Great hiking crossing of the Tyrrhenian sea

The great crossing of the Tyrrhenian sea is a hike along the most beautiful paths of the Tuscan Archipelago and Corsica.

 By using a stupendous sailing boat for transfers we add further interest and charm to this “sport-nature” adventure.  These islands are like mountains which instead of being connected by plains are divided by the sea.  And the islanders are the sea mountain dwellers, people who feel at home with silence.

The package includes: 1 night in a 3 star hotel with dinner and overnight stay, 8 day cruise with skipper, guided excursions as stated in the programme, passenger ferry ticket Piombino-Cavo-Piombino, 7 overnight stays in 4 en suite double bed Cabins, all transfers on the Island of Elba (until 8 person), insurance, technical assistance during the excursions.
The package does not include: the return journey from your place of departure to Piombino, return ferry passage for cars, all meals, entrance tickets to museums, parks or similar even if scheduled in the programme, extras and anything not specified in the entry “The package includes”.

 Sailing means getting near to each new Island without losing contact with nature’s harmony similar to arriving on foot.  Getting to know new sensations and a natural environment still rich in mystery and infinite appeal, also having the possibility of trying a new sport, in the Cetacean sanctuary, where it is usual to meet bottlenose dolphins (large grey dolphins)  and more frequently the spotted dolphin and the majestic whales of the Mediterranean, second largest in the world to the blue whale.  The sea, the mountain and the desert are the places chosen by man as areas where gods and monsters dwell, mystical places, where immense size and silence allow us to synchronise on ourselves.  Man arrived on the islands in two ways: on foot, during the period when the islands were connected to the mainland, or by sea, with rowing or sailing boats.  This “sailing between the Islands and walking on the Islands” is a flash-back on ancestral meeting between the Islands and Man. 

 Hiking route and itinerary:

1) ISLAND OF ELBA – The Eastern Dorsal Route: Cavo – Porto Azzurro Time: 8 hours
Distance: 17.6 km  Highest point: 516 m asl Total height difference: 878 m  Interenst: geological, historical, panoramic.

 Leave Cavo ( 2 m asl), the Elban town nearest the mainland,  we start the ascent of Monte Grosso following a path surrounded by rock roses and rosemary.  Arrive on the summit of Monte Grosso (348 m asl), here there is the well preserved signal station (“Il Semaforo”), it was an important military lookout post used by Italian soldiers during the last world war, there is a superb view, to the East the town of Cavo, three small islands lying between Elba and the mainland: Topi, Palmaiola and Cerboli and the Italian coast can be seen on the other side of the Piombino channel; to the West is all the Northern coast of Elba.  After descending the western slope of Monte Grosso surrounded by luxurious vegetation, we cross over the Valle delle Fiche (Fig Valley) then up the steep climb of the panoramic Monte Strega (425 m asl), from this summit you can see the iron mines below.  Continuing along the panoramic crest path, undulating up and down, we arrive at the top of Monte Capannello (406 m asl), an ideal spot to see the Bagnaia and Nisporto bays.  The path takes us to the Panche pine grove (325 m asl), from here we begin to climb the highest summit of the day: Cima del Monte (516 m asl).  From the top there is a majestic view of all of Eastern Elba and, in particular, Volterraio castle and Portoferraio bay.  The sea is to be seen on both sides during our descent and our route leads to Piana della Principesa (339 m asl), an important archaeological site, then it’s up again to Monte Castello (389 m asl), to admire the Monserrato valley below, where there is a striking Spanish sanctuary and beyond the town of Porto Azzurro, ruled over by the 18th century San Giacomo fort.  Walking down, leaving the atmospheric red rocks of the Eastern spine we go down through olive groves and vineyards to the town of Porto Azzurro (1 m asl) where the first leg finishes.  

2) THE ISLAND OF ELBA – The summits of Elba   Route:  Fetovaia – Marciana Marina Time: 9 hours Distance 19.500 km Highest Point: 1019 m Total Height Difference: 1040 m  Interest: historic and archaeological, naturalistic, panoramic.

 On leaving Fetovaia we take the old coastal mule track as far as the town of Pomonte, then, surrounded by vine terraces, we go up the Pomonte valley to the “Terra” ( 576 m asl), then up towards the spectacular granite summits of Elba, touching Monte di Cote (950 m asl), La Galera (968 m asl) Monte Capanne (1019 m asl), which is Elba’s highest point.  As we walk along these paths we can admire from on high Elba, all the smaller islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, Corsica and a good part of the Tuscan coast.  After descending the north-east slope of Monte Capanne, we visit the picturesque medieval borough of Poggio (330 m asl), from where we continue to Marciana Marina along a path shaded by holm oaks and chestnut trees.

3) CAPRAIA Route: Port – Stagnone – Lo Stagnone – Mount Castello – Agricultural prison settlement – Port.
Distance: 11 km
Total height difference: 520 m
Highest point: 445 m (Mount Castello)
Time: about 5 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Interest: Landscape, geological, naturalistic, historical

The island of Capraia is the volcano of the Tuscan Archipelago.  After admiring the striking sea cliffs, where the bright red rocks of Cala Rossa (Red Bay) stand out in a lit up and violent way, we enter the little harbour of Capraia, dominated by the powerful ramparts of Saint Giorgio Fort.  A short walk from the port brings us to the town and we begin our hike on the third largest Island of the Archipelago, surrounded by the perfume of scrub land.  We walk towards lo Stagnone (318 m asl) at the centre of the Island, a small lake of great importance for fauna and in particular for migratory avifauna: this is one of the most suggestive and naturalistically important places in all the Archipelago.  We leave the perfumes of the lake and continue to climb up to the summit of Capraia, Monte Castello (445 m asl), as we go we enjoy marvellous scenic glimpses which include Corsica: our next port of call, overwhelming us to the west.  As we continue northwards we pass some buildings from the now abandoned agricultural prison settlement, the washhouse, the cheese factory, the sheep fold, but above all imposing terraces proof, of the great work carried out by the prisoners for over a century.  The superb view, the perfumed vegetation, the sanguine rocks, born out of geological unrest, present us with a superb setting.  The ruins of the pastoral, military and above prison settlement, with their burden of suffering and poetry, make it all extremely full of emotion.  After admiring, from above, the spectacular cliffs of Dattero, we return to the Port passing beside the main buildings of the agricultural settlement.

3) CORSICA  Route: Macinaggio – Bargaggio (“The Dune paths”) Distance: 14 km
Total height difference: 300 m   Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: easy
Interest: landscape, naturalistic, historical.

 We leave from Macinaggio beach and head along the coast, between wild beaches, decorated with undefined forms of hundred year old broom, turned white with salt and cliffs covered in mastic tree .  After passing Tammarone beach, we get to the first Genoese Tower of this route, continuing through a pristine environment, where silence and perfumes of Mediterranean vegetation and the sea are overwhelming.  After Saint Mary’s chapel, built on an already existing religious building, we return along the coast, until the ruin of a Genovese lookout tower, built on a promontory in front of Finocchiarola Island, famous as a nesting site for the Autoin mew gull. As we continue there are never-ending glimpses of cliffs which are mirrored in the sea, until we reach Agnello point, it too with its lookout tower: we are opposite Giraglia Island, at the extreme north of Corsica, the view is superb and the colours are bright and clear.  Now we move towards the west along the surreal white dunes, passing along winding paths wedged between majestic broom modelled by the wind, until we reach the small harbour at Barcaggio, from here we return to Macinaggio, the safest harbour to spend the night on this stretch of coast which, when there is wind, is unforgivable.

Route: Erbalunga – Silgaggia – Ovili (fold) di Prunelli – Monte Stello – Erbalunga
Distance: 14 km
Total Height difference: 1400
Highest point: 1307 m (Monte Stello)
Time: 8 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Interest: Historical, naturalistic, panoramic.

