Weekend trekking all'Isola d'Elba

From the sea to the heights on the spectacular paths of the Tuscan Achipelago.

A weekend short but intense, 2 days of guided hiking on the Elba's paths, accompanied by specialised guides in showing suggestive routes full of history and fascinating panoramic  

Dates for 2010:

 12/14 february
 19/21 march
 16/18 april
 14/16 may
 24/26 september
 30 octobre/1 november
other dates on request (min. 10 people)

€ 195 per person (€ 225 at Easter or national holidays) )

The package includes:  1 full day and one half day guided hiking of  16 + 7,5 km, 2 nights half board in a 3 star hotel, return passenger ferry ticket, all transfers within the island (until 8 person), insurance and 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, drinks at meals, all lunches, entrance tickets to museums, parks or similar even if scheduled in the programme, extras and anything not specified in the entry “The package includes”.

Example of hiking weekend on Elba :

   1st day: :

Arrive at Piombino port with your own transport, transfer from Portoferraio port to hotel, accommodation in rooms, dinner and overnight stay.

   2nd day:

Hiking of 16 km (highest point 1019m) from Marciana to Pomonte.

   3rd day:

Hiking of 7,5 km (highest point 410m), from Chiessi-Colle san Bartolommeo-Pomonte km 7,5. In the afternoon departure.

Routes hiking excursion:

Example description:
1st stop over hiking

We set out from Marciana (408 m asl), the highest town on Elba on the north slope of the granite massive of Monte Capanne.  Following the narrow and steep lanes of this austere medieval borough we get to a fortress built around 1200 and then we walk up the easy footpath that crosses the green Pedalta valley till we reach the Saint Cerbone hermitage.  The sanctuary was built in 1421 by Benedictine monks near the Saint’s grotto where Saint Cerbone retreated during the last years of his life, before dying in 534.  Leaving the sanctuary we begin our ascent of Monte Capanne (1019 m asl) first we follow a path under chestnut trees, where it is possible to meet deer, then we cross steep “macei”  (rubble)  among holm oaks.  Forty minutes walk from the Hermitage we find a “caprile” (old Elban shepherds’ stone refuge) and an enclosure for the animals.  From this point the path is very panoramic, and mastering the luxuriant Nivera valley, which leads to the summit of Monte Capanne (1019 m and the highest point on the island).  Here we can enjoy an amazing view of Elba and of the other islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, Corsica and a good part of the Tuscan coast.  From Capanne we quickly descend to Filicaie (870 m asl), a small plateau half way between Monte Capanne and Monte Calanche, then continue the descent towards the refuges under the rocks of “Grottaccia” crossing over the bare dorsal of “Cenno” where mouflons live undisturbed under the vigilant eye of buzzards and peregrine falcons.  Continuing we get to the ancient stone village of “Mura”, the biggest hill fortifications on Elba.  
The village, inhabited by Villanovan people was destroyed in 453 BC by people from Siracuse and was never rebuilt.  Much of the perimeter wall of the original structure remains (in some parts it is higher than two metres) and there are many worked stones, which were used in later times by shepherds in the building of “caprile” (round stone refuges) and animal enclosures.  Crossing the “Valle del Poio” we descend towards Pomonte following a stream full of water even in summer, there are numerous waterfalls and small ponds, it is a difficult place to forget.  The large valley above Pomonte was, once upon a time, completely terraced from the sea to 640 m high and cultivated with vines; the majority of the vineyards are abandoned today, but there remains an enormous amphitheatre of granite as witness to the great work of Elban peasants.
The trip finishes among the white sea facing houses of Pomonte.

Example description:
2st stop over hiking