Elba
From CruisersWiki
| Elba
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 The mountain village of Poggio on Elba |
Elba is the largest of the islands in the Tuscan archipelago of Italy and the third largest overall after Sicily and Sardinia. Situated 30 miles east of the Corsican port of Bastia, the north-east tip of the island is only five miles from the commercial harbour of Piombino on the Italian mainland.
Most of the island is mountainous, culminating in the 1019 metre high peak of Monte Capanne in the west, except for the central belt where the principal harbour of Portoferraio is situated on the northern coast. The island was much coveted in ancient times, firstly by the Etruscans and later by the Romans, for its major iron ore deposits (hence Portoferraio). By the 17th century the excellent natural harbour of Portoferraio attracted the attention of the navies of France, Spain, Italy and finally England, which briefly seized the island at the close of the 18th century. Elba’s enduring fame, however, derives from the exile here from May 1814 to February 1815 of the defeated Napoleon Bonaparte, whose Villa dei Mulini in Portoferraio and summer residence of Villa Napoleonica di San Martino five km SW of the town are now museums.
Today Elba is a thriving tourist island, invariably heaving with Italian and foreign tourists during late July and August, its hotels full to bursting point. For the cruising yachtsman, the choice of accommodation lies between the busy harbours of Portoferraio, Porto Azzurro and Marciana Marina and the numerous smaller harbours and anchorages around the coast.
Charts
- British Admiralty
- 1999 - Livorno to Civitavecchia
- Italian
- 193
Weather
Give local weather conditions or refer to another page (a region or island group) that covers these conditions.
Sources for Weather forecasts:
Passages
List popular passages/routes, timing, etc.
Islands
- Isola Pianosa
Communication
Add here VHF channel for coastguard, harbor masters. etc.
Also see World Cruiser's Nets
See details of harbour approaches.
Entrance
Port police and customs adjacent to the old harbour in Portoferraio.
Health & Security
A summer tourist medical service operates at most of the main harbours.
Berthing
From Portoferraio clockwise round the island:
- Cavo |
– harbour | - Rio Marina | – harbour |
Marinas & Yacht Clubs
Anchorages
List details of all safe anchorages in the area.
- Cala Bagnaia
- Cala di Mola
- Golfo Stella
- Golfo della Lacona
- Golfo di Procchio
Things to do ashore
See entries for individual harbours.
Friends
Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.
Forums
List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)
Links
Links to relevant websites.
References & Publications
Also see Italy.
Comments
We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.
Verified by
Date of member's last visit to Elba and this page's details validated:
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 Contributors to this page |
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Names: Athene of Lymington |
