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The universal code of Italian trails
Elba's trails follow the standard Italian Alpine Club (CAI) signage, the same used on the Apennines and the Alps. Once you understand the language, getting lost becomes much harder.
White-red marks
The main sign. A small white-red-white flag painted on a stone, tree or post means: the trail passes here. They appear every 50-100 metres on clear sections, closer together at junctions, direction changes or rocky bits.
Trail numbers
Every trail has a CAI number (e.g. 100, 252, 28). You'll find it inside a white-red square on signs at junctions and trailheads. The number never changes: the same trail may appear on different maps, but the CAI number stays the same.
Difficulty codes
- T (Tourist): easy, well-marked trails, no technical difficulty. Suitable for families with children.
- E (Hiking): medium difficulty, steep or rocky sections, but no special gear required. Hiking boots and good fitness needed.
- EE (Expert Hikers): exposed routes, demanding terrain, navigation skills required. Avoid in winter or bad weather.
- EEA (Experts with Equipment): via ferratas or sections needing rope and harness. There are a few on Elba.
When the mark is missing
If you walk for more than 5 minutes without seeing a mark, stop and go back to the last one you remember. Never improvise: in dense low vegetation, mistakes happen easily and can be dangerous.
Good rule: always carry a paper map or an offline app. Apps like Wikiloc or Komoot have downloadable CAI tracks for Elba.