Elba
Elba is an island in Tuscany, Italy, 10 miles from the coastal town of Piombino. It is divided into eight municipalities, with a total population of about 30,000 inhabitants. The municipalities are Portoferraio (which is also the island's principal town), Campo nell'Elba, Capoliveri, Marciana, Marciana Marina, Porto Azzurro, Rio Marina and Rio nell'Elba. They offer tourists many attractions such as monuments, archaeological sites of Etruscan origins, Renaissance villas and churches.
The gem of the Arcipelago Toscano
Elba is the largest remaining stretch of land from the ancient tract that once connected the Italian peninsula to Corsica. The northern coast faces the Ligurian Sea, and several other smaller islands (such as Capraia, Gorgona and Montecristo) are close by. The coastal features include white sandy beaches with clear waters, rocky promontories covered with Mediterranean scrub, cliffs and thermal springs. Elba is also a part of the Arcipelago Toscano National Park.
The exile island
Elba is the third largest island in Italy, after Sicily and Sardinia. It has been inhabited since ancient times. The Romans used it as an exile island, sending many of their enemies there to live out their days in isolation. The most famous of these was Julius Caesar, who lived there for three years after he was exiled by his political rivals.
One of the most well-known exiles on Elba was Napoleon Bonaparte. He was sent to Elba after his defeat at Waterloo in 1814. His time on the island was brief — he escaped less than a year later with a small force that he raised from among the island's inhabitants. He attempted to regain power in France but failed and was exiled again, this time to St Helena island, where he died in 1821.
Elba is famous for its crystal clear sea
In total, there are about 70 km of beaches on the island. The beaches of Elba are among the most beautiful and uncontaminated in Italy. They are characterized by fine sand, clear waters of all shades of blue and green and lush vegetation from the edge to the interior. Among famous beaches are those of Marina di Campo, Le Ghiaie, Lacona and Fetovaia. The beaches are surrounded by granite rocks, due to which in some places there are natural pools filled with seawater. There are also many inlets to be discovered, where you can swim in crystal clear waters in complete privacy.
