 Tuesday, October 07, 2008 |
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The Souther Coast of Elba IslandPlace to visitAfter the magnificent cliffs of Capo Poro, the road climbs upwards to Sant’Ilario and San Piero from where there is a splendid view over the Gulf of Marina di Campo. Enclosed by the luxuriant Capo Stella and Capo Fonza, with many well-concealed little coves, is the well-known Lacona beach, with its magnificent sand-dunes, fine sandy beach and excellent tourist facilities; a true paradise for all water sport enthusiasts. Further out to sea, the sandy seabed gives way to rocks and posidonia, an ideal environment for underwater diving.
Beyond Lacona, the Capoliveri coastline boasts a series of delightful beaches and coves: Margidore, Lido, Zuccale, Barabarca, Morcone and Pareti, completely surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation, including pine and eucalyptus trees, prickly pears, palm trees and agaves, veritable havens of peace and nature. In the romantic Innamorata inlet, facing the little Gemini islands, besides the crystal-clear water and evocative and outstanding sunsets, here, on 14 July, one can watch the annual pageant held to commemorate the legend of two lovers, Lorenzo and Maria, which dates back to 1534; a spectacular torchlight procession with over 100 figurants dressed in sixteenth century costume. The young inamorata in an attempt to save her lover, captured and carried off to sea by Barbarossa’s pirates, threw herself into the sea, where she was swallowed up by the waves; only her shawl was found on the rock, which since then has been called “la ciarpa” (shawl); to this day the beach is known as l’Innamorata.
The jagged stretch of the Punta Calamita coast is particularly beautiful. Thousands of herring gulls nest in the sinuous recesses of the sheer cliffs that plunge into the limpid waters. The view along the coast is quite outstanding: the colours of nature at its wildest where lentisk, gorse, rock roses, lavender and rosemary mingle with the remains of Monte Calamita’s old iron mining activities. Here the red of the iron in the rocks dominates, like the glitter of minerals mixed with the black sand on the picturesque beaches, some of which are inside the mining area and inaccessible except from the sea. Lifting your gaze towards the horizon, you will catch sight of the mysterious isle of Montecristo, now a nature reserve. |
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