If you are here you are looking for an Elba island (Italy) day trip. Elba it is a small place yet full of things to see and discover. So let’s find a way to get its best in one day trip! 

In order to show you the best in one day trip we focus on the main town -- Portoferraio. Which is the oldest place in Elba. 

Elba island (Italy) day trip: first leg

Our first suggestion start with a walk through all the large walls that connect “Forte Falcone”, “Forte Stella” and “Linguella”; these barricades are fortifications ordered by Cosimo I de’ Medici in the 16th century. 

Pic by Roberto Ridi

Portoferraio hosted Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile from April 1814 to March 1815. 

Still present from Napoleon’s time are two museum residences worth a visit. Ornate, elegant rooms and a statue of Galatea, attributed to Canova, portraying Paolina Bonaparte can be viewed in the Palazzina (or Villa dei Mulini) in Portoferraio and Villa San Martino in the countryside going towards Procchio.

Outside Portoferraio

Pic by Roberto Ridi

In the afternoon, move towards Rio Marina to visit the “Parco Minerario dell’Elba” [The Mineral Park of Elba Island], where besides admiring the large variety of minerals that can be found on the island, you can visit mines by train or with a hiking group. This activity is a great option for families with children.

Once you visited The Mineral Park of Elba Island we suggest you to check ferry’s timetable to see if there is a ferry that fit for your needs. Please remember that you need one hour to reach Piombino Marittima with ferry and you might need to be at Portoferraio’s harbor 30 minutes in advance in order to get onboard properly.

This day trip it is just a taste of what you can experience on Elba island. 

There are five more towns to discover and plenty of activities to be involved with. 

If you are looking for more please just drop a comment down here and we are happy to give you more information about this Elba island (Italy) day trip :)