Elba Review
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  • Things to see in Elba
    • Must See Elba
    • Port Towns of Elba >
      • Portoferraio
      • Porto Azzurro
      • Marina di Campo
      • Marciana Marina
      • Rio Marina
      • Cavo
    • Beach Resorts of Elba >
      • Biodola
      • Morcone
      • Procchio
      • Seccheto
      • Sant'Andrea
      • Chiessi
      • San Giovanni
      • Pomonte
    • Beaches of Elba >
      • Best Beaches of Elba
      • Capoliveri Beaches >
        • Lacona
        • Zuccale Beach
        • Lido di Capoliveri
        • Felciaio Beach
        • Innamorata Beach
        • Calanova Beach
        • Laconella Beach
        • Pareti Beach
        • Naregno Beach
        • Istia Beach
        • Barabarca Beach
        • Straccoligno Beach
        • Ferrato Beach
        • Malpasso Beach
        • Margidore Beach
        • Capo Pini
      • Portoferraio Beaches >
        • Sansone Beach
        • Padulella Beach
        • Forno Beach
        • Le Ghiaie Beach
        • Capo Bianco Beach
        • Enfola Beach
        • Seccione Beach
        • La Sorgente Beach
        • Scaglieri Beach
        • Sottobomba Beach
        • Ottone Beach
        • Viticcio Beach
        • Acquarilli Beach
        • Acquaviva Beach
        • Schiopparello Beach
      • Rio Beaches >
        • Bagnaia Beach
        • Nisporto Beach
        • Frugoso Beach
        • Ortano Beach
        • Nisportino Beach
        • Zupignano Beach
        • Cala Seregola Beach
        • Ripa Bianca Beach
        • Topinetti Beach
      • Marciana Beaches >
        • Cotoncello Beach
        • Spartaia Beach
        • Campo all Aia Beach
        • La Guardia Beach
        • Paolina Beach
        • Redinoce Beach
      • Porto Azzurro Beaches >
        • Barbarossa Beach
        • Reale Beach
        • La Rossa Beach
        • La Pianotta Beach
        • Mola Beach
      • Campo nell Elba Beaches >
        • Cavoli
        • Fetovaia
        • Colle di Palombaia Beach
        • Fonza Beach
      • Marciana Marina Beaches >
        • Phenicia Beach
        • Crocetta Beach
        • Bagno Sprizze
    • Hill Towns of Elba >
      • Capoliveri
      • Marciana
      • Rio nell'Elba
      • Poggio
    • Palazzina dei Mulini
  • Travel
    • Elba Ferry Tickets & Timetables
    • How to get to Elba
    • Buses in Elba
  • Elba Hotels
  • Elba
    • Communes of Elba

ELBA REVIEW

THE ENGLISH GUIDE TO THE ISLAND OF ELBA

Elba  Review


Elba Review is a guide to the beautiful island of Elba in Italy. The aim of the website is to shine a light on this beautiful island with photos and descriptions of the most interesting places to see. 

The name "Napoleon" seems inextricably linked whenever Elba is mentioned and despite there being some significant heritage from the famous French Emperor's time here, this pales into insignificance compared to the rugged natural beauty, golden beaches and charming hill towns that proliferate on Italy's third largest island (Sicily and Sardinia being the only bigger ones). 

Elba is the main island of the Tuscan Archipelago, an island group consisting of seven islands in total and situated between the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas. If somebody told you to sit down and create an ideal holiday island then the chances are it would look something like Elba.

​The island has an enormous number of beaches and around 70 of those are featured on this website. The beaches are some of the prettiest in Italy with the crystalline waters lapping up to shores of golden sands or bright white pebbles.
Of the beaches not to be missed I would put Sansone Beach somewhere near the top of the list in a group containing Cavoli, Biodola, Lacona and Padulella. Of course, saying which beaches are the best is always a matter of opinion and if you asked a hundred Elbesi (the people of Elba) for their own top threes you'd get lots of different answers. 

​Dotted around the island's shoreline are a number of Port Towns; the most important of those is Portoferraio, the capital of Elba and the first place most visitors see when they arrive by ferry. There are other ports that you can sail to from the Tuscan mainland as well: namely Cavo and Rio Marina. Porto Azzurro is one of the liveliest ports on the island while Marina di Campo and Marciana Marina offer enticing alternatives with their beaches, accommodation and restaurants. 

​It's really simple to drive around Elba; the roads are very well maintained and wide enough to allow for coaches, camper vans and buses so if you're in a car you have plenty of space. A car allows you to explore some of the Hill Towns of the interior such as Capoliveri, Marciana, Rio nell'Elba and the colourful Poggio. These hill towns are also a great place to find some cooler breezes in the hottest summer months. 

​You can find detailed information on travelling to and from the island with the Elba ferry Tickets and Timetables page, along with more ideas for places to see on the Must See Elba page. I've tried to make the website as useful as possible for potential visitors to the island so I really hope you find it to be a useful resource when planning your trip. 

Dion Protani: founder of Elba Review.

Elba  Highlights


Elba  In - Focus

The starting point for most people's adventures in Elba, Portoferraio ("Iron Port" in English), is the transport, administrative and cultural capital of the island. The mention of iron in the town's name gives reference to one of its principle historical functions as it was used to transport iron ore to and from the Italian mainland before the mining industry eventually died out in the 1970's. Situated in a strategically advantageous location, the town and its port have been much fought over since it was founded by Cosimo Medici in 1548 and one of the town's defining characteristics is its system of fortifications which surround -
Picture
Portoferraio
 - ​the port area and attest to the importance that was given to protecting it.

