Beaches
Best Family Beaches on Elba Island
The four Elba beaches best suited to families: shallow, gently-sloping water at Fetovaia, Lacona, Marina di Campo and Procchio.
Not every Elba beach suits young children. Several of the island's most photographed coves, Sansone and Sorgente especially, involve steep paths and deep water close to shore. The four beaches below are the exceptions: shallow, gently-sloping seabeds that let kids play and swim close to the sand, with facilities nearby for a full day out.
Each has a slightly different character, from a small postcard cove to a long town beach, so the right pick depends on how much space and infrastructure you want around you.
Fetovaia: Shallow Water in a Small, Scenic Cove
Fetovaia's shallow, gently sloping water close to shore is a big part of why it's so often recommended for families, alongside its reputation as one of Elba's most photogenic beaches. The trade-off is size: it's a small cove, so it fills up fast, especially by late morning in July and August.
- Best for: young children and a scenic setting, if you don't mind sharing the sand.
- Good to know: arrive early, since the paid car park behind the beach is often full before 10am in summer.
Lacona: Space to Spread Out
Lacona's water is shallow and calm across its sheltered gulf, and at almost 1.2 km long, it's Elba's second-longest beach, meaning it absorbs crowds far better than the island's smaller coves. Low dunes behind parts of the beach also make for an easy, flat walk from parking to sand.
- Best for: families wanting more room than a small cove offers.
- Good to know: multiple access points serve different stretches of the beach, so a quieter patch is usually findable even in peak season.
Marina di Campo: A Beach With a Town Behind It
Marina di Campo's beach runs for about 1.5 km directly behind the town, with a seabed that stays shallow for a long way out. It's one of Elba's most fully equipped beaches, with a children's play area, snack bars, hot showers and water sports rental all close at hand.
- Best for: families who want restaurants, shops and facilities within easy walking distance.
- Good to know: the sections nearest the main promenade and hotels fill first; walking further along the bay usually finds more space.
Procchio: Shallow Water on the North Coast
Procchio's roughly 1 km stretch of fine sand has a gently sloping seabed that stays calm and shallow close to shore, consistently making it one of the island's most recommended family beaches. Two separate access points mean you're not limited to a single entrance.
- Best for: families based on Elba's north coast, or wanting a well-serviced beach with sailing and windsurfing schools nearby.
- Good to know: try the Campo all'Aia entrance toward Portoferraio if the main village access looks crowded.
Which Family Beach Should You Choose?
If your priority is a scenic, photogenic setting and you're happy to arrive early, Fetovaia is hard to beat, though its small size means it fills up fast. For more space and an easier time finding a quiet stretch, Lacona and Marina di Campo are the better choices, with Marina di Campo edging ahead if you want a town's worth of restaurants and shops within walking distance. Procchio is the natural pick if you're staying on Elba's north coast rather than the south.
Other related articles
Beaches
Night Swimming and Evening Beaches on Elba Island
Elba after dark: the lit beach at Le Ghiaie made for night swimming, Cavoli's beach parties, and Marina di Campo's lively seafront evenings.
Read guide →
Beaches
Hidden and Quiet Beaches on Elba Island
Elba's quieter beaches and calmer corners, from the overlooked cove of La Sorgente to the quieter edges of Cavoli and Lacona.
Read guide →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.
Read guide →Some links may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read more.