The hiking excursions among sea and sky here suggested will not just allow you to discover more closely this land but are also a personal enriching experience in one of the most enchanting landscapes of the Mediterranean.

According to legend, the Tuscan Archipelago originated from a jewel that slipped off Venus’s neck, the goddess of beauty and love, and fell into the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The natural environment and history of the third largest Italian island have often entwined to create an extraordinary mixture of nature and culture, all on such a small piece of land.

Starting from sea level, you can reach the mountains with a walk of just a few kilometers. You can visit the remains of an Etruscan fortress on high grounds and then dive into the sea from a small beach just one-hundred meters away; and the rock with trees near the shore, more than 2000 years ago was the wharf for the Roman burdened ships.
No other island in the Mediterranean Sea has a granite mountain more than 1000 meters high, and one of the most interesting mineral areas of the world within just a 2-hour walk.

If you are visiting the Island of Elba for the first time you will be surprised by the continuous changes of landscape, a turn of the road and in front of you opens an unexpected scenery.The impression is that its complex geological nature has conditioned everything else, and in fact, this is probably the case.

It is also true that it is not easy to rediscover the authentic aspect of a tourist island and certainly, one of the best ways is to explore it on foot.
Hiking means becoming part of the environment you are visiting. On the Island of Elba, a walking tour of just a few kilometers, in no hurry, simply to listen and have a look around, can be a source of many discoveries.

This short article is intended to provide a few starting points for walking round one of the most interesting islands of the Mediterranean.
It is also an invitation to visit the Island of Elba during the quieter seasons, that is autumn, winter and spring, to discover a microcosm built on a fragile balance, of historical, cultural and natural values that are today forgotten.

ELBA ON FOOT

Here we suggest a few tracks that are representative of the landscape of Elba. Maps of all the tracks of the Island are available at any newspaper kiosk.

THE TRACKS

The following tracks can be walked by those who do not regularly go hiking. However, especially during spring and summer and according to the type of tracks and conditions the hiker may find, it is advisable to use the proper equipment and clothing.

Walking along the tracks of the island brings a desire to return to a more natural lifestyle and excursions are a great medicine for some ailments caused by modern life.
Therefore, always remember to leave this possibility for the future generations: careless behavior will slowly destroy the natural environment.

Here is some advice we would like to share with you:

1. admire the wildflowers and plants, but do not pick them;
2. do not light fires for any reason;
3. throw litter in the proper containers; if there aren’t any, bring back the litter with you;
4. walk only along marked tracks;
5. do not damage trees and bushes;
6. do not disturb animals and do not get close to their little ones;
7. do not disturb the stillness of the woods: it is everybody’s heritage;
8. follow all instructions, rules and municipal ordinances;
9. park cars and motorcycles only in the spaces provided and remember that it is not allowed to enter the tracks on motorized vehicles.

Due to the richness of the landscape, the historical sites and peculiarity of the natural environment, the Island of Elba offers many different types of accommodations to appreciate the extraordinary beauty of the island. All year round there are many different naturalistic, archeological and cultural organized tours and excursions.

USEFUL INFORMATION

WHEN TO GO – All seasons are a good time to go, however spring and autumn can be more pleasant due to the ideal climate and the less number of tourists.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING – Normal hiking boots, a waterproof jacket and a backpack for food are essential.

Other equipment that is not necessary but can be useful: a binocular to observe the animals and a camera to take pictures of the flowers and the landscapes.

Trekking: walking trails on the Island

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