Trekking excursion to the Terranera lake

Departure: Barbarossa Beach
Arrival: Terranera Beach
Length: 1.7 km
Time to complete: 20 minutes
Difficulty: very easy
Paths followed: no. 223

This hike can be considered the continuation of the Carmignani Walk. Since it’s not particularly challenging, it’s also suitable for children.

After walking the entire Barbarossa Beach, you’ll climb a staircase along trail no. 223, which quickly becomes flat and easy to follow, leading you to Reale Beach and within a few minutes to the Terranera Beach and Lagoon, a charming little cove with bright black sand, rich in hematite and pyrite crystals.

This location is one of the most picturesque and geologically significant mining areas of Elba, where you can observe traces of the old mine: from the facilities to the old loading bridges that transported iron ore.

The explosion of colors here is truly striking: the shiny black sand due to hematite crystals, the yellowish rocks formed by pyrite, and the Terranera Lagoon, a small oasis with a emerald green hue.

Of mining origin, the lagoon formed after a mining pit was filled with sulfurous (from the former quarry) and sea water.

In the past, swimming was allowed, but now for safety reasons, bathing is prohibited.

A small strip of sand divides the lagoon from the sea, making the environment even more fascinating and unique.