Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Toscano

Demanding trail

• Trail Conditions: On foot
• Interest: Flora, Geology, Panorama

• Departure: Marciana
• Arrival: Marciana
• Duration: 5 hours 40 min
• Difficulty Level: demanding
• Length: 8.3 km
• Difference in height: Uphill 785m

Mt. Capanne, the rooftop of the Tuscan Archipelago, could not be missing in a list of the most evocative hikes on Elba Island. The hike begins in Marciana (375 m a.s.l.), reaches the top (1,019 m) and goes back to the point of departure on (partially) another route. Path No 101 - a quite demanding one - begins at the gate of Sant'Agabito and enters a chestnut wood, whose fruits have fed generations of locals. The hermitage of San Cerbone is at the end of the climb: it was built in 575 AD and named after the Saint who, according to tradition, lived in a nearby cave. The hermitage can only be seen from the outside. The path goes on uphill, but the steepest stretch begins shortly before crossing the northern GTE: only fit hikers should venture from there to the top. After crossing the northern GTE once more, the path briefly coincides with it and then branches off uphill. The view from the top is well worth the effort: Corsica, the Archipelago and the coast of Tuscany can all be seen from there. A peculiar geological structure can also be observed: granodiorite pluton is lava that did not flow out of a volcano, but instead solidified under the Earth's crust and then came out as a consequence of tectonic movements. This is how Mt. Capanne originated: the encasing rocks can be seen at a lower altitude on the mountain sides. Afterwards, you can descend by cableway or go back on path No 101 until the junction located at 645 m a.s.l., and there turn left on the northern GTE. This stretch is flat, and the path is made of granite slabs. Near the junction with path No 110, which goes downhill, there are several strawberry trees, locally known as "èrbitri" and typical of the maquis. Path No 103 will soon take you back to Marciana, where you can visit the House of the Park.