The island of Elba has always been considered one of the wonders of our Bel Paese, with its hospitable people and its divine food, but above all its coves, bays and reserved beaches, clean and kissed by a crystal clear sea, in which to lose yourself and isolate yourself from the whole world.
Felciaio beach rightly falls into this category, with its cliffs creating a natural pool with perfect conditions for relaxation, adventure, and snorkeling.
Located on the southern side of the island, in the province of Capoliveri and less than a kilometer northwest of the Lido of the same name, Felciaio beach offers breathtaking views to the lucky few who decide to abandon the most accessible and renowned attractions and venture along a hidden and winding pedestrian path, sometimes carved into the rock, after leaving their car or motorbike in the only paid parking lot nearby. For information, the parking fee is currently 7€ for the whole day, and this is the only service available in this location besides a nice beach bar that rents sun loungers for a fee, and where you can buy an ice cream or a refreshing drink. Otherwise, the beach is otherwise completely free: this is a different dimension, which takes us back to the past, to simplicity, to the pleasure of the essential. And if, like me, you are a lover of pristine nature and a virgin and primordial sea, rich in flora and fauna to be calmly observed up close with a mask and snorkel, without deafening music in your ears or too many people around, Felciaio Beach is for you.
The composition of the seabed and the beach is mixed. On the one hand, we have the typical local stone beach, whose seabed slopes gently and features numerous colonies of Posidonia oceanica that make the sea rich in oxygen, offering shelter and nourishment to numerous fish species such as damsels, white sea breams, and snapper. On the other side, the beach becomes finer, the gravel soon becomes sand, offering the perfect conditions for families with children and lovers of tintarella and relaxation. On this side, the eastern side of the small beach, we also find a lovely artificial cliff, created by the owners of the villa above the beach, who in the past built a small port for their boats in this way and which today presents itself as a sort of natural pool, sheltered from the winds and currents, where we languidly abandon ourselves to the delicate roar of gentle waves that lull us serenely, and where to venture once again with fins, mask and snorkel in search of submerged treasures and inhabitants of the beautiful seabed. Octopuses and small lobsters are easily found among the rocks, and, further on, inhabitants of the sandy bottom such as sole, turbot and delicate starfish, which, I would like to remind you, should absolutely not be extracted from the sea because as soon as they are removed from the water they stop breathing and survive only a few seconds. Equip yourself with an underwater camera and leave these wonderful animals in their natural habitat, bringing home incredible memories, respecting the environment and preserving it for the future. The view of the bay is something indescribable, and it is not uncommon to spot from afar the profile of Pianosa Island and even, on days with wide visibility, that of Montecristo, the wildest and most solitary island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, with an incredibly romantic and legendary history.
Finally, I would recommend this incredible adventure to anyone who wants a truly relaxing and memorable day, and who wants to feel in harmony and a true communion with nature.
