Punta Nera Beach

The cove of Punta Nera takes its name from the headland of dark rocks that closes it off, at the western tip of Elba, just north of Chiessi towards Marciana. It is a small beach of grey and white pebbles, split in two by a pile of large fallen boulders and backed by high, steep cliffs of around a hundred metres. The water is clear, and the seabed quickly becomes deep.

Getting there

From the western coast road you can see the cove from above, but there is no way down on foot: the coast is too high and steep. It can only be reached by sea, with a small boat or a rented dinghy; from Marciana Marina it is about 6.7 nautical miles, from Marina di Campo about 8.6.

Which wind to go with

The sea is calm with the grecale (north-east wind) and the levante (east wind); the point partly shelters the cove from the mistral. It is exposed to south-westerly winds: with the libeccio (south-west wind) the waves come straight in.

Facilities and tips

There are no facilities on the beach: bring water, food and sun protection for the whole day, and reef shoes help on the pebbles. Its difficult access makes it one of the quietest coves on the island, rarely crowded and visited mostly by boaters and snorkellers, who find clear water and plenty of fish among the boulders and along the cliff. Without a boat, you can admire it from the provincial road between Chiessi and Marciana.