World history has regularly touched Elba and Portoferraio in particular, perhaps none more so then when French Emperor 
Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to the island and had his home, Villa dei Mulini built in the town. Portoferraio was also the setting for an important battle during World War Two; the occupying German troops giving battle to a liberating Free French army in a fight that lasted two days but caused the town significant damage.

These days Portoferraio is a bustling port town where you'll find an attractive marina with street side cafès, trendy shops and the island's best nightlife, particularly during the busy summer months. The marina and the area just behind it are the main focal points but you can also visit the three forts, Forte Stella, Forte Falcone and Forte Inglese which offer not only a fascinating historical context but also some wonderful views of the port and beyond. 

Being the island's transport hub, Portoferraio not only connects Elba to the Tuscan mainland but its also at the centre of the island's road and bus network. You reach the island from the Tuscan port of Piombino either by ferry (1 hour journey time) or hydrofoil/fast ferry (40 minutes) with regular crossings throughout the day offered by Corsica Ferries, Toremar, BLU Navy and Moby with their unmistakable comic book livery. It's also worth noting that you can sail directly from Piombino to two other ports in Elba: Rio Marina and Cavo. 

THINGS  TO  SEE  IN  ELBA

Picture
Morcone Beach
In this section you'll find Elba's main sights categorised as Port Towns, Beach Resorts, Hill Towns and Beaches. Then within each of those menus you can click through to the individual pages.

Elba Travel  Guide

Picture
A Blu Navy ferry making its away across to Elba from the Tuscan mainland
You can use our Travel Guide to plan your trip to Elba. We've got extensive information on the Elba Ferry Tickets and Timetables as well as How to Get to Elba and advice on the Buses in Elba. 

Elba  Hotels

Picture
Porto Azzurro
In the accommodation section you'll find a Booking.com search engine where you can book Elba Hotels, reading reviews from genuine visitors and often reserve with free cancellation.

Elba  Gallery

Picture
Parasols on a beach in Cavo
Our Gallery shows shots from all across the island. It might help you pick out an area or particular sight you'd like to visit, while also helping to familiarise you with what the island has to offer.

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  • Home
    • Contact
    • The Italy Review Network >
      • Italy Review
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      • Region Guides >
        • Northern Italy >
          • Emilia Romagna Review
          • Friuli Venezia Giulia Review
          • Liguria Review
          • Lombardy Review
          • Piemonte Review
          • Trentino Review
          • Valle d'Aosta Review
          • Veneto Review
        • Central Italy >
          • Abruzzo Review
          • Lazio Review
          • Marche Review
          • Molise Review
          • Tuscany Review
          • Umbria Review
        • Southern Italy >
          • Amalfi Coast Review
          • Basilicata Review
          • Calabria Review
          • Campania Review
          • Puglia Review
          • Sorrento Review
      • Island Guides >
        • Capri Island Review
        • Ischia Review
        • Ponza Review
        • Procida Review
        • Sardinia Review
        • Sicily Review
  • Things to see in Elba
    • Must See Elba
    • Port Towns of Elba >
      • Portoferraio
      • Porto Azzurro
      • Marina di Campo
      • Marciana Marina
      • Rio Marina
      • Cavo
    • Beach Resorts of Elba >
      • Biodola
      • Morcone
      • Procchio
      • Seccheto
      • Sant'Andrea
      • Chiessi
      • San Giovanni
      • Pomonte
    • Beaches of Elba >
      • Best Beaches of Elba
      • Capoliveri Beaches >
        • Lacona
        • Zuccale Beach
        • Lido di Capoliveri
        • Felciaio Beach
        • Innamorata Beach
        • Calanova Beach
        • Laconella Beach
        • Pareti Beach
        • Naregno Beach
        • Istia Beach
        • Barabarca Beach
        • Straccoligno Beach
        • Ferrato Beach
        • Malpasso Beach
        • Margidore Beach
        • Capo Pini
      • Portoferraio Beaches >
        • Sansone Beach
        • Padulella Beach
        • Forno Beach
        • Le Ghiaie Beach
        • Capo Bianco Beach
        • Enfola Beach
        • Seccione Beach
        • La Sorgente Beach
        • Scaglieri Beach
        • Sottobomba Beach
        • Ottone Beach
        • Viticcio Beach
        • Acquarilli Beach
        • Acquaviva Beach
        • Schiopparello Beach
      • Rio Beaches >
        • Bagnaia Beach
        • Nisporto Beach
        • Frugoso Beach
        • Ortano Beach
        • Nisportino Beach
        • Zupignano Beach
        • Cala Seregola Beach
        • Ripa Bianca Beach
        • Topinetti Beach
      • Marciana Beaches >
        • Cotoncello Beach
        • Spartaia Beach
        • Campo all Aia Beach
        • La Guardia Beach
        • Paolina Beach
        • Redinoce Beach
      • Porto Azzurro Beaches >
        • Barbarossa Beach
        • Reale Beach
        • La Rossa Beach
        • La Pianotta Beach
        • Mola Beach
      • Campo nell Elba Beaches >
        • Cavoli
        • Fetovaia
        • Colle di Palombaia Beach
        • Fonza Beach
      • Marciana Marina Beaches >
        • Phenicia Beach
        • Crocetta Beach
        • Bagno Sprizze
    • Hill Towns of Elba >
      • Capoliveri
      • Marciana
      • Rio nell'Elba
      • Poggio
    • Palazzina dei Mulini
  • Travel
    • Elba Ferry Tickets & Timetables
    • How to get to Elba
    • Buses in Elba
  • Elba Hotels
  • Elba
    • Communes of Elba