Of all the brilliant memories we have of our family holiday to Elba last September, it’s our trip to the mineral mine above Rio Marina that has stuck with our three-year-old daughter Evie.
Regularly, and seemingly out of the blue, six months on she still talks about using a small hammer to tap at the rocks and break loose “sparkly stonesâ€, the remains of what was once a profitable mineral mine for hematite (a key ingredient in iron) and pyrite (commonly known as fool’s gold).
Every time she brings this up it makes me chuckle – for me, visiting a mine isn’t top of my to-do list on holiday, but Parco Minerario came highly recommended so we (my husband, daughter and I) booked three seats on the train tour and set off from Rio Marina’s waterfront, a small red-stone town on Elba’s east coast.
The train climbed up through the steep quarry slopes, past discarded and rusting mining equipment lying in the scrub, before coming to a stop on a plateau above the sea. Armed with small hammers and a bag, we were encouraged to chip away at the rocks and take home as much hematite and pyrite as we wanted.
An unexpected hit with our daughter, the mining trip was just one of many highlights of our holiday in Elba. The largest island in the Tuscan archipelago between Italy’s Tuscany and France’s Corsica in the Mediterranean, Elba is half the size of the Isle of Man and has a population of just 30,000.
While us Brits flock to Tuscany for our holidays, the Tuscans go to Elba. And how wise they are for doing so. Six miles off the Italian coast, it’s an hour’s ferry crossing from humdrum Piombino on the mainland to humming Portoferraio, Elba’s capital.
No more than an hour’s drive from east to west of the island, its 147km of coastline is littered with beaches, coves and sun traps, some easily accessible with parking, bars and restaurants, others only reachable by boat, others a happy medium between the two. And the whole place has long been protected by the Tuscan Archipelago National Park (the largest marine park in Europe), so the island hasn’t been overdeveloped and exists in a blissful time capsule.
That protected status means its surrounding seas are rich with marine life, and the Elbans pride themselves on sourcing the vast majority of their diet from Elba’s own land and water. It makes for deliciously varied menus – while there are plenty of child-friendly pasta staples, we tucked into tasty dishes of octopus, mussels, cuttlefish, clams, stockfish and sardines during our stay.
Our first proper beach day on Elba is at Cavoli, on the recommendation of Maurizio Testa at the Hotel Ilio, where we’re staying for our first few nights. Fearing the wind may be a bit blustery for our little one to paddle in the sea on the Ilio’s side of the island at Sant’Andrea.
Maurizio pulls up various shipping forecasts and quickly hones in on Cavoli, a 20-minute drive to the south, as being perfect for the day’s conditions. Maurizio makes a brief phone call and tells us all is sorted.
Only when we arrive at Cavoli do we fully appreciate this service. It may be September but it’s still fairly busy, and Cavoli isn’t big. Parked cars line the route from the main road, but Maurizio told us we just needed to keep heading for the end of the beach and there’d be a parking spot reserved for us there.
And he’s right – Antonio gives us a warm welcome, takes the car keys and shows us to our loungers in a magnificent spot on the front row of the beach.
I could get used to the Italian way of beaching. Shaded by a canopy and with a parasol between us, we look out over the inlet of Cavoli and the shallow sea. South facing and bordered with Mediterranean scrub-covered hills broaching the water, it’s wonderfully sheltered.
As Maurizio predicted, and we merrily while away the day building sandcastles, paddling and swimming, and taking full advantage of the waiter service delivering us drinks and ice creams.
My husband balks when we’re charged €40 for our day’s parking and lounging but I think it’s worth every cent. Admittedly, paying this daily would soon add up, but not every beach on the island has rows of private loungers, and even if it does, there’s always an area left free and clear.
No self-respecting Italian would be seen dead lying on a towel instead of a lounger, but we have no such shame.
The memories keep coming thick and fast from our holiday in Elba Island. On a boat trip with Mickey Mouse boats out of Marina di Campo we circumnavigate the island and spot a school of dolphins leaping out of the water, then snorkel above the Elviscot shipwreck that went aground on the Ogliera Rocks near Pomonte in 1972.
