• Getting about

    Getting about

    Back
    • Rentals
    • Taxi services
    • Bus services
    • Park areas
  • Stays
  • Eat
  • Sea

    Sea

    Back
    • Beaches
    • Bathing establishments
    • Diving centers
    • Sailing
  • Guided excursions
  • Sports
  • Places to see
  • Special offers
  • Last minute offers
  • Ferries
Infoelba
  • Get to Elba
    • How to get there Getting to the Island of Elba
    • Ferries The shipping companies that connect the island
    • Getting about on the island Public transport and taxis
    • Hire Car, motorbike and boat hire/rental
  • Stay
    • Accommodation that is open all year round Booking a holiday farm centre, hotel or B&B all open in winter too
    • Hotels Hotels to meet all needs
    • Residences For an independent holiday
    • Bed & Breakfasts Always ready to discover the island
    • Apartments Feeling at home in Elba
    • Small villas and detached houses For an autonomous holiday
    • Villas Surrounded by luxury and relaxation
    • Farm holiday centres Nature and flavours everywhere
    • Campsites Socializing and having a good time surrounded by nature
    • Camper and caravan Parking, water tank and facility areas
    • Farm holiday campsites An open air holiday
    • Luxury accommodation For a dream vacation
    • Tourist agencies and realtors Let your holiday be organised for you
  • Eat
    • Restaurants and Pizzerias Typical sea, home or more refined cuisine
    • Food & Wine Experience Experiences of gastronomy and wine tasting
    • Local recipes The best dishes of the Elba cuisine
    • Wines Aleatico, Moscato and Ansonica: Elba wines
    • Herbs and typical products Honey, beer, oil, wild and aromatic plants
    • Typical dishes History and origins of Elba dishes
  • Useful information
    • ElbaOK Insurance The anti Covid-19 policy and much more
    • Useful phone numbers and addresses Public and emergency utilities
    • Weather Temperatures and weather forecast
    • Webcams A window always open on the Elbe
    • Apps for your smartphone Elba on your mobile
  • Visit Elba
    • Beaches and coasts A different beach each day
    • Places to see Museums, ancient monuments, breathtaking views
    • Tuscan Archipelago National Park Seven pearls rising up from the sea
    • Guided excursions Letting others take you round the island
    • Useful advice What to do if...
    • Maps of the Island of Elba The Island in the palm of your hand
    • I am... Elba just as it suits you
    • Recommended itineraries What can we go and see today?
  • Sports and free time
    • Water sports Scuba diving, going snorkelling, fishing, sailing
    • Land sports Cycling, trekking, free climbing!
    • Elba not to be missed The unmissable experiences to do on holiday
    • Outdoor sports Elba: A paradise for lovers of outdoor sports
    • Enjoyment and relaxation Night life, cinemas and much more
    • Courses and study trips Learn while you have fun
    • Shopping Scents, colors and flavors of Elba
    • Special events and exhibitions What shall we do this evening?
  • Discovering Elba
    • How many beaches are there in Elba? 126 beaches of 1000 colours
    • Paths and tracksin Elba 1000 paths to live the island to the full
    • Elba in winter Making the most of Elba all year round
    • Interesting facts A different Elba
    • History of Elba Historical notes concerning Elba and its origins
    • Geology of Elba Geological origins of the Island of Elba
    • Towns of Elba Administration of Elba and its eight Communes
    • Media Gallery Live and feel Elba through photographs
  • Webcams
Infoelba - Dove natura è vacanza
  • 0

The Commune of Rio nell'Elba

  • Looking for accommodation
  • Accommodation price and availability
  • Last minute booking
  • Offers
  • Ferry tickets
  • Real estate ads
  1. Island of Elba
  2. Discovering Elba
  3. Communes and towns
  4. Rio nell'Elba

Rio nell'Elba: famous for its iron mines that date back to the Etruscan period

HamletsBagnaia, Nisporto, Nisportino
Area16 square kilometres
Population1.148
Height165 metres a.s.l.
CAP57039
Dialling code0565

With origins dating back to the Bronze Age, Rio Elba is one of the oldest towns on the island, and traces of its past can still be seen today. Sitting up on a hill 180 metres above sea level, like all the other towns on the eastern side its past lies in the mining tradition now lost in the mists of time.

It is famous for its iron mines that go back as far as the Etruscan period, and was the island's mineral centre until the iron ores were finally closed down. There are many minerals on show in the Civic Museum of Archaeology of the Mining Area of Rio nell'Elba.

The museum is in the old part of Rio nell'Elba and there are over 700 pieces of the various types of minerals coming from all over the island. Geologically speaking, Elba can actually be divided into three sections. The western part, where Monte Capanne is, consists mainly of granites, tourmalines, beryls, serpentinites and porphyries. The central part is divided into East, where diabases and serpentenites come from, and West, where quartz porphyry, alberese and granite come from.

The eastern part, on the other hand, has a much more complex composition: the southern part with Monte Calamita, and the coastline between Porto Azzurro and Rio Marina is where Paleozoic mica schists, feldspar, quartz, tourmaline, marbles and dolomites come from; around Capoliveri there are porphyries and calcareous masses; the northern part is the richest in iron minerals like oligist, limonite and magnetite, and here you can also find ardesian and carbon schists, Permian arenite and pudding stones, and Mesozoic limestone. The last iron mine on the island was closed in October 1981.

