Tuscan Archipelago and Elba
The Tuscan Archipelago is a scattering of seven islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea, protected within Italy's largest marine national pa...
Updated 20 July 2026
Tuscan Archipelago and Elba
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The story
The story of Tuscan Archipelago and Elba
Geography and territory
The Tuscan Archipelago is a group of seven islands scattered across the Tyrrhenian Sea between the Tuscan coast and Corsica, protected within the National Park established in 1996, the largest marine protected area in Europe. Elba, the largest island of the group and the third largest in Italy by surface area after Sicily and Sardinia, lies just a short ferry ride from Piombino on the mainland. The other islands - Capraia, Pianosa, Montecristo, Giglio, Giannutri and Gorgona - are spread along the Tuscan coast as far as the border with Lazio, each with its own distinct geography and history.
History and identity
The name Elba likely derives from an Etruscan word for 'iron', a mineral mined on the island since antiquity that shaped its economy for millennia, from Etruscan smelting furnaces to the mines of Rio, which closed for good in 1981. The island passed through successive rulers - Etruscans, Romans, Pisans, Genoese, Spaniards - and its Medici fortresses were built in the sixteenth century to defend against Barbary raids. The island's most famous chapter remains the exile of Napoleon Bonaparte, who governed Elba as its sovereign from May 1814 to February 1815, leaving visible traces in Portoferraio at the Villa dei Mulini and the Villa di San Martino.
Landscape and nature
The archipelago's landscape alternates jagged coastlines, rocky coves and long pale sandy beaches with a mountainous interior: on Elba, Monte Capanne rises above 1,000 metres and dominates the western side of the island, reachable by the historic cable car from Marciana. The National Park protects holm oak and chestnut woodlands, Mediterranean scrub, granite coastlines and some of the richest seabeds in the Mediterranean, a destination for diving and snorkelling. Capraia retains a rugged volcanic landscape, while Giglio alternates the scrub of Giglio Campese with sheer cliffs on its eastern side, its clear waters sheltered from the archipelago's currents.
Villages and places to see
Portoferraio, Elba's main town, gathers around its historic harbour beneath the Medici fortresses of Forte Falcone and Forte Stella. Capoliveri, perched on a hilltop, preserves a mining-era centre of narrow lanes and small squares; Porto Azzurro looks out over a bay guarded by the Forte di San Giacomo. Rio Marina and Rio nell'Elba recall the island's mining history amid reddish hematite rock; Marciana Marina and Marciana, at the foot of Monte Capanne, and Campo nell'Elba, with its beaches, complete the picture of Elba. Capraia Isola, with its small harbour village, and Isola del Giglio, between Giglio Porto and Giglio Castello, remain the archipelago's more remote and unspoilt destinations.
Food, wine and traditions
The archipelago's cuisine blends flavours of the sea and the land: local catch is served alongside country dishes such as gurguglione, an Elban vegetable stew, and schiaccia briaca, a festive cake made with raisins, walnuts and local wine. Winegrowing has ancient roots on Elba's terraced slopes, recognised today by the Elba DOC denomination for white and red wines and by Aleatico dell'Elba DOCG, a sweet passito made from aromatic grapes grown almost exclusively on the island. Honey, olive oil and artisanal fishing products are also part of local gastronomic traditions, often celebrated at seasonal festivals and markets across the archipelago's villages.
Not to be missed
- Villa dei Mulini and Villa di San Martino, Napoleon's residences in Portoferraio
- Forte Falcone and Forte Stella, Medici fortresses above Portoferraio's harbour
- Monte Capanne and the cable car ride from Marciana
- The beaches of Sansone, Fetovaia and Cavoli
- The hilltop village of Giglio Castello and the Giglio Campese coast
To see
What to see in Tuscan Archipelago and Elba
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