We have some of the best ice creams on the island at Zero Gradi in Capoliveri. A proper, family-run Italian gelateria open since 1984, it has snazzy individual chillers for each flavour; we’re told to optimise the taste. We’re convinced – the stracciatella is heavenly.
And we have a wonderful day cycling around the Calamita peninsula, the southeastern point of the island with the terracotta-hued hilltop town of Capoliveri at its centre. We hire electric bikes from Rent Bike Capoliveri, with a trailer attached to my husband’s for Evie, and head south on the unmarked coastal road.
I’ve previously been a bit skeptical about electric bikes, thinking they weren’t for ‘proper’ cyclists, but as we whizz along the winding, undulating road, with views out to sea and the tiny islands of Montecristo and Pianosa.
I begin to view them differently. We’d have been exhausted doing this on ‘normal’ bikes, but a little turbo boost every so often makes the whole thing much more enjoyable.
At the suggestion of our guide Caterina, we descend a steep track to Remaiolo beach for lunch. She promises it’s worth it, and she’s right – there’s a shabby chic beach shack draped with festoon lights serving tasty paninis and its terrace has a view of the sea in the sheltered cove.
The path continues to the sandy gravelly beach – it’s not as gentle as some of the others on the island, but its surrounding rocks are perfect for some scrambled rock pooling, and the gently lapping sea means Evie and I can play our current favourite game of wave jumping.
Those electric bikes come into their own on the climb up from the beach; an ascent that would have taken about 40 minutes on a normal bike (longer with the trailer) takes less than 10 minutes and we barely break a sweat. We’re converted!
For my husband, Elba Island’s unquestionable highlight is its food and drink. As Evie reminisces of mining for rocks, Jon daydreams of Elba Magna, a tiny aperitivo bar and deli in Capoliveri owned by Gabriele Messina (magna means to eat in the Elban dialect).
So much more than just a bar, Gabriele recreates the recipes that only the grandparents of Elba now know. Using the best local produce and an exceptional amount of dedication to his craft.
We eat such simple but scrummy dishes as onion soup with baccala served in individual bread bowls, octopus tentacles, and Panficatao, a local cake made with figs, honey and fennel seeds. To drink, we have sparkling red Atletico wine and wish one of us didn’t have to drive back to the hotel.
Could Elba be one of those rare holiday destinations that work for every member of the family? It did for us – I often find myself daydreaming of its beaches, and the views out to sea through hibiscus bushes and maritime pine trees. A romantic, dramatic bubble of a Mediterranean island, we’re smitten. Elba is going to stay in all our memories for a long time.
We travelled to Elba Island in September 2019 but fortunately, the island had very few cases of coronavirus and everything is open again, with social distancing measures of 1m in place and masks required in enclosed public spaces. We’d highly recommend booking now for next summer.Â
Getting there
We flew with British Airways to Pisa and hired a car. It’s about an hour and a half’s drive from Pisa to Piombino and we pre-booked a ferry through our hotel to get a 20% discount (pretty much all hotels on the island offer this). So as not to be cutting it fine for the last ferry of the day, we stayed overnight near Pisa at Fattoria di Fiocina, then travelled to Elba the following day, but if your flight is early enough it’d be doable in a day.
Where to stay
– Hotel Ilio – Elba Island in Capo Sant’Andrea is the island’s only boutique hotel, with 20 bedrooms. It doesn’t have a restaurant but is walking distance to several in the little village. The service is really friendly and it has family rooms sleeping up to four. From €70 B&B per night, based on two sharing a room.
– Hotel Antares – Elba Island in Lido di Capoliveri is right on the beach, with its own loungers and parasols. It has a pool, tennis court, kids club and bedrooms sleeping up to four. From €60 per person per night, half board.
– Hotel Valle Verde – Elba Island is the sister property to the Antares and is at Spartaia. It also has its own reserved area of beach, plus a pool and can accommodate up to five people in interconnecting rooms. From €44 per person per night, half board.
For more information on the Elba island, visit www.visitelba.co.uk/
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When I first saw Palaette pop up on my Instagram feed, I instantly knew I needed to check it out. I ...
If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to visit the gorgeous country that is Italy and experience th...
