Tuscany: Elba island

At 8am sharp a ferry left the port of Piombino and parted on an hour long ride to the island of Elba - best known as the home of Napoleon Bonaparte (even if only for 300 days). After the ferry arrived to the port of Portoferraio, the bus took us to see Napoleon's residence; a villa that is unfortunately falling apart due to the lack of financial support from the italian government. In spite of who Napoleon was and what he did, he was actually a very humble man when it came to his private life. The only thing that portrays luxury is the main villa, which was never built for living, instead for strategic meetings and welcoming fellow army officers.

As Elba day on our tour was synonym for beach day, the next stop was Porto Azzurro, a town on the east of the island. There we spent around 4 hours swimming and sunbathing on the beach. Afterwards, we finished Elba off by paying a visit to the mine of semiprecious stones. There we took a guided tour, which consisted of a train guiding us through the mine and informing us about all the said stones. Afterwards we had a winetasting and shopped for souvenirs, and after that was done we boarded the ferry for Piombino.

Before arriving to Elba, I didn't exactly know what to think of it. I can't say much about the people, for we visited it on a sunday, and I only met 3 (2 of them were waiters). The island in general seems to me to be more tropical than mediterranean, as there is a large quantity of cacti and eucaliptus plants. In terms of historical heritage, there is little to nothing to see besides Napoleon's residence. With its numerous beaches, this island is an ideal spot for those who enjoy the laid back way of travelling and seek a peaceful retreat.

 Have you been to Elba before? What are your thoughts?

x, Valens