Spiaggia di Cavoli
Isola d'Elba, Tuscany
With a name related to local quarries dating back to ancient Rome, Cavoli Beach is a soft-sanded beauty with protected waters on Elba’s southwest coast. Thanks to its café and restaurant, pedalo and kayak rentals, and playground, the beach is very popular with families—and lies within pedal-boat distance of the enchanting Grotta Azzura (Blue Grotto).
The basics
Cavoli Beach lies less than 4 miles (6 kilometers) from Marina di Campo, among the larger villages on Elba, and is the starting point for the Costa del Sole bike route around the island’s western peninsula, making it a great cycling destination. If getting around on two wheels isn’t in your plans, you can easily park off of Via della Costa, enjoy the beach, and take guided canoe and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) excursions along the coast and to the Grotta Azzura.
Things to know before you go
- Facilities include a café, restaurant, playground, and pedal-boat rentals.
- The Grotta Azzura, sometime called Grotta di Mare, is on the east side of the beach.
- The east side of the beach has (paid) beach clubs and facilities, while the west side is free to the public (libera).
- Though the beach is popular with families, it can swell with Elba’s younger crowds in August.
How to get there
Cavoli Beach lies about 4 miles (6 kilometers) west of Marina di Campo on the southwestern side of the island of Elba. From Marina di Campo, make the 10-minute drive along the Via della Costa (Strada Provinciale 25) and park on Via Cavoli. The ATL bus #116 departs from Portoferraio and runs through Marina di Campo en route to Cavoli Beach—but not often.
When to get there
During peak travel season (July to September), avoid the fuss of driving and parking and take the bus from Marino del Campo. Seasonally, the best time to visit Elba is from May to July or late September to October, avoiding the heat of August. Boat rentals and excursions are scheduled more often in the summer.
Biking around the island of Elba
The largest island in the Tuscan archipelago, Elba has a reputation as a cycling destination—both for biking to villages and dozens of beaches along the coast and mountain biking in the interior. The coastal route around the island is about 70 miles (110 kilometers), but the shorter Costa del Sole route on the island’s west side is a more manageable 31 miles (50 kilometers). The Portoferraio Panoramic P route around Monte Orello is among the shortest mountain biking routes on the island.
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