We’re always on the hunt for a quirky venue for date night. Don’t get me wrong, crazy golf is fu...
Whether you are looking for something relaxing, or adventurous, you can find a variety of things to ...
Leeds is one of the biggest, boldest and best cities in the UK and has an incredibly rich and divers...
The Harbour Master in Aberaeron is a very unique boutique hotel. It’s also home to an award-winnin...
Few places can rival York for its character, culture and cocktails. York has always been a popular c...
This was one of the first places we dined at when we first moved to Leyburn and coming from a seasid...
Set in 100 acres of stunning woodland with one of the largest collections of shrubs and trees in the...
For all you Yorkshire Gin lovers out there, this one’s for you! Brewtown Tours provides microbrew...
It’s fair to say bonding is not the first thing anyone thinks about when they’re booking their h...
Situated along Ramsgate harbour this is a great spot for lunching and brunching with friends!...
We’re always on the hunt for a quirky venue for date night. Don’t get me wrong, crazy golf is fu...
On the ground floor of a wonderful South Bank hotel and overlooking the Thames is Sea Containers. It...
Before you read this review, put your phone down and go book a table at Blacklock. There are three v...
Rutland may be England’s smallest county but it is bursting with action, fun and flavour, which is...
Kent is easily reached from London by high speed and boasts beautiful countryside and stunning coast...
Sheffield is low-key, humble with a relaxed and friendly vibe, but without a doubt exciting and infe...
Here at Girl About, we love a beach and we love our local areas, so our Blog Squad have pulled toget...
Made up of a whole host of historic towns, cosmopolitan cities, quaint villages and even the odd ham...
The Peak District is famed for its stunning scenery, fascinating history and quaint little market to...
You might be surprised to discover that Bradford is the 5th largest city in the UK. Which is why wh...
The prestigious Relais & Châteaux status was slapped on Grantley Hall in Ripon in North Yorkshire i...
Chances are, by the time we emerge from lockdown and are allowed to travel freely around the country...
There’s really no surprise that St. Albans is frequently cited as one of the best places to live i...
Horses for courses, but I'm not one for booking with travel agents and tour operators. I've pretty m...
There’s no better place to start my Travel Truths Series than with the star rating system used by ...
Liverpool is a vibrant and fun European destination and a brilliant place to spend time in. This sco...
There are the ‘usual’ places to visit when you’re in London. The tourist traps, the things to ...
Book a stay at one of these glamorous glamping sites and you’ll experience all the wellbeing benef...
Say hello to Veganuary! Here are ten amazing vegan places to eat across Yorkshire! Whether you’re ...
When three of my absolute favourite things in life are rolled together into one glorious experience ...
Bolton Abbey itself is a wonderful 12th-century Augustinian monastery which sits beside the River Wh...
There’s something to be said for the simple things in life – family, friends, sleeping under can...
Why I loved The Kitchen at Manor House at Lindley in Huddersfield A really decadent ‘ladies wot l...
Grays Court in York is perfect for romantic, special occasion dining – leave your gaggle of girlfr...
We loved that we could see our city through new eyes and had a chance to explore places old and new ...
A truly unique “day date†experience that we’ll remember for a long time. It was very well org...
Because Kelham Island Food Tour showcases Sheffield at its best. It captures the city’s love of fo...
Thursday night a couple of weeks ago and my Dad was in town. My step-mum had gone to an ABBA event a...
I am a pub girl through and through and a glutton for a good, hearty menu. Forever hunting out new ...
The saying goes ‘Life isn’t perfect, but your hair can be,’ and being a busy mother with a mil...
And it wasn’t just any old shoe, it was a bespoke, hand-made kitten heel she had decoupaged using ...
A passionate family run business that serves up the tastiest tiramisu I’ve ever had. Throw in the ...
West Midlands Safari Park is a great day out for any age. There is a huge range of things to see an...
The Peacock at Rowsley offers fine dining done properly. The historic building houses an elegant, re...
Thyme Café is the perfect balance between eating in a nice establishment, without feeling awkward f...
I love the fact that it’s a smokehouse first, restaurant second. The smokehouse has been around fo...
