Barbarossa Beach

Barbarossa lies east of the centre of Porto Azzurro, in a small green bay facing south towards the Calamita peninsula. It is about 150 metres long and some thirty metres wide, with fine, smooth dark shingle mixed with sand and pebbles in red and grey tones. The name is said to recall the corsair Khayr al-Din Barbarossa, who raided the island in the 16th century, or the reddish cliff that encloses the small inlet on the left-hand side.

Getting there

By car, take the provincial road from Porto Azzurro towards Rio Marina and turn right after about a kilometre, following the signs; there is a car park, but spaces near the sea are limited. Alternatively, walk from the village along the Carmignani promenade, an easy, scenic kilometre that skirts the walls of the 17th-century Forte San Giacomo, now a prison: about fifteen minutes on foot.

Which wind to go with

The bay is sheltered from strong westerly winds and from the libeccio (south-west wind): guides recommend it with the tramontana (north wind), the mistral and westerlies. Easterly winds reach it most directly.

Facilities and tips

A busy, well-equipped beach: a beach club with umbrellas and sunbeds, showers and cabins, lifeguards, bars and restaurants, pedalo and kayak hire and a diving school; a jellyfish net is put in place during the season. Part of it remains free, and the beach is listed as accessible to people with reduced mobility. The rocky inlets at either end are good for snorkelling.