Elba itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Elba, day by day: Portoferraio with Napoleon's Palazzina dei Mulini, Forte Stella and Forte Falcone, Villa San Martino, Porto Azzurro and Capoliveri first, then the west of the island with Fetovaia and Sant'Andrea beaches, the Monte Capanne cable car, Marciana, Marina di Campo and Marciana Marina. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Elba in 1 day
Day 1
Villa San Martino
Napoleon's country house in the hills above Portoferraio, with a neoclassical gallery added later by the Demidoff family.
Forte Falcone
Medici fortress on the highest point of Portoferraio's old town, with walls and bastions looking over the bay.
Palazzina dei Mulini (Napoleon's residence)
The town house where Napoleon lived during his exile on Elba in 1814-1815, with his rooms, library and a garden over the sea.
Forte Stella
Star-shaped 16th-century Medici fort on Portoferraio's headland, with a lighthouse and views of the harbour and the coast.
Historic centre of Portoferraio
Elba's main town, a walk through the Medici walls, steep stepped streets and the old Darsena harbour to the seafront.
Porto Azzurro
Harbour town on the east coast with a lively waterfront square, cafés and the star-shaped Forte Longone above it.
Capoliveri
Hilltop village in the south-east with narrow lanes, small squares and wide views over the sea and the island's beaches.
Elba in 2 days
Day 1
Capoliveri
Hilltop village in the south-east with narrow lanes, small squares and wide views over the sea and the island's beaches.
Porto Azzurro
Harbour town on the east coast with a lively waterfront square, cafés and the star-shaped Forte Longone above it.
Historic centre of Portoferraio
Elba's main town, a walk through the Medici walls, steep stepped streets and the old Darsena harbour to the seafront.
Forte Stella
Star-shaped 16th-century Medici fort on Portoferraio's headland, with a lighthouse and views of the harbour and the coast.
Palazzina dei Mulini (Napoleon's residence)
The town house where Napoleon lived during his exile on Elba in 1814-1815, with his rooms, library and a garden over the sea.
Forte Falcone
Medici fortress on the highest point of Portoferraio's old town, with walls and bastions looking over the bay.
Villa San Martino
Napoleon's country house in the hills above Portoferraio, with a neoclassical gallery added later by the Demidoff family.
Day 2
Marciana Marina
Harbour village on the north coast with a long seafront promenade, pastel houses and a round medieval watchtower.
Marina di Campo
Seaside town on the south coast with Elba's longest sandy beach, a small harbour and a busy waterfront.
Marciana
Old hill village on the slopes of Monte Capanne, a walk of stone lanes, arches and a fortress above the sea.
Sant'Andrea Beach
Small beach on the north-west coast with smooth granite rocks, clear water and a few restaurants.
Monte Capanne cable car
Open-cage cable car from Marciana up Monte Capanne, Elba's highest peak, with views over the island, Corsica and the Tuscan coast.
Fetovaia Beach
Sheltered cove of fine sand and clear water on the south-west coast, between granite headlands and maquis-covered hills.
Watch: Elba
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Elba
May, June and September have warm weather and sea for swimming without the crowds; July and especially August are hot and the island is full, with ferries and hotels booked well ahead. Spring and autumn suit walking and cycling, while in winter many hotels, restaurants and the cable car close.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Elba on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Elba on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Elba on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Elba
- Ferries to Elba leave from Piombino on the mainland, mostly to Portoferraio; book ahead in July and August, especially with a car.
- A car or scooter is the easiest way around the island; buses link the main towns but run less often, especially outside summer.
- The Monte Capanne cable car uses small open cages and runs in the warmer months only; it stops in strong wind, so check before driving to Marciana.
- Napoleon's two homes, the Palazzina dei Mulini in Portoferraio and Villa San Martino just outside it, are best seen on the same morning.
- Beaches such as Fetovaia and Sant'Andrea are small and fill early in summer; arrive in the morning and bring water and shade.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Capoliveri: Piccionaia, CC0
- Forte Falcone: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Forte Stella: Mihael Grmek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Historic centre of Portoferraio: Carsten Steger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marciana: Larth_Rasnal, CC BY 3.0
- Marciana Marina: Sailko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marina di Campo: Luca Aless, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Monte Capanne cable car: Contradictus 08:14, 28 August 2006 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palazzina dei Mulini (Napoleon's residence): Sailko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Porto Azzurro: www.thhe.dk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Villa San Martino: Mihael Grmek, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