Husband and Wife ran, LA-Pop is situated in the up and coming Edgbaston village. Upon walking throug...
I’ve pitched up our tent and camped at Catgill Farm campsite just a stone’s throw from Bolton Ab...
I signed up to become a StrongHER ‘Warrior’ for four weeks. After the second week, I signed up f...
Nestled in the heart of gorgeous Dedham (also known as ‘Constable Country’ after the work of the...
Exploring the different heat and ice experiences with various aromas and a calming atmosphere worked...
The real ‘behind-the-scenes’ of small-batch gin production, whilst sampling (lots of) very nice ...
It’s a fun-filled day out for the whole family. There are stacks of outdoor play areas, which the ...
I love a spa. I love everything about it: the unashamed decadence of spending time doing very little...
Hidden in the heart of the East Village, part of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and just a stones ...
I decided on Billy Bob’s Diner in Skipton on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales as the venue for Fern...
We’ve been coming to the Tickled Trout fairly regularly ever since moving to Chesterfield three ye...
If having to care for a tiny baby with no prior knowledge and no handbook for the first time wasn’...
As I sat on the sprawling lawn, my one-year-old daughter squealing with delight as she rolled down t...
The last few weeks in London have been GLORIOUS sunshine. Even me, the most unlikely woman to ever g...
We had such high expectations of The Deep. So many people have given us glowing reviews, I did wonde...
Daisy at Camp Katur in North Yorkshire reeled off the list of accommodation options to me over the p...
The vibe, the diversity, the enthusiasm of the owners and of course, the food. It helps that the own...
Found yourself with an hour or two to wile away? Head to Dice & A Slice in Colchester – home to a ...
Elegant dining with flavour combinations you will not have eaten elsewhere. Stunning attention to d...
The last few weeks in London has been GLORIOUS sunshine. Even me, the most unlikely woman to ever ge...
Soak up the seaside atmosphere at one of Yorkshire’s outdoor pools, reservoirs, freshwater beaches...
I chose the captivating little country of Sri Lanka as the destination where would celebrate our 10t...
A weekend at Casa Turnilla Yoga Retreat in the picture-perfect Spanish town of Estepona on the Costa...
It’s an afternoon treat that’s smack bang on my doorstep. Being able to walk to such a lovely pl...
I don’t think it’s too dramatic to declare that coffee flows in my veins. Okay, maybe it’s a b...
Why I Love The Mount Royale Hotel. The Mount Royale Hotel is just a stone’s throw from York city c...
I love that the Manor House in Lindley is near enough for a quick overnight getaway but that as you ...
A floral archway leading to shabby chic décor. Wooden floors and lots of fake foliage and street ar...
I’ve been coming to Darleys for well over a decade and have NEVER had so much as a disappointing c...
Being somewhat incompetent with maps myself, what appeals to me most about this big, circular walk i...
With the school holiday’s approaching, we have rounded up our top ten favourite child-friendly wal...
When you think of Manchester you don’t tend to associate it with botanical gardens. It’s always ...
What I like best about Odyssey Greek restaurant is that it genuinely feels like you’re holiday! No...
I love it because I may be a grown-up but I felt like I could be a big kid in there, but with a cock...
When my friend asked me and my family to come along to one of the GRUB food fairs at Fairfield Socia...
If you live in Halifax you’ve probably driven past Wainhouse Tower and not realised that for a few...
An atmospheric, if slightly bachelor pad-style interior, a huge selection of steaks, attentive waiti...
It starts in the much loved Endcliffe Park, so a great meeting point if doing the walk with others. ...
The Devonshire Arms at picture-perfect Bolton Abbey on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales is one of Yor...
I love that The Devonshire Arms Inn is only a 30-minute drive from Sheffield, yet we felt like we we...
Why I love it: Since becoming dog owners we’ve tried to find places that keep children and four-le...
Why I love it: Well, firstly Fountains Abbey a UNESCO World Heritage Site so expect to be totally in...
My eyes darted back and forth as I stood on the edge of the most easterly point in North America. Sc...
Public transport and I haven’t always been best friends. Catching the “571†bus service to Bri...