Another interesting place from a historical point of view that you should go and see is the Saint Giacomo and Saint Quirico Parish Church, built in the XI century and destroyed by pirates only to be rebuilt more than once. Today the exterior part is Renaissance style while the interior is clearly baroque. There are several valuable paintings kept here, but the most important is thought to have been done by Giovanni from San Giovanni Valdarno (1592/1636) showing the mystic marriage of Santa Caterina of Alessandria. If you go to the right of the Church of Saint Giacomo and Saint Quirico and go to the end of the road you will get to the Church of Pietà that dates back to the XVI century.

There is also a small theatre - the Teatro Garibaldi - in Rio Elba that has been recently renovated, and is where the major, local cultural activities are held.

The old washhouse with its brass water holes that date back to the sixteenth century, are very interesting, as is also the Valle dei Muliniwhere there were once 22 of these holes that brought the water down from the springs to the washhouse; last but not least the Church of the souls where recently a group of volunteers set up a mechanical nativity scene showing what Rio and the mining activity was like in the past.

The [page id="259"]Casa del Parco di Rio nell'Elba[/page[ is in the area known as i Canali, and here you will find all the information you need concerning the beauty of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park.

On your way out of the town, along the road for Nisporto and Nisportino, you will see the Sanctuary of Santa Caterina, a tiny sanctuary dating back to the XVI century, and the Orto Elbano dei Semplici where you can admire a large number of typical plants that grow in Elba. Both are near "Grassera", a Medieval village that the Turkish pirates razed to the ground in 1500. Every Easter Monday, the saint day of Santa Caterina, the locals eat dried figs in her honour.

Equally fascinating are the Castle of Monte Giove on the way to Cavo, and the Volterraio Castle, at the top of Monte del Volterraio on the main road for Portoferraio; it is the only impregnable fortress that the Saracen pirates were unable to raid.

Interesting fact: The Patron Saint of Rio nell'Elba is San Giacomo. Every July 25th special events and exhibitions are held.
If you want to know more about them please visit the web site www.elbaeventi.it

Where to stay near Rio nell'Elba

Are you looking for a place to stay for your holiday in Rio nell'Elba? Visit this page to see all accommodation available near Rio nell'Elba

Legend of points of interest

Museums
Historical places
Churches and sancturies

Groups di points of interest: zoom in to see them (the icon may vary in colour and size).

5 places to visit that can be seen on the map
The map has already been laid out at a zoom level that enables you to see all the points of interest.

You might also like...

Rio MarinaPorto AzzurroCampo nell'ElbaCapoliveriMarcianaMarciana MarinaPortoferraioBagnaia

Further reading

Public wash-houses in Rio nell'ElbaRio Elba Civic Archaeology MuseumDei Semplici GardenSanta Caterina HermitageVolterraio Castle

Go now to...

Sportella festival
  • Get to Elba
  • How to get there
  • Ferries
  • Getting about on the island
  • Hire
  • Stay
  • Accommodation that is open all year round
  • Hotels
  • Residences
  • Bed & Breakfasts
  • Apartments
  • Small villas and detached houses
  • Villas
  • Farm holiday centres
  • Campsites
  • Camper and caravan
  • Farm holiday campsites
  • Luxury accommodation
  • Tourist agencies and realtors
  • Eat
  • Restaurants and Pizzerias
  • Food & Wine Experience
  • Local recipes
  • Wines
  • Herbs and typical products
  • Typical dishes
  • Useful information
  • ElbaOK Insurance
  • Useful phone numbers and addresses
  • Weather
  • Webcams
  • Apps for your smartphone
  • Visit Elba
  • Beaches and coasts
  • Places to see
  • Tuscan Archipelago National Park
  • Guided excursions
  • Useful advice
  • Maps of the Island of Elba
  • I am...
  • Recommended itineraries
  • Sports and free time
  • Water sports
  • Land sports
  • Elba not to be missed
  • Outdoor sports
  • Enjoyment and relaxation
  • Courses and study trips
  • Shopping
  • Special events and exhibitions
  • Discovering Elba
  • How many beaches are there in Elba?
  • Paths and tracksin Elba
  • Elba in winter
  • Interesting facts
  • History of Elba
  • Geology of Elba
  • Towns of Elba
  • Media Gallery
  • Webcams

Infoelba non si assume alcuna responsabilità per l'uso di marchi e slogan usati dagli inserzionisti e per eventuali errate indicazioni.

Informa inoltre che i listini prezzi, orari, date o altro materiale informativo pubblicato su questo sito è suscettibile a variazioni.

:: Siete quindi invitati a chiedere conferma alle strutture interessate ::

Infoelba

©1999-2023 Infoelba s.r.l. Unipersonale - Viale Teseo Tesei, 12 - Centro Servizi Il Molino - 57037 Portoferraio (LI)

P. IVA e C.F. 01130150491 - capitale sociale €10.000,00 i.v. - registro imprese numero 01130150491 - REA: LI - 100635

infoelba® it is a registered trademark - all rights reserved - Accesso all'area riservata - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy