12 Reasons To Visit Elba The Italian Island You've Never Heard Of

If you haven’t visited Elba yet, you need to – right now. This lovely small island is destined to be turned into one of the coolest destinations of the decade. Let’s read our 12 reasons to visit it.

Swim in Pristine Waters

Elba is a small island located in the Tuscan archipelago (and is part of the region). It is not famous like Sicily or Sardinia, which are the largest islands of Italy, but is magnificent. It is lapped by pristine turquoise waters perfect to swim in during the summer.

Avoid Crowds

Eat Excellent Fish Gastronomy

Being an island, Elba has several fish restaurants. Every morning, fishermen go offshore and fish all day. Then, in the late afternoon, they bring their catch to the restaurants of the islands. Don’t forget to order cozze alla marinara, linguine allo scoglio and calamari alla griglia.

Visit the Mediterranean Aquarium

Elba is home to a small but very beautiful aquarium. It is not as famous as the Oceanografic of Valencia or Acquario di Genova, but it’s a nice place to spend few hours. We strongly recommend visiting if you are traveling with kids!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZq2wgwnaen/?taken-at=360083292

Sports

Sports enthusiasts need to know that Elba is the ideal location for them as well. They will find hiking, biking, kayaking and trekking. Lazier visitors can spend their days on the beaches relaxing.

Diving

Diving in Elba is one of the coolest things you can do; the water is some of the cleanest in Italy, and you can even snorkel to admire the colours, fish and natural views under water. One of the best places to go to dive is Formiche della Zanca, where caves and cavities give a rare and colourful spectacle of Mediterranean flora and fauna.

Visit a Medici’s Ideal Town

Like many other places in Tuscany, Elba has been linked to the Medici family. Cosimo de’ Medici imagined a city, Cosmopoli, dedicated to him; it was founded by the architects Giovanni Camerini and Bernardo Buontalenti. A sign of the Medici domination is still visible today in Forte Falcone, an imposing fortress in Porto Ferraio appearing to welcome those about to set foot on the island.

Visit Untouched Hamlets

The island is home to many historical hamlets that have remained unchanged and remind one of a unique tradition of flavours and colours. To know more about its history Portoferraio is well worth a visit, with its interesting history seeping from the streets and walls of the old town.

For its Ancient History

Only few people know that Elba is connected to Napoleon. He has been an extremely important character for the island, which still celebrates him and preserves his major works, such as villas, theatres, museums and houses. One of the best examples of this is Villa dei Mulini, an ancient Medici villa refurbished and redesigned by Napoleon.

It Has Been Visited by Cool people

Except for Napoleon, also Alexandre Dumas was in Elba in the mid-19th century; the island of Monte Cristo is just off Elba – visible but, because a nature reserve, not visitable. Also Paul Klee was there, sketching, and, in 1947, Dylan Thomas landed in the mining area of Rio Marina and defined Elba the most beautiful island of the Mediterranean.

The Mines

Elba is very rich in iron, and its mines are renowned. A visit to the Calamita mines in Capoliveri is strongly recommended. The history of these mines goes back thousands of years, from the Etruscan-era to 1980, when they were closed. Iron has always been the main resource of the town and made the island a central point of the Mediterranean trade routes. A descent down into the Ginevro mine is a must: It is the only underground mine on the island that is still accessible.

To Admire Terrific Sunsets

One of the most romantic things you can do in Elba Island is to admire the sunset with your partner. The island offers spectacular views over the Tyrrenean Sea, especially in the summer months when the sky is coloured with shades of red, orange and yellow.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.