Discovering Elba on a mountain bike

From a naturalistic point of view, the best way to combine sport with your trip to the Island of Elba is to go round it by bike, so that as you follow dirt tracks and wood paths you will also be able to admire all the most beautiful parts of the Island in an magnificent, ever changing countryside:cliffs that drop sheer down right to the sea, woods, scenic ridges, ancient hermitages in very suggestive places, mule tracks, tiny hillside towns and ancient iron mines.

Those who prefer to pass their free time peddling a mountain bike instead of lying on the beach will find exactly what they're looking for in Elba, because there are many reasons for opting for a bicycle trip rather than a day at the beach.

The wide choice of natural environments, all rich in colours and perfumes, means that even if you come up against every type of obstacle and difficulty, no two outings will be the same. Since you need to be quite fit if you like going out on a mountain bike, even on days when the weather isn't perfect and the temperature goes down it is always an enjoyable experience at any time of the year. On dull and cloudy days, a new and different nature will unfold before you: the colours will be different, the sea will be darker, the mountains will seem somewhat eerie, and perfumes will become more intense; in short, nature will seem mysterious and unwelcoming, but as you go along, you will actually like having your arms and legs covered in mud.

And f you've never been to Elba, don't think for one minute that the Island is small and flat!

Monte Capanne, the highest mountain in all the province of Livorno, is on this very island, and from here you can admire the breathtaking view of the other islands in the Tuscan Archipelago, the coastline of the mainland, the Island of Corsica and an unbelievable amount of coastal areas over a distance of 145 kilometres.

You can go practically anywhere in an area that covers about 220 square kilometres, with an infinite choice of beautifullroutes that at the same time are very interesting from a technical point of view.