The Offices of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park on the Island of Elba and Pianosa

Tourist Assistance Offices of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park

The Park Offices are in most major towns on the Island of Elba, often where there is something of historical interest to go and see, and they provide the tourist with a communication point that will explain the wonders of both the National Park as well as those of the Island.

The Park Offices are open to the public from April to November with seasonal opening hours, and they are run in collaboration with the Park Authorities and the Communes.

Admission is free, and if you wish you can purchase informative brochures complete with photographs. Inside there is full information about the actual Park, the various types of flora and species of fauna on the island, the geological, historical and cultural origins, with explanations given using both past and present methods, anything that might catch the visitor's attention and make him or her want to go and see Elba's riches for himself/herself.

Opening hours of the Environment Education Centres of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park >

Info Park

Portoferraio - Calata Italia n. 4 - Email: info@parcoarcipelago.info - Tel. 0565 908231

The Tuscan Archipelago National Park offices give all the necessary information concerning any permission you may need if you visit any the islands in the Tuscan Archipelago; natural attractions for tourists; they do bookings for all the islands. The offices coordinate and organize environmental education projects and school trips under the supervision of the Park Authorities, as well as any special events on behalf of the Park, and they also provide books and have selling points.

2018 opening hours
Every day from 9.00 to 19.00

Marciana Park Offices: The Granite culture

The Park Offices in Marciana are near the ]Pisan Fortress.

They cover an area of approximately 300 square metres and are divided into two main rooms that are dedicated to the land and sea environments of the National Park.

In the first room, concerning land environment, you will find information about the genesis and the geomorphological evolution of the eastern side of Elba and Monte Capanne, and you may touch some of the minerals that are on show; you will learn about the history and customs of the area, their agro forestry and pastoral activities and the everyday tools and artefacts that were used in the past. You will also be able to smell the botanical essences that are typical of the area. You can also watch a video that shows you the typical Mediterranean bush with the plants and flowers that grow locally. Once the first part that covers the eastern side of Elba is over, you then move on to the part dedicated to the western side of the island, and once again you can look at photographs and watch a video, and you can see the various types of sand (like haematite) to be found on this side of the island.

At this point just go across a waterfall and go into the second building of the Park Offices that is dedicated to the sea environment. Here you will find two computers connected to the Park website, and on one of the walls there are posters showing endemic species of flora and fauna. On the opposite wall there is a poster of the flora and fauna both of the sea and of the rocky and sandy coastline of the Tuscan Archipelago. There is also a special area dedicated to the seagull, which is also the Park's symbol, with detailed information concerning the ecology of this bird that today is in danger of extinction; there are also many photographs showing the wide variety of the numerous species of animal and plant life within the Park area, an aquarium with fish from the Mediterranean and a large poster of cetaceans. The last area is where films and videos of the Park are shown: the presentation and introductory video, a film of the monk seal, and finally one of the seagull.

Pisan Fortress - Marciana - Email: info@comune.marciana.li.it - Tel. 0565.901030 / 348. 7039374

View the 2018 opening hours of the Park Offices in Marciana and the calender of the laboratories and the excursions for 2018 >

Low season
On Saturday afternoons excursions around Marciana based on the Walking Festival programme.

"Franco Franchini" Park Offices in Rio nell'Elba: The Iron Culture

The Park Offices, once a washhouse, are in the old part of Rio nell'Elba, in the area known as I Lavatoi, and cover an area of about 65 square metres. They are looked upon both as a reference point and the Park's way of welcoming those who visit them. The area is divided into two main parts, one as a welcoming introduction where you can read leaflets with detailed information about the National Park, the other consisting of a large, round showcase where you can watch videos and films about the Park, and where there are also two computers with interactive programmes about the nearby Valle dei Mulini. There is also a table of minerals where you can learn about the major minerals to be found on the Island of Elba, the same minerals the miners extracted for many generations.

Outside the Park Offices you can see the new washouses (1907), where the water gurgles out from a nearby spring that goes lengthwise across a concrete tank then ends up in the ditch where the Valle dei Mulini starts.

In i Canali - Rio nell'Elba - Email: inforioelba@tiscali.it - Tel. 0565.943399

View the opening hours of the Park Offices in Rio nell'Elba as well as the calendar of the laboratories and excursions in 2018 >

Every Friday afternoon free naturalistic-historical excursion to the town of Rio nell'Elba and surrounding hillside. We advise you to book beforehand by phoning 0565.943399

Dunes of Lacona Environment Education Centre
Dune area in Lacona - Ex Essenza

In 2014 the entire dune area in Lacona was bought over by the Park to save this area of great environmental importance from being completely neglected: it is the one and only dune area in all of the Tuscan Archipelago. Precisely because of their position and the structure of the building, the Offices in Lacona provideinformation to help tourists so can be looked upon as an Info Park , because their organization and running facilities are the same as that in the offices in Portoferraio, as well as giving information and selling books, doing bookings, in short, everything concerning the Park Management.

2018 opening hours
Every day from 9.00 to 19.00

View the calendar of the educational workshops, activities, excursions and guided tours for 2018 >

Park Offices in Pianosa

Island of Pianosa - Commune of Campo nell'Elba - Tel. 0565.1930777

You will find a bookshop in the Park offices with pamphlets and books containing information and illustrations, as well as souvenirs concerning all the islands of the Archipelago, and you can also visit the numerous naturalistic exhibitions on the island free of charge. Thanks to the combined effort on behalf of the Consorzio ElbaTaste, along with the help of the local organizations and shops there is also a special area in the office where you can get to know, taste and buy typical, local products that come from all the islands of the Archipelago.