Description
Capoliveri, a splendid medieval town standing on the top of a hill overlooking the sea, with a fine view of most of the island’s southern coast, is without a doubt one of Elba‘s most popular, best-known holiday destinations. The town, with its square and Via Roma in its centre, consists of a network of narrow streets and flights of steps, often passing underneath archways and lined with pretty flower-laden balconies. The charms of Capoliveri’s architecture are completed by its many attractions, its assortment of boutiques, its excellent restaurants and the constantly updated calendar of events that never fail to delight visitors.
For a long time, Capoliveri’s traditional life was strongly linked to the working of the nearby Calamita mines, which provided jobs for many of the local people. Now that the mines are no longer in operation they attract large numbers of visitors, who walk the area or take guided tours and wonder at the wild loveliness of the surrounding landscape and the unique views to be enjoyed.
Dropping down towards the sea, the Capoliveri shoreline is rich in beaches, inlets and rocky cliffs to suit all tastes. Visitors to the Laconella, Felciaio and Zuccale beaches will breathe an air of calm, together with the intoxicating fragrances of the Mediterranean maquis which seems to embrace the sands. The charming fishing hamlets of Naregno, Pareti, Morcone and Innamorata have now been transformed into holiday locations with all amenities.
The sandy Lacona beach, more than a kilometre long and with many campsites, is one of the island of Elba’s favourite resorts for young people. This part of the Capoliveri municipal area is also especially important for its dunes, the last to survive on any of Italy’s smaller islands, which have become a Nature Reserve within the Tuscan Archipelago Park.
Not to be missed ….
…. La Festa del Cavatore [“Mining Festival”]. At the end of May, the people of Capoliveri celebrate the town’s history and the hard toil of their compatriots once employed in the mines.
Every 14 July, the hamlet of Innamorata celebrates the Festa dell’Innamorata, re-enacting the legend of the ill-fated love of Lorenzo and Maria.
Finally, in October holidaymakers and natives of Elba join in celebrating the Festa dell’Uva. Against a background of music and wine-tasting, the town’s four quarters, Fosso, Torre, Fortezza and Baluardo, compete for three days with games, parades and performances on the theme of the grape harvest.
