The smallest municipality in Tuscany by area (5.84 km²) and a small seaside gem: palm-lined promenade, the characteristic Cotone quarter with fishermen's houses and the Saracen Tower of the 16th century at the end of the harbour.
Marciana Marina is the smallest municipality in Tuscany by area (only 5.84 km²) and one of the smallest in Italy, but it has a strong maritime identity entirely focused on its harbour. It has about 2,011 inhabitants and faces the northern coast of Elba Island in a natural bay sheltered from southern winds.
Originally the seaside village of Marciana, located in the hills a few kilometres further inland. With the growth of maritime trade between the 1800s and 1900s, the coastal strip gradually transformed into an autonomous village and, in 1884, obtained the status of independent municipality from the Kingdom of Italy. Since then Marciana Marina has developed its own identity, entirely tied to the sea and the tourist harbour.
The heart of the village is the characteristic "Cotone" quarter: the old fishermen's village with its narrow streets and houses painted in bright colours, lined along the low cliff. This is where typical trattorias with the catch of the day, craft shops and the most authentic atmosphere of the municipality are concentrated. At the end of the cliff, above a small spit of land protecting the harbour, stands the Saracen Tower (also called Pisan Tower or Marciana Marina Tower): a 16th-century hexagonal building, built as defence against pirate raids.
The seafront — Banchina 25 Aprile — is one of the most elegant on the island: a walk with palms, benches and venues overlooking the sea, lively into the early hours on summer evenings. Here you'll find ice cream parlours, bars, fish restaurants and the mooring for tour boats to Corsica and the smaller islands. The patron saint is Santa Chiara (Saint Clare), celebrated on 11 and 12 August.
A look at the most evocative places: the palm-lined promenade, the colourful houses of Cotone, the Saracen Tower, the harbour and the beaches.
Between Saracen Tower, Cotone quarter, palm-lined promenade and the tourist harbour, the attractions of Marciana Marina are concentrated in a few square kilometres but full of charm.
Most characteristic nucleus of Marciana Marina, consisting of a large granite boulder and a maze of alleys, stairs and ancient houses. Name derives from Latin "cos, cotis" ("stone"). Historic neighbourhood originally inhabited by fishermen.
In Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, built in 1776, dedicated to the town's patron saint. Marciana Marina celebrates Santa Chiara on 11-12 August with masses, processions on land and sea, fireworks and concerts.
19th-century promenade animated by bars, shops and restaurants, with constant view of the two historic symbols: Pisan Tower and Borgo del Cotone. Among the liveliest evening life on Elba.
Central square of the village, encompassing Santa Chiara Church. Meeting point for locals and visitors, animated by historic cafes and weekly market.
The municipal area, despite being the smallest on the island, includes some very popular beaches: from the Marina in the village centre to Fenicia just outside the town.
Crocetta is a small, wild cove on the north coast of Elba, about 600 metres east of Marciana Marina along the road to Procchio. The beach is made of medium and large white pebbles, framed by cliffs of two different colours: dark, ancient rock to the east and pale granite to the west. The water shades from green to deep blue.
Leave the car along the provincial road between Marciana Marina and Procchio, near the bend where the guardrail ends; the start of the path is signposted next to a green gate. The trail crosses thick scrub of holm oak and mastic and ends with a long flight of steps cut into the rock: access is not the easiest, so wear proper shoes. The area can also be reached by regular bus.
Facing north, the cove is sheltered from the sirocco and the libeccio (south-west wind), when the sea is calm; with northerly winds, on the other hand, the waves roll straight in.
There are no facilities at all: bring water, food and a sunshade. The large pebbles make reef shoes useful. The clear water along the rocks is good for snorkelling. Locally the cove is also called 'delle Anime' or 'del Purgatorio', after the small chapel to the Souls in Purgatory on the road above; according to the local Pro Loco, the name Crocetta recalls a little church on the old path that linked the village to Portoferraio.
Marciana Marina beach runs along the village seafront on the north coast of Elba, stretching for a few hundred metres. The eastern section is small pebbles, dark and grey with a little sand, while beyond the pier light sand takes over. In the background stands the Torre degli Appiani at the harbour entrance, the symbol of the village.
You reach Marciana Marina by car from Procchio on the provincial road. The beach is a few steps from the centre, behind viale Regina Margherita. Along the avenue parking is paid and scarce; there are free car parks behind the village, a three-level car park at the entrance with a free ground floor, and a free area in via Lloyd, taken up on Tuesdays by the weekly market.
Facing north, the beach stays fairly cool even in midsummer. The sea is calmer with the sirocco and with winds from the south, south-west and west.
On the beach you can hire loungers, umbrellas, canoes and pedalos, with free stretches between the equipped areas; there is also a section set up for disabled visitors, with a wooden boardwalk, loungers and access to the water. The seafront bars and restaurants are just steps away. It is worth strolling to the Cotone, the oldest part of the village, which grew around a natural cove: in dialect the name means big boulder. The beaches of Fenicia and Crocetta are close by.
La Fenicetta is the tiny cove that closes off the western end of the Marciana Marina seafront, just past Fenicia beach, at the foot of the cliffs. It is barely fifteen metres long, made of pebbles and flat rocks that are comfortable for sunbathing; the water is clear, with a stony bottom and turquoise tones.
Start on foot from the far end of the Marciana Marina promenade, beyond the Torre della Marina. Once past Fenicia beach, carry on along the concrete walkway that runs at the base of the cliffs: for the last stretch you can either walk over the rocks or go down the steps and wade through a short section of shallow water. No road reaches the cove, so leave the car in the village car parks, paid near the waterfront or free a few hundred metres further inland.
Like neighbouring Fenicia, La Fenicetta is best with sirocco, southerly winds and libeccio (south-west wind), when the island's north coast is in the lee and the sea in front of the village is calm.
There are no facilities in the cove itself: bars and restaurants are a few steps away, on Fenicia beach and along the promenade. The clear seabed is good for snorkelling; strong swimmers can push on to a small white-pebble beach about 350 metres away, keeping a close eye on passing boats. Space is tight; water shoes and drinking water are useful, as there is no shade.
Marciana Marina faces the northern coast of Elba, in a natural bay at the foot of Monte Capanne. The tourist harbour and the seafront are reachable in 25 minutes by car from Portoferraio.
All types of tourist activities available in Marciana Marina: the offer is concentrated on the seafront and in Cotone, with excellence particularly for fish dining and sea activities.
Everything you need to plan your visit.
Every municipality on Elba has its own identity. After Marciana Marina and its harbour, discover the Medicean capital, the mountain villages and the more distant coasts.
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