Lacona Beach

Lacona beach lines the head of the gulf of the same name, the widest on Elba's south coast, framed by the Capo Fonza peninsula to the west and the Capo Stella headland to the east. It runs for almost 1.2 km: fine golden sand, a seabed that shelves very gently and, on the horizon, the island of Montecristo. Behind it survives a rare stretch of coastal dunes, the only one left in the Tuscan Archipelago, where sea lilies flower in summer; beyond the dunes a pine wood gives shade.

Getting there

You reach it from the main road linking Portoferraio with Porto Azzurro and Capoliveri: several turn-offs lead down to the gulf, about 10 km from Capoliveri. Lacona is also served by local buses. There are several car parks, mostly paid, and on peak days arrive by mid-morning.

Which wind to go with

Facing south, it is at its best with the tramontana (north wind), the grecale (north-east wind) and the mistral, which leave the sea calm. Southerly winds, to which the gulf is open, raise the sea more easily.

Facilities and tips

Beach clubs alternate with wide free stretches, and you will find bars, restaurants, showers and rentals for windsurf boards, sailing dinghies, kayaks and pedal boats, as well as diving schools and a defibrillator. The shallow water near the shore suits families, while further out rocks and posidonia seagrass make it interesting for anyone swimming with a mask. The dunes are a protected habitat: please keep off them.