Things to Do on Elba: Napoleon, Hiking, and Tuscan Island Life

Elba is known primarily as a beach destination, but arriving with nothing planned beyond a sunlounger means missing the island’s real range. The combination of Napoleonic history, a 1,000-metre mountain, DOC wine production, and one of the cleanest stretches of sea in the Tyrrhenian makes it one of the most varied islands in Italy for its size — roughly 28 km long and 18 km wide. Here is how we recommend spending your time.

Napoleon’s Villa dei Mulini, Portoferraio

Napoleon was exiled to Elba from May 1814 to February 1815 — 300 days in which he administered the island like a miniature empire, reorganising mines, roads, and agriculture with characteristic energy. Villa dei Mulini, built by adapting two windmills on the Portoferraio headland, was his primary residence. The interior is preserved largely as he left it: his library of over 1,000 volumes, the Empire-style bedroom, the Josephine Room (despite the marriage having ended), and a small garden terrace overlooking the bay.

Entry: Approximately €10 per adult as of 2026. Open Tuesday–Sunday, typically 09:00–19:00 (hours vary seasonally — verify at the official Poli Museali Toscana website before visiting). The combined ticket covering both Napoleon residences costs approximately €16.

Getting there: The villa is in the old town of Portoferraio, a 10-minute walk uphill from the ferry port. No parking available nearby — leave the car at the port or in the town centre car parks.

Villa San Martino

Five kilometres south of Portoferraio on the road toward Procchio, Villa San Martino served as Napoleon’s country retreat — a simpler structure than the Villa dei Mulini, set in a shaded valley. A neoclassical gallery added in the 1850s by Russian prince Anatoly Demidoff now forms the main museum space, with an Egyptian Room decorated after the 1798 Cairo campaign. The gardens are pleasant for a short walk.

Entry: Approximately €10 per adult as of 2026, or covered by the combined ticket. Open same hours as Villa dei Mulini. Allow 45–60 minutes.

Monte Capanne Cable Car

Monte Capanne at 1,019 metres is the highest point in the Tuscan Archipelago. The summit is reached via a cable car (known locally as the “bubble car” — individual open-sided gondolas that take two people) from the village of Marciana, itself a steep granite village worth half a day’s exploration. At the top, on a clear day, the panorama extends south to Corsica, west to the Tyrrhenian horizon, and north to the Apuan Alps on the Tuscan mainland.

Price: Approximately €15 return as of 2026 (verify current prices at the cable car website before visiting). The ride takes about 12 minutes each way. The summit has a small chapel and a scatter of boulders ideal for sitting and watching the light change.

Getting there: Marciana is in the western half of the island, approximately 30–35 minutes from Portoferraio by car. Parking in the village requires arriving before 10:00 in peak season.

Alternative: A marked hiking trail climbs to the summit from Poggio, taking approximately 2 hours 30 minutes one way — more rewarding but demanding. Waymarked as Trail 1 on CAI maps.

Portoferraio Old Town

Portoferraio’s upper town — enclosed within the Medici walls commissioned by Cosimo I in 1548 — is the most atmospheric part of the island for an evening stroll. The Porta a Mare gate, the Forte Stella, and the Forte Falcone (both open to visitors, free entry) provide views over the harbour and the ferries coming in from Piombino. The main piazza fills with locals after 18:00; the restaurants along Calata Mazzini and Via Carducci serve straightforward Elban seafood at moderate prices (main courses approximately €14–22 as of 2026).

Boat Tours from Marina di Campo and Portoferraio

The fastest way to reach several of Elba’s most isolated coves is by boat. Operators in both Marina di Campo and Portoferraio offer half-day and full-day tours that circumnavigate the island or explore the north and west coasts — typically stopping at Fetovaia, Cavoli, a snorkelling spot off Sant’Andrea, and a cave or two on the north coast. Full-day tours run approximately €40–55 per person including lunch as of 2026. Self-hire of a small motorboat (no licence required for boats under 40 hp) costs approximately €80–120/day including fuel from Marina di Campo — a good option for two to four people who want flexibility.

Elba DOC Wine Tasting

Elba produces wine under its own DOC designation, covering reds based on Sangiovese, whites from Vermentino and Ansonica, and the rare Aleatico passito — a sweet red made from sun-dried grapes that Napoleon is said to have loved. Several estate wineries in the Capoliveri and Porto Azzurro areas offer tastings, typically including three to five wines with local salumi and cheese for approximately €15–25 per person as of 2026. Look for Azienda Agricola Acquabona near Portoferraio and Tenuta La Chiusa near Magazzini. No booking is strictly required outside August, but calling ahead is always safer.

Hiking Trails

Elba has an extensive network of marked trails maintained by the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI), ranging from easy coastal paths to the Monte Capanne summit route. Some of the best:

• Sentiero 1 (Poggio–Monte Capanne–Marciana): Approximately 5 km one way, 2.5 hours up, strenuous. Best done early morning before heat builds.
• Sentiero Cime del Monte: A ridge walk with views over both coasts, starting from Marciana. Moderate difficulty.
• Coastal path Marciana Marina–Sant’Andrea: Approximately 6 km, easy to moderate, with sea views for most of the route.
• Path from Capoliveri to Naregno: Short (3 km), flat, through maquis with sea views. Good for an evening walk.

Download the CAI Tuscany app or pick up a trail map from the Portoferraio tourist office (free, open 09:00–13:00 and 15:00–18:00 in season).

Capoliveri and the East Coast

Capoliveri on the eastern tail of the island is the most intact medieval village on Elba — a cluster of stone streets and piazzas perched on a hilltop above three bays. The views from the main terrace at sunset are among the best on the island. The surrounding area is good cycling territory: several agencies in Capoliveri and Porto Azzurro offer e-bike hire (approximately €35–45/day as of 2026).

Porto Azzurro, a few kilometres south, has an old Spanish fortress (now a prison, not open to visitors) and a pleasant waterfront with fish restaurants. It is quieter than Portoferraio and a better base if you prefer the east coast beaches.

Getting Around

A hire car is the practical choice. Collect it from one of the agencies at the Portoferraio ferry terminal immediately on arrival — major operators include Avis, Europcar, and several local agencies. Rates start at approximately €50–70/day for a small car as of 2026; book at least two weeks ahead for July and August.

Scooter hire (approximately €30–50/day) is a good alternative if you are comfortable on narrow mountain roads. Buses operated by ATL cover the main routes from Portoferraio to Marina di Campo, Rio Nell’Elba, and Marciana Marina; timetables are available at the port and from the ATL website. Bicycle hire is available but the island’s terrain is demanding — e-bikes make it far more practical.