Elba Island
The island of Elba, pearl of the Tuscan Archipelago, the island without limits : the clear blue sea, the beautiful beaches and the small inlets, the gree countyside, the small towns on the hills, the archeological treasures, the chestnut trees woods, and more follow each other without end. The island of Elba is the largest remaining stretch of land from the ancient tract that once connected the Italian peninsula to Corsica. Island gives the sensation of many things in one, in the short distances of the island you will travel across very different touristic and ambient realities: zones where the sunshine and the wind have dried us the soil, others were the green dominates, golden beaches, shingle beaches and steep cliffs. It is to remember that the Island of Elba is for a big part area of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago.The environment, the history and the traditions as well as the work of man, suggest some of the many alternative ways of spending a holiday... and maybe to stay. There are more than 8000 accommodation in hotels of all categories on the island of Elba more than 10.000 accommodations in camping sites and touristic villages, 2.500 accommodations in residences and RTA, and numerous flats, holiday homes and agritourisms, all offering a good servce for your holiday and stay. The island was then invaded, first by the Etruscans and later (after 480 BC) by the Romans. After the Roman period, the island was ravaged by barbarians and Saracens. In the early 11th century it became a possession of the Republic of Pisa. When the latter was sold to the Visconti of Milan in 1398, the island was acquired by the Appiani, Lords of Piombino, who retained it for two centuries. In 1546 part of the island was handed over to Cosimo I de' Medici, who fortified Portoferraio and renamed it "Cosmopoli", while in 1577 the rest of the island was returned to the Appiani. In 1596 Philip II of Spain captured Porto Azzurro and had two fortresses built there. In 1802 the island became a French possession, and its economy flourished. During the months Napoleon stayed on the island, he carried out a series of economic and social reforms to improve the quality of life, partly to pass the time and partly out of a genuine concern for the well-being of the islanders. Napoleon stayed on Elba for 300 days. He returned to France on February 26, 1815 for the Hundred Days. After his defeat at Waterloo he was subsequently exiled again, this time to the barren and isolated South Atlantic island of Saint Helena. Napoleon's stay on Elba is the basis for the famous English language palindrome: "Able was I ere I saw Elba." Internationally, Elba is best known for its connection to Napoleon. More recently, the island has become famed for its wine, and it is today a renowned tourist resort.
