Elba : The other Imperial Island

Presentation

Between Corsica and Tuscany, Elba offer to its visitors the changing and colored landscapes. Forests of beeches and pines, vineyards and orchards, the island offers its 118 km of coasts in gulfs and capes where large beaches of fine sand alternate with high rocky peaks. Napoleon Ier was exiled there in 1814 during more than 9 months. Inheritance of the Emperor, the Villa Napoleonica, which was its summer residence and Palazzina dei Mulini, which became the museum and the Library Napoleon.

Main towns : The Island includes 8 towns : Portoferraio, Marciana, Marciana Marina, Campo nell'Elba, Rio Marina, Rio nell'Elba, Capoliveri et Porto Azzurro

Surface areas : 224 sq.kms.

Population : 30 000 inhabitants

Particularity : Elba would have been able to be also nicknamed " The island of Iron and Fire ". The basements of the island were exploited for a long time to extract the iron from it. Aethalia, the Greek name of the island is a by-product of the word Fire, inspired by the ovens of reduction of the ore. The last iron mine was closed in 1986.