 After leaving Erbalunga marina, we go up towards the village of Silcaggia, with its well looked after typical North Corsican cemeteries:  from here we ascend steeply along an easy path, from where we can admire the austere architecture of Silcaggia.  As we go up we coast the Arega stream, in an evermore wild context until we reach the Prunelli sheepfold. We continue towards Bocca di Santa Maria pass, from here we can admire the pyramid of Monte Stello.  Initially the path goes round the mountain, then along the crest and on reaching the summit we have a spectacular view overlooking all the “finger” of Corsica, with a view that ranges from the San Florence gulf to Giraglia and Bastia.  Taking a look southwards, we can see the powerful butress of the central massif, while to the East we find the entire Tuscan Archipelago and our past and future ports of call.  We leave the summit to returnt to Erbalunga, from where we sail towards Elba to the splendid Cala della Cotaccia, where we spend the night.

5) PIANOSA  Time: 8 hours
Distance: 19.5 km
Interest: historical, geological, landscape.

  In the morning we set out coasting the high cliffs of campo lo feno,  then we head our prow to the strange flat outline of Pianosa, in a short time, perhaps sighting dolphins on the way, we are ready to disembark on the fourth Island of our sea hike – Pianosa.  We land in the surreal Pianosa harbour, astonished by the unreal silence and by the Arabic architecture framing the scene, after visiting the uninhabited town and we begin to walk through the Island’s interior visiting buildings and farms of the now abandoned agricultural settlement, in this area there are many red legged partridges and pheasants which were introduced onto the island over two centuries ago when Pianosa was a private hunting reserve for the Grand Duke of Tuscany.  We can admire the fine dry stone walls which are typical of the Island as we head to the Marchese castle, an elegant building built at the northernmost point of the Island, it has had multiple uses during its romantic history.  Below us is the beautiful Porto Romano bay, its crystal clear waters are exalted by the white crumbly rocks that delimit its border.  Returning south along the west coast we reach the Botte gulf and visit the ancient washhouses and the Roman aqueduct.  Our excursion continues along the beautiful Pianosa coast (where we can see many seabirds, for example Cory’s Shearwater) and then in the interior, surrounded by the intense perfumes of the Mediterranean vegetation.  The complete lack of higher ground gives us the sensation of being able to reach both Elba and Corsica on foot.  After visiting the remains of the Roman Villa of Agrippa we finish our trip on Cala Giovanna beach, the only place on Pianosa where bathing is permitted.  In the evening we return to Elba a short sail to Fetovaia bay where we spend the night.

6) GIGLIO Route: Giglio Port – Giglio Castle – Poggio della Pagana – Colle dei Castellucci – Punta del Cappel Rosso – Caldana – Giglio Port.
Difficulty: medium

Distance: 15 km  Total Height Difference: 600 m  Time: about 6 hours  
We set sail at dawn, on the longest sea trip of this itinerary, to the Island of Giglio, the second largest island of the Archipelago.  Favourable breezes mean we can set an ideal route allowing us to see the Island of Montecristo nearby.  This is an imposing and wild, cone shaped granite mountain (645 m), as it is a completely protected natural reserve we cannot disembark or sail around it.  The sun is already high when we enter the small Giglio harbour.  After disembarking our hike begins from the village of Giglio Port we go up a beautiful path to the Castle (400 m asl):  from here, after a brief stretch of road, we begin to follow a panoramic footpath taking us to Poggio della Pagana (496 m asl).  Continuing in a southerly direction leaving on our right Colle di Castellucci (470 m asl),  we find many shepherds’ refuges.  Gradually as southern exposure increases the vegetation becomes lower and dryer and we proceed surrounded by low scrub until we get to the Faro (lighthouse) of Cappel Rosso (69 m asl).  From here we go down to the Cappel Rosso point and then along the rocks to admire the beautiful Cala (cove) dello Spalmatioio.  Then back again to the lighthouse and down towards the eastern coast, initially we are surrounded by typical perfumes of Mediterranean maquis  then by vineyards, but also here they are for the most part abandoned.  The final leg winds along the coast with continuous glimpses of the beautiful sea, one of the brightest and most limpid is the small granite Caldane beach.  Wrapped in the colours and perfumes of the scrub plants and the vineyards we return to the port after a 15 kilometre trip.