• Home
  • 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 - Dove natura è vacanza
  • Italian
  • English
  • German
  • French
  • Infoelba - Dove natura è vacanza

Sleep

  • Find accommodation
  • Request a quote
  • Hotels
  • Residences
  • Bed & Breakfast
  • Farm holidays
  • Campsites
  • Farm campsites
  • Apartments and holiday homes
  • Villas and independent houses
  • Villas
  • Luxury accommodations

Travel info

  • Ferries
  • How to reach the island
  • Getting around the island
  • Car and scooter rental
  • Online scooter rental
  • Taxi and car hire

Elba Island

  • Beaches and coasts
  • Towns and villages
  • What to see
  • Tuscan Archipelago National Park
  • Recommended itineraries
  • Webcams

Experiences

  • Water sports
  • Outdoor sports
  • Wine & Food Experience
  • Guided tours
  • Boat trips
  • Elba by bike
  • Events and festivals

Services

  • Restaurants and pizzerias
  • Tourist and real estate agencies
  • Campers and caravans
  • Beach establishments
  • Boat rental
  • Bike and e-bike rental
  • Weather
  • Useful numbers
Last minute booking 4 Special offers 4 Apartaments 218 Small villas and detached houses 17 Bed & breakfast 15 Hotels 79 Villas 7 Residences 47 Farm holiday centres 15 Campsites 19 Farm holiday campsites 1
  1. Island of Elba
  2. The Island of Elba
  3. Tuscan Archipelago National Park
    • European Card of Eco-Friendly Tourism
    • CETS: the aim of the Park
    • Park Offices
    • The seven islands
    • Excursions to the Tuscan islands
    • Sea turtles' nests
    • Watching the monk seal
    • International Cetacean Sanctuary
    • Tuscany Islands UNESCO MaB
    • Resto con Life

Tuscan Archipelago National Park

Elba, as well as another six other islands, is part of the National Park

The Tuscan Archipelago National Park covers a sea area of over 600 km² between Livorno and the Argentario promontory, and includes seven islands: Capraia, Elba, Giannutri, Giglio, Gorgona, Montecristo, Pianosa, as well as the Formiche di Grosseto and other smaller rocks. The largest island is Elba (223.5 km²), and the smallest is Gorgona (2.23 km²). The furthest from the coast is Montecristo, located 68 km away, while Capraia is only 34 km from Elba.

Despite the small size of the islands, the variety of landscapes is remarkable: from the complex and varied Elba Island, to the plateau of Pianosa, to the rocky cone of Montecristo. Along the coasts, cliffs and caves alternate with small beaches protected by wild promontories, while colorful flowers cover the rocks and towers, recalling the millennial presence of humans.

Landscapes and morphology result from the different geological origins of the various islands. Gorgona and Montecristo are entirely made of granite, Giglio and Elba are made of granite and sedimentary rocks (limestones and marls), Giannutri and Pianosa are made of limestones. Capraia is made of both intrusive and extrusive magmatic rocks.

The traditional industry, before the tourism boom, was mining, which was the main economic resource of the islands in the past. The importance of mining activities over the years is reflected in the current state of vegetation. The need for large quantities of charcoal, for the processing of ore, and timber for the mine supports led to the disappearance of the oak forest. The typical vegetation cover of the islands is now represented by "high" scrub with heather and strawberry tree, along with mastic and myrtle.

In the windier areas, "low" scrub develops, where red rock rose and sea cistus prevail. A beautiful mixed forest of black hornbeam, black alder, and chestnut, with relict specimens of yew, covers the slopes of Mount Capanne, on Elba Island. Special importance is given to endemics, limited to certain islands, such as the Elba violet and the Elba cornflower, as well as the Capraia linaria.

Birds make up the most relevant fauna component, with the yellow-legged gull (600 nesting pairs), the cory's shearwater (about 200 pairs), the crested cormorant (30 pairs), the greater and lesser shearwater, the imperial raven, the peregrine falcon, the solitary sparrow, and the wild pigeon. An abundant flow of migratory species is also present.

The sea surrounding the islands hosts all the characteristic species of the Tyrrhenian Sea, such as vast meadows of posidonia, gorgonians, sea anemones, corals, and starfish. Several species of dolphins, the brown grouper, and the rare sunfish are present. More rarely, sightings of sperm whales and common minke whales are reported. Extremely sporadic are sightings of the monk seal.

The IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature, the highest global body for parks and nature reserves, based in Switzerland, has included the Tuscan Archipelago National Park in the prestigious Green List, which recognizes the world's protected areas that excel in natural conservation and sustainable management.

Useful Information

Park Activities
Download the Park program: activities, visits, excursions, educational workshops, major events across all seven islands, for all ages and tastes ›

For information on workshops and activities of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, visit www.elbaeventi.it

Tuscan Archipelago National Park
Portoferraio - Enfola location
Tel. 0565.919411 - Fax 0565.913350 - website: www.islepark.it

InfoPark Tuscan Archipelago
Tourist information center of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park
Portoferraio - Calata Italia No. 4
Tel. 0565.908231 - info@parcoarcipelago.info - website: www.parcoarcipelago.info

European Card of Eco-Friendly Tourism

One of the projects carried out by the PNAT is how to obtain a CETS: the European Card of Eco-Friendly Tourism. Read more

CETS: the aim of the Park

The Park has started the procedure for obtaining the CETS and in 2016 was given a positive assessment on behalf of the Europarc. Read more

Park Offices

Park Offices: information centres and communication points for visitors to the Tuscan Archipelago National Park.

