The most famous of the islands is, with out a doubt, Elba in the province of Livorno. It is, as with all of the islands, known for its incredible beauty but also as an excellent source of minerals and its brief history as the land where Napoleon Bonaparte was sent into exile. Although he only occupied the island for 10 months from May 4, 1814 to February 26, 1815, he left a great mark; this widely known history, in addition to the islands incredible scenery, peaks the curiosity of many travellers each year. The land was first settled some time during pre-history with its first inhabitants some 15,000 years ago and was farmed by the ancient Romans for its rich supply of iron as well as healing mud.
The largest city, Portoferraio, is the capoluogo (main city) of the island and the access point for boats ferrying people from Piombino to the Island of Elba. Portoferraio was reconstructed during the Rennaissance and contains multiple monuments as well as the civic museum ‘Museo Nazionale Delle Residenze Napoleoniche’ all of which commemorate Napoleon’s time on the island.
If you’re looking for the ultimate place of repose, visit ‘Le Terme di San Giovanni’ which are the famous natural hot springs located right in the city of Portoferraio. There you can simply relax in the 39° water or enjoy services including therapeutic massages and healing mud treatments with the natural minerally plentiful ‘fango’ (mud).
The Island of Elba is widely known for its production of the DOCG labelled desert wine, called Aleatico, which is fortified, sweet, and can be enjoyed in much of the same way as the Vin Santo of the Chianti region.