That click-click of knitting needles was a familiar sound to me growing up. My mum’s a knitter. Sh...
Ye Olde Bell must have been listening to my prayers because it felt like I had literally won the gol...
My love for making things started when I was about 9 years old and friendship bracelets were a big t...
Ecclesall Road has been my stomping ground for over a decade, and although my years of whittling mos...
Afternoon Tea. It’s an iconic British tradition dating back to 1840. Anna Maria Russell, the seven...
It’s one of the places I recall people mentioning when I was a child. We holidayed every year on t...
TRAVELLING TO THE EDGE OF THE WILD NORTH ATLANTIC. There is an energy about this place that is indes...
With February half-term here, we’ve sought out the best child-friendly ice skating rinks across Yo...
Nestled in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside, a mere 15 mins from my front door, is a hidden gem â...
The Fox pub in Ilkley is my local. I can practically see it from my front door, but, I’ll be hones...
Tuesday is apparently the most depressing day of the week. The previous weekend feels like it never ...
We are, happily, very spoilt for choice when it comes to food in Leeds. The recent trend for street ...
Since I met Matt back in 2009 he’s been desperate to get me to go to Temujin up in Sowerby Bridge....
I peeled my teenager off my limb and avoided answering my husband’s concerns of who is doing the 3...
I visited the brand new Ivy cafe in the centre of Leeds last Tuesday – briefly and blissfully todd...
Celebrating 10 years of marriage at The Gilpin Lake House in Windermere Mr T and I loll lazily on t...
Diagnosed by the doctor as “too fat to flyâ€, my husband and daughter jetted off for a week with ...
Tucked away in the Grand Arcade of Leeds city centre there’s basically a time machine masquerading...
I’ve learnt two things today… 1) To always ensure that I have play-doh in my bag whenever I take...
It’s perfect for lunch with or without little ones, or worth a sitter if combining with a cinema d...
When my stepdad announced that he’d hired a barge for the entire family to celebrate my mum’s bi...
Now THIS is a great gift for the man in your life. If you want to be flavour of the month this Sund...
I needed some proper R&R. My aching body was crying out for a long luxurious massage. My mental hea...
It would certainly be swallowed up in London – hidden in the shadows of Le Gavroche, Alain Duccass...
...
Helmsley is the Knightsbridge of Yorkshire Market towns, not least because it’s home to two of Yor...
When the female bartender at an elegant country boutique hotel in a picture-perfect North Yorkshire ...
If you like to hike, then you’re in the right place. There are a plethora of walks for all, whethe...
A proper posh Yorkshire Dales treat in a setting straight out of Mary Poppins High Tea comes with a...
I swore last May when I returned from our first family camping trip in Keswick in the Lake District ...
Two weeks ago I purchased the final plane ticket of three so that Mr T could join me on a work trip ...
Celebrating 10 years of marriage at The Gilpin Lake House in Windermere Mr T and I loll lazily on th...
I still get the occasional wobble of uncertainty – was it the right move? Should we have stayed in...
The quaint cobbled Dickensian streets of The Old Town with alleyways, yards and passages by all sort...
We couldn’t contain ourselves as we laughed hysterically at probably the most fitting of all the r...
A trip to the North Pole on The Train To Christmas Town There’s a lot of really rubbish Santas ar...
The Chevin Forest in Otley is just moments from our house in Menston, West Yorkshire and is one of t...
My girlfriends and I thought nothing of throwing sixty quid each at several bottles of Veuve on a Th...
Now imagine being strapped to that chair, on the coldest, wettest August day on record, whilst not o...
I’ll be honest, when I was invited to spend a night in a hotel in Newcastle – this was not what ...
Aside from the horrific journey from Leeds to Cornwall (and worse still, the return journey which th...
You’d be forgiven for thinking you were rocking up at a sushi bar with a name like a Wapentake; th...
You can’t miss the Victoria Hotel; it’s perched proudly on the cliff tops of Robin Hood’s Bay ...
And the Cow & Calf – Ilkley, West Yorkshire. When I’m feeling blue, all I have to do is take a l...
Well short of John Travolta and Olivia Newton John making an appearance, the owners of Billy Bob’s...