Fetovaia, a golden sand cove on Elba Island

Beaches

Best Beaches on Elba Island: The Complete Guide

All ten of Elba's beaches in one place, from the postcard cove of Fetovaia and the snorkelling waters of Sansone to the island's longest sandy stretches at Marina di Campo and Lacona.

Elba is the largest island in the Tuscan Archipelago, and its coastline changes character every few kilometres: pale pebble coves beneath white cliffs near Portoferraio, resort-style sandy bays on the north coast, a livelier stretch near Campo nell'Elba, and long, gentle beaches suited to families further south and east. There's no railway anywhere on the island, so getting between beaches generally means a car, scooter or local bus. This guide covers all ten of Elba's beaches documented in detail so far, grouped roughly by area. Use it as a starting point, then check each beach's own page for full access details, since parking and crowd levels can change quickly in peak summer.

Le Ghiaie: Closest to Portoferraio

Le Ghiaie beach beside Portoferraio's old town, Elba

A short, level walk from Portoferraio's old town and harbour, Le Ghiaie is the most convenient beach on the island if you're staying in town or arriving without a car. It's a curved white-pebble beach with notably clear water, and since 2016 it's been lit for night swimming, a genuine rarity on Elba. - Best for: an easy beach day close to the port, or a swim after dark. - Good to know: it's busiest during the day given the location, but much quieter in the evening.

Spiaggia di Sansone: Elba's Clearest Water

Spiaggia di Sansone's clear turquoise water beneath Capo Bianco, Elba

Sansone is one of Elba's most photographed beaches, set beneath the pale cliffs of Capo Bianco a short drive from Portoferraio. The water is exceptionally clear and turquoise on calm days, and the rocky shoreline makes it one of the best snorkelling spots on the island. - Best for: snorkelling and confident swimmers who don't mind a walk in. - Good to know: there's no road down, only a steep, roughly 10-minute path from the roadside parking.

La Sorgente: Sansone's Quieter Neighbour

La Sorgente, a quiet white-pebble cove beside Sansone, Elba

Sharing the same path, cliffs and clear water as Sansone next door, La Sorgente tends to stay quieter simply because most visitors walk straight past it toward its more famous neighbour. It's a small, unserviced cove of smooth white pebbles. - Best for: the same scenery and water clarity as Sansone, with fewer people. - Good to know: bring your own umbrella, since there's no rental point on this particular beach.

Biodola: A Scenic Resort Bay

Biodola, a golden sand resort bay on Elba

Biodola is a curved bay of fine golden sand between Portoferraio and Procchio, backed by hotels and a campsite. It's one of the island's more developed, resort-style beaches, with beach clubs occupying much of the central stretch. - Best for: an easy, well-equipped beach day if you're staying nearby. - Good to know: the car park closest to the beach is small and fills quickly, so arrive early or take the bus from Portoferraio.

Fetovaia: The Postcard Cove

Fetovaia is often named Elba's most photogenic beach: a small cove of fine golden sand with shallow water that shifts from pale green to deep blue. The shallow, gentle entry makes it a natural draw for families, though its size means it fills up fast. - Best for: families and anyone chasing that classic postcard shot. - Good to know: the paid car park behind the beach is often full before 10am in summer.

Cavoli: The Lively One

Cavoli, a few kilometres from Marina di Campo, is known for coarse golden sand, clear water and a livelier atmosphere than most of the island's other beaches, with beach parties and DJ sets a regular feature at the beachside venue Il Convio in high summer. - Best for: a younger crowd and evening energy, or a quieter swim around the point. - Good to know: a smaller, calmer cove sits just around a low cliff at the western end.

Marina di Campo: Elba's Longest Beach

Marina di Campo, Elba Island's longest beach

Marina di Campo's beach runs for about 1.5 km directly behind the town of the same name, making it Elba's longest stretch of sand. The seabed slopes gently and stays shallow for a long way out, and with the town right behind it, this is one of the most convenient, fully-equipped beaches on the island. - Best for: families and anyone who wants a beach with a town, not a hike, behind it. - Good to know: crowding depends on which stretch you pick, since the beach runs the full length of the town.

Innamorata: A Beach with a Legend

Innamorata sits south of Monte Calamita near Capoliveri, a beach of dark sand mixed with small pebbles, named for a 16th-century tale of doomed love re-enacted every July with a torchlight procession. Two small islets just offshore make it a good swimming and light-snorkelling spot. - Best for: clear water, an easy swim to the offshore islets, and a bit of local history. - Good to know: the closest parking area fills quickly, but a larger overflow lot sits a short walk further up.

Lacona: Space and Dunes

Lacona, a long sandy beach with dunes on Elba

Lacona stretches for almost 1.2 km around a sheltered gulf in the municipality of Capoliveri, Elba's second-longest beach after Marina di Campo. The water is shallow and calm across the bay, and low dunes behind parts of the beach support one of the last protected dune systems in the Tuscan Archipelago. - Best for: families and anyone wanting more space than Elba's smaller coves offer. - Good to know: multiple access points mean crowding depends on which one you use.

Procchio: The Family Favourite in the North

Procchio, a family-friendly sandy beach on Elba's north coast

Procchio, on Elba's north-central coast in the municipality of Marciana, is a roughly 1 km stretch of fine sand with a gently sloping, shallow seabed, consistently recommended for families. Two separate access points serve different stretches of the same beach. - Best for: families wanting shallow water and well-developed facilities. - Good to know: if the main village entrance looks packed, the Campo all'Aia access point toward Portoferraio is worth trying instead.

Getting Around Elba's Beaches

Elba has no railway, so every beach on this list is reached by car, scooter, local bus or, in a few cases, boat. Le Ghiaie is the one beach genuinely walkable from a town centre, Portoferraio's port. Several others, including Biodola, Cavoli and Innamorata, have seasonal local buses, but most visitors find a car or scooter far more practical for covering more than one beach in a day. Parking is the most consistent bottleneck across the island in July and August. Arriving before mid-morning matters more than which specific beach you choose.

Which Elba Beach Should You Visit?

If you want the classic Elba postcard look, Fetovaia and Sansone are the two most photographed beaches on the island, though both get crowded and Sansone requires a walk in. For an easy, well-equipped family day, Marina di Campo, Lacona and Procchio all offer long, shallow, gently-sloping stretches of sand. If atmosphere and evening energy matter, Cavoli's beach parties or Le Ghiaie's night swimming are worth building an evening around. And if you'd rather skip the crowds entirely, La Sorgente, right next to Sansone, is the island's most reliably quiet option. Whichever you choose, expect to need a car or scooter for at least part of your trip, since Elba's beaches are spread across a large island with no train line connecting them.