PortoferraioElba · Tuscan Archipelago

All About Portoferraio

The largest city on the island of Elba, Portoferraio welcomes visitors to a coastal destination known right around the world for its natural beauty, atmospheric charm, and intriguing history. Just like the Italian island’s other settlements of Cavo and Rio Marina, Portoferraio has been built around its port and is therefore still most appreciated from the sea.

Pick up ferry tickets to Portoferraio and as the ship comes into the dock, you’ll be able to admire the hills which drift around it and provide safe anchorage for a marina filled with yachts. A bare stone marks the location of sea-facing defensive bastions and landward-facing city walls, while pastel pinks stand out from a number of houses.

Founded in 1548, Portoferraio is one of the youngest settlements in Italy’s Tuscan Archipelago, which also includes the islands of Capraia, Isola del Giglio, and Pianosa. Even so, the island is not short of history and was famously the location of Napoleon Bonaparte’s first exile, between 1814 and 1815. Situated relatively centrally on the island’s winding northern coast, Portoferraio is a great base for exploring all the island has to offer. To get here, use Ferryscanner to find routes, compare prices and book your ferry tickets.
 

Routes and Ferries to Portoferraio

Purchasing ferry tickets to Portoferraio is a simple process. The main link that the city maintains with the Italian mainland is via Piombino in the province of Livorno. It lies approximately 28 kilometers away, although ferries connect the two all year round. The route is operated by two ferry companies, called Toremar and Moby Lines.

Ferry tickets to Portoferraio are available with both companies whether you are a foot passenger or taking a vehicle such as a car or a motorbike to the island. The fastest passage between Piombino and Portoferraio is operated by Moby Lines and lasts around one hour. The Toremar service takes slightly longer at one hour 40 minutes.

The high season (June to September) sees up to nine sailings in either direction per week, averaging out at one sailing per day. During the low season (October to May) there is one sailing per week on average. Those looking for ferry tickets to Portoferraio should keep this in mind. Tickets start at around 15 euros.

Another ferry connection links Portoferraio with Cavo, located north and east of Portoferraio. This route is also operated by Toremar, however, it only runs during the high season months of June to September. A good alternative to traveling between the two settlements by road, the one-way journey lasts around 20 minutes and allows passengers to take in some of the Mediterranean’s finest coastal views.

While the ferry connection to mainland Italy is the predominant link that the island has, Elba also has a small airport called Marina di Campo, which receives flights from Pisa and other regional airports.
 

Ports of Portoferraio

Portoferraio bay is divided into several different ports, all of which are in close proximity to one another, as well as the city’s main attractions. The majority are reserved for the use of small privately-owned yachts, which provide a delightful sight for anyone exploring this stretch of the Elba coastline. Ferries dock at the terminals roughly located in the middle of the harbor area.
 

Best Beaches

There are few visitors able to resist the allure of Portoferraio’s coast, which comprises a blend of rocky escarpments and world-beating beaches. In the summer the guaranteed sun and warm temperatures mean the best beaches in Portoferraio become thriving escapes from the center of the city.

Spiaggia delle Viste

One of the closest beaches to central Portoferraio, Spiaggia delle Viste is just a short distance from Villa dei Mulini, the winter residence of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1814. Watched over by the historic defensive tower called Forte Falcone, the beach is relatively narrow because it is backed by low hills. At around 180 meters long, it is made up of a blend of sand and small pebbles and provides an excellent place to splash about in the Tyrrhenian arm of the Mediterranean Sea.

Capo Bianco Beach

Almost due north of Portoferraio, Capo Bianco Beach offers visitors an exquisite stretch of white shingle. This provides a magical contrast to the warm turquoise waters around this part of the Elba coast. Forming a steady ribbon some 260 meters long, the water here tends to be calm and is known as a hotspot for snorkeling.

Il Viticcio

Named after a small village of the same name, Viticcio Beach is divided into two by a cliff covered in native plants that erupt into blossoms each spring. Together, they are around 140 meters in length, and like Capo Bianco Beach are made up of shingle rather than sand. Sheltered and secluded, they seem a world away from Portoferraio although just six or seven kilometers by road.

Scaglieri Beach

If sand is an essential component of any beach stay for you, look no further than Scaglieri Beach. It faces west on the opposite side of the large promontory on which Portoferraio is located, and has a length of around 150 meters. The soft sand makes it a popular choice for those with younger children, while others will appreciate the variety of nearby facilities.
 

Places to Visit

From archeological finds dating back millennia to Napoleon’s former house, there are some wonderful places to visit in Portoferraio should you somehow tire of the city’s beaches.

Villa dei Mulini

Now a museum, Villa dei Mulini – or Windmill House – was the building in which Napoleon spent the winter of 1814 after being exiled on the island. Visitors are able to explore the rooms where the French leader ate, slept, and undoubtedly planned his escape. They have been fully restored to give a sense of how they would have looked during his time.

Portoferraio Lighthouse

Perched among the ramparts of the Forte Stella, Portoferraio Lighthouse was built in 1788 and continues to guide ships safely to shore. While not open to the public, its attractive structure is well worth the walk, if only for the panoramic vistas and photographic opportunities.

Museum of Archeology

For an insider’s perspective about what the forts and defensive structures from Portoferraio’s past look like up close, head to the city’s Museum of Archeology. Displaying finds dating back to before the time of ancient Rome, its galleries sit within the Medici fortress of Linguella. Exhibits include wine amphora, astronomical instruments, and even pieces of Roman-era glass.

Villa Romana delle Grotte

As if to emphasize the importance of Elba to the ancient Romans, the remains of a Roman villa can be found a short distance from the Portoferraio city limits. Dated to the first century before Christ, it has an excellent location overlooking Punta delle Grotte and straddles the countryside here. Owned by the Valerii family, it was only rediscovered in the 1960s.
 

Transportation Around Portoferraio

The island’s residents tend to rely on their cars to get around Portoferraio. If you take your car across on the ferry, you should expect long queues to disembark. It’s also possible to rent vehicles and scooters while on the island, with several agencies located in and around the ports of Portoferraio.

All the sights within Portoferraio can be easily reached on foot, although if you’ve got luggage you may want to take advantage of the taxis that await arriving ferries. To head further afield without your own vehicle, the island has a bus service.

This service is predominately built around the needs of the island’s residents and connects Portoferraio with Cavo and Rio Marina throughout the year. Line 117 links Portoferraio with Cavo in approximately 30 minutes. Buses depart roughly every hour from Monday to Saturday, with reduced services on Sundays and public holidays. Between June and September, the usual bus routes are accompanied by an additional minibus service called Marebus. This service acts as a link between Portoferraio and its main beaches.