Island of Elba

Cala Bella - Isola d'Elba - Toscana




			What to do on the Island

	The Legend:

Legend has it that the Tuscan Archipelago had its origins when a necklace slid from the neck of Venus, the Goddess of beauty and love, and fell into the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. .
This delightful story surely holds a grain of truth, for there is no doubt in my mind that islands of the Archipelago are truly fragments of paradise.
Few other tourist resorts in the world can boast such rich and varied scenery within such a small area: the underwater terrain is the delight of scuba divers, mountains are circled by centuries-old forests, beaches and inlets are set against typical Mediterranean vegetation, and small hill towns nestle in a timeless tranquillity.
There is something to suit every visitor whether it is practising their favourite sport, exploring the Archipelago in discovery of its history, culture and gastronomy or simply enjoying the sea and the sunshine.


	Culture:


	Each race of people that occupied the Archipelago in its long history left its traces: in the mines and caves of Elba; in constructions like the grandiose watchtowers of Capraia or Elba's Romanesque churces; in the shallows of the islands where exceptional archeological relics have lain untouched for centuries.


	Scenic views:

		Beaches and inlets of unbelievable beauty have been carved out where the sea has faced its way into the mountainous coastline. The coast provide a perfect enviroment for admirers of the sapphire-coloured sea, for scuba-divers and also for simple vacationers. Inland, the island is full of special places waiting to be discovered, maybe on horseback or even on a mountain-bike.

	Flora and Fauna:

To visitors arriving by sea, the island appears covered with a green mantle that has few equals in the Mediterranean.
Once on the land, they will have time to discover the shaded tranquillity of the woods that cover the slopes of Monte Capanne or enjoy the intense perfume and vivid colours of the Mediterranean vegetation.
Watchful visitors may be rewarded with rare sights, the sudden beating of wings of a partridge or the furtive appearance of a marten.

Leisure: .

A holiday in Elba provides a lots of opportunities for leisure activities. During the day, visitors have a wide variety of sporting activities to choose from including sun-bathing, swimming, scuba diving, sailing and boating, horseback -riding, bike-riding, tennis and golf. To attend sport courses in the area is also possible.

The lights of restaurants and night-clubs or pub are turned on and visitors can find all the entertainment they want while they look forward to another day os sunshine.

Health and Beauty:

In Portoferraio there is a famous thermal station: Terme di S. Giovanni.It's the biggest center in the mediterranean area for Talassoterapia.
It gives you also the possibility to do thermal bath, massages, mud-baths.


	Wine and Food:

Sitting down to table means re-descovering the authentic flavours of a simple and wholesome cuisine.

Many of the recipes were brought to the island by seafarers who came from tuscany, Liguria and Campania.
In fact the island's cuisine combines the best of these mainland traditions.

Elba produces its own red, white and rosè wines. These are of fine quality and are widely available locally.

The wines have good body and a distinctive bouquet - a product of sunshine, salty sea air, and strong, fertile soil. Moreover, following the best Tuscan tradition, good oil is produced on the island.

Nice to enjoy an afternoon between farm and wine shops.

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