Spiaggia di Pomonte

Pomonte is a quiet village beach on Elba's west coast, best known for the wreck of a cargo ship resting a short swim from shore, a well-known snorkelling and diving spot marked by buoys. The beach itself has dark, mineral-tinted sand and pebbles, and its west-facing position also makes it a good sunset spot.

Pomonte sits on Elba's western coast between Marciana Marina and Fetovaia, a small village that has stayed low-key compared with the island's bigger resorts. Its main claim to fame lies just offshore: the wreck of a cargo ship that sank in the early 1970s now rests in shallow water a short swim from the beach, marked out by a line of buoys and a well-known stop for snorkellers and divers exploring the marine life that's grown up around it. The beach itself has dark sand and pebbles, coloured by the schist and shale common along this stretch of coast, giving it a different look from the paler granite beaches nearby. The village keeps a modest strip of bars and restaurants along the front, enough for a relaxed day without the beach feeling built-up, and its west-facing position means sunsets over the water are a genuine draw in the evening. Parking near the marked snorkel trail can get tight in high season given the wreck's popularity, but the village itself remains fairly quiet and unhurried.

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