For a long time a friend had been inviting me to his family house on the island of Elba but I was hesitating a lot: what was I going to do in such a small island? Some years ago, I eventually went for 4 days and had no regrets!

Discovering Elba on a scooter

We decided to rent some scooters during one afternoon to explore the island. We had a practical map of places to see in the area. We visited the well-preserved Marciana Fortress and looked for the San Francesco di Saverio Hermitage in the middle of the forest. The beginning of the journey was very nice but … well it was not completely successful as it started to heavily rain which was not exactly that pleasant!

Tip: Some of us had never driven a scooter before but it was really not an issue, so don’t hesitate!

Shopping in Elba

Here is a good list of markets and evening markets: * MON: Rio Marina *TUE: Rio nell’Elba and Marciana Marina *WED: Marina di Campo * THU: Capoliveri and Procchio *FRI: Portoferraio *SAT: Porto Azzurro * SUN: Lacona

Tip: Personally, I very much liked Capoliveri’s evening market with many nice handmade souvenirs and typical products from the island.

Renting a boat in Elba

Luckily my friend has a licence to drive boats. We were about 8 people on the boat and we managed to reach some deserted and stunning beaches that can only be accessed by boat. It was awesome! We also tried to reach mainland Italy! But we stopped about half way as it is not as quick as it seems and the fuel is quite expensive.

Tip: Some of my friends also took the opportunity to try out wakeboarding but I was way too afraid of … the jellyfish! I don’t know if the season was bad (beginning of September) but there were just everywhere!

How to reach the island?

I landed in Rome from Brussels, then took 2 trains to reach Piombino in Southern Tuscany where I took a ferry to Portoferraio. Ferries take about an hour. I suggest you TraghettiPer, a ferry comparison website where you can find the most convenient way to reach the island. Enjoy the trip!