A unique experience

The round-island trip is a magnificent whole-day experience on board the MV Principe, and is your chance to see the entire coast of the Island of Elba and its natural beauties.

The trip departs from the harbour at Marina di Campo at 9:30 hrs and proceeds anticlockwise along the whole of the southern coast, crossing the Gulf of Lacona and rounding Capo Stella to the Costa dei Gabbiani with the first stop on the wild Cannello beach for an amazing swim in the heart of the Calamita Mine, at a beach surrounded by the mine diggings and the towering abandoned industrial structure of an ore washing plant. The sound of the wind and the breaking waves is music to the ears.

The trip continues right along the Costa dei Gabbiani, a zone only accessible by sea, reaching the eastern side of Elba and coming to the town of Porto Azzurro. This is followed by the whole of the Rio mining coast leading to Cavo, which is known as the "Shining coast" in honour of the almost dreamlike sparkle of the black ore dust on some beaches which gives it its distinctive appearance.

Then we come to Elba's northern shore, first along a wild zone leading to Portoferraio, which marks the start of the "Costa Verde", a lovely stretch of coast with white cliffs plunging into crystal-clear deep blue, variegated lighter blue and bright turquoise waters. Here we will pass close to the Scoglietto Marine Nature Reserve, with its rich marine life.

Before Viticcio Bay we enjoy our second stop for a swim and lunch at Sansone Beach, in a pristine natural environment with a lovely view of the Enfola peninsula and the west coast dominated by Mount Capanne.

Our trip continues into Biodola Bay and then Procchio Bay, two of the Island of Elba's longest sandy beaches, which bring us to Marciana Marina, the last harbour on the northern coast. From here we continue on to Sant'Andrea for the third stop for a swim, one of the most famous beaches, due to its clear sea and granite cliffs diving into the turquoise waters.

We are now on the high, rocky western coast and we pass Chiessi and Pomonte, where there is a wreck which went down in the 1970s, the Evilscott, lying at a depth of just 12 metres. The fourth swimming stop is at Fetovaia on the southern coast, one of the island's loveliest and most-photographed beaches with its beautiful sea bed, sheltered position, clear water and colour contrast between the sapphire and turquoise sea and the fine, white granite sand.

We cross the bay of Cavoli with its Blue Cave and return to Marina di Campo at about 15:30 hrs.