Sant’Andrea Beach on the Island of Elba | Marciana

Following the provincial road that leads from the village of Marciana to Marina di Campo, from high up on the road you can look out over the beaches and small coves below and admire glimpses of breathtaking scenery, surrounded by the scents of the Mediterranean scrub. The islands of Capraia and distant Corsica provide the backdrop.

Bend after bend, as you descend towards the sea, Elba seems to fade further and further behind you and you enter a place that feels like an island within the island: the renowned tourist resort of Sant'Andrea, where granite dominates the landscape, will leave you speechless.

The beach, although modest in size (it is about 130 metres long and no more than 12 metres deep), is charming and made up of light granite sand lapped by a turquoise sea.

Interesting fact: The gentle shore of Sant’Andrea was once a landing place for sailing ships arriving from the mainland to load wine, produced in abundance on the terraced slopes of the area. The quay at the western edge of the beach still bears witness to this activity.

Here the seabed slopes gently for the first few metres, then drops quickly and is very interesting for lovers of underwater activities, who can dive directly from the beach.

There are several well-equipped bars and restaurants directly on the beach.

To enjoy one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline on the Island of Elba, you can head east or west of the beach, where wide rocky areas are suitable for sunbathing and swimming.

On the right, facing the sea, a pleasant path over the rocks leads to Cotoncello, a sandy beach as small as it is enchanting.

To the west you head towards Capo Sant’Andrea. Here the smooth granite rocks, called Cote Piane by the Elbans, are ideal for bathers and are easy to walk on. From Cotoncello to Capo Sant'Andrea the granite is particularly beautiful, dotted with thousands of white feldspar crystals and, between April and May, the fuchsia flowering of the Hottentot figs is a sight not to be missed.

Interesting fact: in summer 2022, many tiny Caretta caretta turtles hatched unexpectedly »

Getting to Sant’Andrea beach

Sant’Andrea beach is accessible by car, from Marciana or from Marina di Campo, following the western ring road around Monte Capanne. From the provincial road, once you reach the junction for Sant'Andrea (well signposted), you start descending towards the sea; pay attention to the road, which in some stretches is narrow and has many bends.

Near the beach there is a fairly large car park, well signposted on the left before reaching the sea (about 100 metres away). There are around twenty free spaces, while the rest are paid with a parking meter. The cost is €1.50/h from 01 June to 30 September, from 8:00 to 21:00

During the summer, the beach can also be reached thanks to the Marebus service of the Municipality of Marciana, which runs from the provincial road down towards La Zanca, Cotoncello and Sant'Andrea.