Discovering the Island of Elba: POMONTE
The Island of Elba on the map may seem small, you may be believed to have seen it all in few days ... and yet it is not. Even those who live here from a lifetime rediscover it every day in its wonderful colors and scents ... and that's why in the coming weeks we will present many places, large and small, more or less known, that deserve to be told... to love it more and more !
POMONTE: The charm of a land between modernity and tradition
Pomonte .. is a small village with a beautiful valley at its back, enclosed in a frame of sea and mountains. A village that, after centuries of iron mining, granite cutting and grape harvesting, gave into tourism, but, despite this, probably more than any other place on the island, never lost its charm of having modernity alongside tradition.
You can look at the sea or at the mountains, here the view is always breathtaking: on one side, the clean, blue sea blends with the deep blue of the sky. On the other side, the green vegetation colors the slopes of the mountain that rises towards the sun.
Since many traces of mining works have been found in this valley that without a doubt was much thicker in the past, it is strongly believed that the origins of this village go as far back as Etruscan times. If we analyse the dialect, the names of the streets as well as those of its inhabitants, it is obvious that Pomonte also had close contacts with Corsica.
The coast consists of steep cliffs that drop sheer down to the sea. There are some small pebble beaches on the left of the village.
This part of the Island is famous above all because only a few metres from the shore, at a depth of only 16 metres, you can see the shipwreck of the "Elviscott", the cargo boat that sank in the seventies. Today it is a very popular attraction among skin divers.
Needless to say water sports are more popular during the summer, but in low season the mild climate enables you to discover a different aspect of the island: Mother Nature. Just follow any of the paths over the mountains and you will get to know the history and the soul of the island, with the only sounds being the birds chirping. You can choose to go on guided tours or you can just ask for a good map of the paths and all the necessary equipment if you prefer to go on a tour of the area by yourself.
TREKKING - Hotels and Residences organize daily excursions, all with expert guides, from May to June and from September to October; most of them are up Monte Capanne and in some of the most beautiful parts of the Island of Elba. A great number of paths - some difficult, some easy - to suit everybody starting off right from Pomonte.
KAYAK - A kayak excursion in crystal clear water along the coastline is a unique experience: not only is it your chance to get to know the island from a different aspect, it's also the only way to reach some of the gorges, cliffs, coves and beaches that you can't get to over land.... with the sound of the sea in the back ground.
DIVING E SNORKELING - The shipwreck of the Elviscott merchant ship, sunk in 1972, is without a doubt the most popular tourist attraction with skin divers and snorkellers, who come from all over the island to see it and admire the sea bed. At a depth of only 13 metres, most of the ship is lying on the sea bed, left of the Ogliera rock and only 150 metres from Quartiere beach. It is the only shipwreck on the island that you can get to without needing a boat, because you can easily swim out to it from Quartiere beach or go by pedalo. Since it sank over 40 years ago, the wreck has become "naturalised" and now looks more like a colourful micro environment rich in sea flora and fauna, and the continuous colour changes (helped by the fact that the sea is so clear and isn't very deep) have a magical effect as they reflect the rays of the sun. Amberjacks, crabs, saddled breams and octopus, will come out of what is now their home as if to greet you then swim off.
WINDSURF E KITE SURF - Thanks to the perfect sea and weather conditions, the stretch of sea between Pomonte and Chiessi is very popular with lovers of windsurfing and kite surfing. Many gatherings and competitions are held here throughout the year like the Coppa Italia Formula Windsurfing trials and the Italian Windsurf Slalom Tour.
MOUNTAINBIKE - There are many mountainbike routes on Elba, and numerous competitions on both a national and international scale like the Gran Fondo and the Legend Cup are held here. There is a depot and a mechanic's by several hotels if you wish to leave your mountain bike there.
FREE CLIMBING - For lovers of free climbing there are numerous equipped routes, covering all levels of difficulty, in the Costa del Sole, all with Fasi experts. The view from all of them is breathtaking.
ALTRI SPORT - In Pomonte you will also find a fully equipped gym with a tennis court, five-a-side football, volley ball and body building equipment.
Whether you find yourself surrounded by broom, heather, myrtle and lentisk in a silent atmosphere that hardly seems real, or whether you are in the heart of a shady chestnut wood, stunned by the perfume of the undergrowth - that comes from the moss, the mushrooms and the cyclamens -it will be possible to see all the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago.
Taken by: www.elbacorallo.it
In Pomonte we suggest you to contact the following activities:
