in marine as well as mountain flora and fauna. Elba is well prepared for tourism; there are about 200 hotels, 50 residences, 30 camping sites, and 30 farm house inns. The number of residents on the island is a little more than twenty thousand.

Legend tells us, when the Greek goddess Venus emerged from the waves of the sea, seven gemstones fell from her tiara. Each of these gemstones became an island in the Tuscan Archipelago. They are Elba, Giglio, Capraia, Gorgona, Pianosa, Giannutri and Montecristo.

The Island of Elba is especially interesting from a geological point of view. It is mountainous in the west and in the east where lots of minerals and marble are found, while the plains of the central area are made up of clay, sandstone and limestone.

These parts must be the result of the rise of two flows of magma, which cooled down within the earth's crust. The surface of the cooled magma in the west resulted in the mountain group Capanne, exposing the splendid crystallization of tourmaline, quartz and aquamarine. The eastern magma flow has almost entirely remained beneath the surface, covered by earth. On the eastern side you find the famous iron minerals which greatly affected the history, the economy and the landscape of the Island. The Island of Elba is one of the world's most famous mineral and historic mining sites.?Such extraordinary geological wealth is being promoted by the Tuscan Archipelago National Park. UNESCO has introduced the mining areas of Elba onto the provisional list of geological sites of the World Heritage.

Virgil and other classical authors have described the activities in the iron mines and granite quarries in the Greek Aethalia and the Roman Ilva times. Aethalia (fire) was the most famous name by which the Island of Elba was known in the ancient world. The Greeks of the 5th century BC called it thus because of the fires that rose from the ovens used to melt iron.

The first inhabitants of the island were the Ilvatians. (a Ligurian population from whom the Romans subsequently named the island: ILVA.) Afterwards the Etruscans came to the island for exploiting the minerals. When the supply of wood was exhausted (they needed for the ovens), they moved to the surroundings of Populonia. In the second half of 480 BC the Romans conquered Elba. We can find different reminders of their presence, like the villas at Portoferraio and Cavo.

After the fall of Rome, there came the first barbarian invasions and the first arrival of monks; S. Cerbone, the best known, established himself in the sixth century in the woods between Poggio and Marciana where the hermitage still exists. For centuries the island was the subject of sacking and pillaging by pirates. In the start of the year one thousand the Pisan republic was charged by the Pope with the defense of Elba from the Saracens and established their rule over the island. From that period came the numerous watch towers present on Elba. The island stayed a battleground for many centuries to come, culminating in the attacks of the legendary pirate Barbarossa, head of the Turkish fleet, which destroyed the towns of Grassera and Ferraja (Portoferraio).

In 1546 Carlo V, King of Spain, took Elba from the "Appiani" and it stayed under Spanish rule for about a century. Philip II of Spain built two beautiful fortresses, which we can see today; Fort Focardo and Fort S. Giacomo. The inhabitants of Elba endured the events of the continuous struggles between different conquerors with grace.

In 1802 Portoferraio was liberated by the English, but shortly after the whole island was annexed by France. The French initiated the economy of Elba to flourish; infrastructure and maritime traffic were increased. With the Treaty of Fontainebleau, the Island of Elba, together with the Principality of Piombino, was assigned to Napoleon and he stayed here as an exile from the third of May 1814 until the twenty-sixth of February 1815. After the notorious hundred days, at the congress of Vienna, Elba was retained by the Grand duke of Tuscany and in 1860 reunited with the kingdom of Italy. The period up until the end of this century was known as the years of great misery. The development of the modern iron and steel industry helped Elba with a notable economic growth and a population explosion until the Second World War. In the first years of the 50's, when Elba was rediscovered by tourism, a new era started.

The island is divided into eight communes: Portoferraio, Campo nell'Elba, Capoliveri, Marciana, Marciana Marina, Porto Azzurro, Rio Marina and Rio nell'Elba.

The Island of Elba is a "Walhalla" for mountaineers, trekkers, divers and geologists, but there is on Elba everything a tourist heart can desire.

Some of its attractions are

The fortress "Falcone"

Positioned on the highest part of Portoferraio, it was without any doubt the strongest of all fortresses on Elba and there for the official residence of Napoleon and his sister Pauline. Inside there is a museum with numerous mementos that belonged to the General.

Villa di San Martino

Villa San Martino is located in the valley of San Martino. 5 kilometres from Portoferraio and was Napoleon's country residence. The Egyptian Room and the Demidoff Gallery are worth a visit. Open: Every day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.( it is closed on Mondays.)

The Linguella Archaeological Museum

In the Torre Del Martello, at the entrance to the old Port, offers a methodical picture of ancient history, through finds made at the Archipelago's main archaeological sites. Open: From 1 October to 17 November: 10 a.m.?- 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.?- 7.40 p.m. Closed on Mondays.

The Pinacoteca Foresiana

Housed in the "Caserma De Laugier", a building in the historical centre. It was built in 1603 as a Franciscan convent and now an cultural centre, with a collection of 18th and 19th century paintings.

The International Art Center at San Martino (Portoferraio)

5 km from Portoferraio, was set up by Italo Bolano in 1964. The open-air museum is in the valley of San Martino. Here you find different monuments, standing like columns in harmony with ten thousand square metres of typical Mediterranean vegetation. The artist's permanent art gallery in the same area is also open to visitors. Open: Until mid October: 10 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. and 4 p.m. - 7.30 p.m.

The Elba Aquarium

Spread over an area of approximately 1000 square metres. There are about sixty aquariums, containing over 130.000 litres of water, making it the second largest Aquarium in Italy. (After the Genoa Aquarium) At the present time, there are approximately 150 different Mediterranean marine species on show.

Exhibition of the Art and Minerals of Elba

Palazzo della Concessionaria "Il Buro" Via Magenta, 26 - Rio Marina. There are approximately 1000 exhibits, displayed in 24 show-cases. The museum provides detailed information on the places of origin of the items on display.

Rio nell' Elba

This quaint medieval town is situated at an altitude of 155 metres, 25 km from Portoferraio and a population of 900, is absolutely worth a visit, like walking back in time.

For more information visit

• Aptelba
• Isle Park