Info Park Portoferraio

The information offices of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park aim at giving tourists a friendly, naturalistic welcome in an eco friendly environment.
Read more

CEA and visiting Centre in Marciana

Information leaflets available here written by the Park Authorities plus the chance to take part in a more detailed visit.
Read more

CEA and visiting Centre in Rio nell'Elba

A valid reference and meeting point of the Park, that aims at promoting the characteristics of the mining traditions of the eastern side of Elba.
Read more

CEA and Info Park Lacona

The Environmental Education Centre in Lacona is also an Info Park and provides tourists with information.
Read more

Info Park Pianosa

If you wish information about visiting and going on an excursion on the Island of Pianosa just contact the staff at the Park Authority offices.
Read more

CEA Capraia

Here you will be given all the information you need to appreciate the beauty of the Island of Capraia to the full.
Read more

Giglio Info Park

It provides a naturalistic tourist welcome as well as information and bookings for all the activities in Giglio and Giannutri
Read more

Montecristo Info Park

The new InfoPoint built within the old Fishermen's Shed
Read more

The seven islands

Elba is one of the 7 islands that make up the Tuscan Archipelago, the others are: Giglio, Montecristo, Capraia, Pianosa, Giannutri and Gorgona.

Island of Montecristo

Montecristo, famous thanks to the novel "The Count of Monecristo" by Dumas, is one of the most rugged and inaccessible islands in the Tuscan Archipelago.
Read more

Island of Pianosa

Island of Pianosa in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park that up till 1997 was a maximum security penal settlement.
Read more

Island of Capraia

Capraia, the only volcanic island in the Tuscan Archipelago, at a distance of 54 km is one of the farthest islands from the mainland
Read more

Island of Giglio

Giglio, sadly famous today because of the Concordia disaster, is better known in the archipelago thanks to its unique environment and crystal clear sea
Read more

Island of Giannutri

The Island of Giannutri is also called Seagull Island, because every year many herring gulls choose to make their nests there.
Read more

Island of Gorgona

Gorgona, one of the islands in the Tuscan Archipelago where there is also a penal settlement, where the prisoners work the land and look after the animals.
Read more

Excursions to the Tuscan islands

Several shipping companies offer excursions and mini cruises from the Island of Elba to other islands of the Tuscan Archipelago.

Visiting Montecristo

Thanks to the connections set up by the Park, you can now go on a daily tour of the Island of Montecristo, depending if days requested have been authorized.
Read more

Getting to Pianosa

You can go to Pianosa all year round from the port in Marina di Campo.
Read more

Getting to Capraia

In the summer you can get to Capraia from Portoferraio and Marciana Marina.
Read more

Getting to Giglio

Giglio can become the perfect destination for a one day excursion to the second largest island in the Tuscan Archipelago.
Read more

Visiting Giannutri

All year round you can get to the island from Porto Santo Stefano while in summer also from the island of Giglio.
Read more

Visiting Gorgona

Thanks to the connections set up by the Park you can go on a daily excursion to the island from both Livorno and the Island of Elba
Read more

Sea turtles' nests

Find a nest and you find a treasure: useful information if you're looking for sea turtles nests and the best way to protect them. Read more

Watching the monk seal

Correct behaviour if you sea a monk seal: a protected species by the law so it is forbidden to kill one, capture it or even disturb it in any way. Read more

International Cetacean Sanctuary

The International Sanctuary of Marine Mammals is a protected area created in 1999 thanks to an agreement between Italy, France and the Principality of Monaco. Read more

Tuscany Islands UNESCO MaB

The UNESCO MaB Reserve of the Tuscany Islands consists of the seven Archipelago islands as well as other small islands between the Tuscan coast and Corsica. Read more

Resto con Life

Resto con Life is a project that aims at improving the conditions of natural habitats as well as rare, animal and plant species in the Tuscan islands. Read more
Plan your stay: request a free quote for your holiday
  • Sleep
  • Find accommodation
  • Request a quote
  • Hotels
  • Residences
  • Bed & Breakfast
  • Farm holidays
  • Campsites
  • Farm campsites
  • Apartments and holiday homes
  • Villas and independent houses
  • Villas
  • Luxury accommodations
  • Travel info
  • Ferries
  • How to reach the island
  • Getting around the island
  • Car and scooter rental
  • Online scooter rental
  • Taxi and car hire
  • Elba Island
  • Beaches and coasts
  • Towns and villages
  • What to see
  • Tuscan Archipelago National Park
  • Recommended itineraries
  • Webcams
  • Experiences
  • Water sports
  • Outdoor sports
  • Wine & Food Experience
  • Guided tours
  • Boat trips
  • Elba by bike
  • Events and festivals
  • Services
  • Restaurants and pizzerias
  • Tourist and real estate agencies
  • Campers and caravans
  • Beach establishments
  • Boat rental
  • Bike and e-bike rental
  • Weather
  • Useful numbers

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

©1999-2025 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

Share on

Facebook WhatsApp Email

Link copied to clipboard!