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ELBA
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Elba
Elba is an island in Tuscany.
Get in
Go by ferry -- taking your car, as it a must to explore the entire island. The ships start from Piombino.
Get around
Bring a rental car with you on the Ferry as the island is fairly large and mass transit ( don't think I saw any???) won't get you to all the old hilltop towns or up the winding roads.
See
Napoleon was banished to the island and both of his homes ( summer & winter ) are available to tour. You can hike,bicycle, swim or walk around the plaza at night with the locals. Incredible beauty - many,many small towns set on hilltops. Many castles. Flowers galore and the interior is full of old, little viewed churches.
Do
Napoleon's homes, bike, go to any one of 10 -12 beaches, drink some local wine, hike, visit as many old castles,churches as you can. Takes about 3 days to see the island and that still leaves many areas untouched. Was told several times by the locals that in the summer Elba becomes a day-tripper's nightmare with people from the mainland. Visited in late May - slightly cool at night.
Buy
Sorry or glad to say that shopping isn't what you might expect but the island is for experiencing. Some local wines.
Eat
Seafood is fresh ( it is an island) and the bread is what you were dreaming about. Get the Italian version of steak and try the bread and tomato salad.
Drink
Some local wines and water is great tasting.
Get out
Noticed that you can still get a bite to eat at almost time in the larger towns. :For other places with the same name, see Elba (disambiguation).
Elba (Ilva) is an island in Tuscany, Italy, 20 km (or 12 miles) from the coastal town of Piombino (). It is the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia. Elba and the other islands (Gorgona, Capraia, Pianosa, Montecristo, Giglio and Giannutri) of the Tuscan Archipelago are protected in the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago. The French island of Corsica lies about 35 km to the west. In Italian it is called Isola d'Elba.
The island is divided into eight comunes: Portoferraio, Campo nell'Elba, Capoliveri, Marciana, Marciana Marina, Porto Azzurro, Rio Marina and Rio nell'Elba.
The land area of the island is about 224 km² (86 square miles) and the coastline is about 147 km (91 miles). The highest mountain is Monte Capanne at 1,018 metres (3,340 feet). The island has a population of approximately 30 000.
History
The island was well known from very ancient times for its iron resources. Mines were created by the Etruscans first and (after 480 BC) the Romans. The Greeks called it Aethalia (flame) after the flames of the furnaces for the metal production.
After the end of the Roman Empire, the island suffered for ravages from barbarians and Saracens. In the early 11th century it became a possession of Pisa. When the latter, in 1398,...
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| Evening Tour of Underground Turin - Tunnels and Cellars |
3 hours |
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If you want to be captured by a secret Turin you can take part in a guided tour of Underground Turin.
Beneath the hectic and bustling city of Turin lies another mysterious and unknown world where time seems to stand still. Fifteen meters below the city, the tunnels of the citadel and the sub-cellars of the Baroque palaces are waiting to let you discover their mysteries, on sites of ancient murders which have never been solved.
The journey goes down into an air-raid shelter and includes the Royal ice depots of Porta Palazzo. Just another way to show you an unusual and exciting historical aspect of our city!
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13 hours |
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Approximately halfway along the highway you will be able to see the Benedictin Abbey of Montecassino, noted for a famous battle and its complete destruction during the second World War. Arriving in Naples you will board a jet boat for the 45 minute crossing to Marina Grande, the port of Capri. Here you will board a motorboat to reach the Blue Grotto (weather and sea conditions permitting), where sunlight passes through an underwater cavity and shines through the seawater, creating a blue reflection that illuminates the cavern. Minibuses are then used for a panoramic drive to reach Anacapri situated at 280 meters above sea level, where you will have a view of the bay of Naples. After lunch in a local restaurant, you will have some free time to take photographs and purchase local products before returning to Marina Grande to board the boat back to Naples. Entering the port of Naples, don't miss this opportunity to admire the splendid Maschio Angioino (a fortress of the 12th century), the Certosa of San Martino and the Royal Palace. After disembarking you will take the coach for the return journey of approximately 3 hours, back to Rome. Special Offer - Price displayed currently includes 10% off the regular retail price - BOOK NOW!
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| Full Day Private Tour - Palazzolo Acreide and Siracusa |
8 hours |
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Palazzolo Acreide, located on archaeological area of the Greek "Akrai" of Syracuse - which is on the Acremonte, a hill close to the city ? is a town full of folklore, religious festivals and a lively cultural life. A must see is the Greek Theatre that has a panoramic position, dominating the Anapo Valley. Buscemi ? a rare example of a living village museum - where you can visit several authentic old artisan workshops from the 19th Century, preserved and untouched. Siracusa was built on an ancient Greek settlement founded by Corinthians in 734 BC. It was the most important city in Magna Graecia, and for a time competed with Athens as the most important city in the Greek world. Siracusa expresses all the variety and cultural complexity of Sicily, from its origins to our times.
The visit includes: the Archaeological Park with the Greek Theatre (V century AC), where during the season the ancient Greek tragedies go in scene; the Ara of Ierone; the Roman Anfiteatro, where the combats between gladiators occurred; the Latomie of the Stone Paradise, ancient hollow characteristic for their shapes, the famous being the Orecchio of Dionisio;
Some of the ancient sights to see in Syracuse are located in Ortigia. The most important being: the Cathedral ? a Doric Temple built on Sicilian settlement, Byzantine basilica, a Norman church, with late Renaissance and then Baroque elements - and the Arethusa Fountain which is a place linked to Greek mythology. The Regional Archaeological Museum, one of Sicily's finest and most modern, displays findings from Megara as well as ancient Syracuse. This structure exhibits archaeological treasures in their proper historical context.
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