Itinerari
Discovering the Ferrous Lands: The Mount Calamita Circular Route
Start from
Capoliveri
Length
11,5 km
Time
3,5 hours
Difficulty
Medium
This itinerary, one of the most beautiful and panoramic in the municipality of Capoliveri, is an easy walk with no difficult gradients, which provides views of the entire coastline of the promontory.
About 11.5 km long, the route winds its way through the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, through pine forests and Mediterranean scrub, characterised by cistus, broom, mastic trees, heather and rosemary.
The route starts in Capolivieri in Piazza del Cavatore, where you will find shops, bars and restaurants, the police station, Town Hall and information centre. There are several car parks in the vicinity.
At the roundabout, follow the sign for the Carabinieri headquarters, and after a few metres of dirt track take path no. 70 at the first crossroads on the left. On this path you will enjoy views of Porto Azzurro and the beaches of Mola, Naregno, Capo Perla, Straccoligno, Ferrato and Calanova. After about an hour’s walk you will come to the firebreak above Calanova beach, a quiet location close to Istia beach, where a peaceful pine forest offers shelter from the sun.
The trail continues along the opposite side, offering new views, this time of the Capoliveri Mine and its iron-rich red soil. On the slope you will see the vineyards of the Le Ripalte farm and on the horizon, you will see Giglio, Montecristo, Pianosa and, on a clear day, even the mountains of Corsica.
The mining landscape is barren and red, and the imprint of man, still visible decades later, indicates the start of the mines. On the way back, there are several paths leading to the Mining Museum on the main Calamita road, which is also accessible by car.
Wild orchids are very numerous along this stretch of road. On the way back, at the top of the Asta firebreak, you will find an excellent viewpoint equipped with picnic tables and benches, which is ideal for a break in the shade.
A short diversion downwards allows you to photograph Golfo Stella and the Gemini Islands.
A little further on, accompanied by beautiful views of Capoliveri, Portoferraio and Porto Azzurro, you can descend to the left to return to the village.
1ª tappa
The Old Workshop Museum
Housed inside the old mechanical workshop, the museum was created to provide an insight into the life of the miners, the history of the mines and the territory. Inside the museum some rooms, such as the infirmary, the workshop and the office, have been reconstructed using original tools and materials recovered from the sites including documents, accident registers and old maps.
2ª tappa
Calanova
Calanova is a small, welcoming oasis of extraordinary beauty and peace. About 80 metres long, it is framed by rich vegetation consisting of maritime pines and cork trees that lead down to the beach, where it is possible to find some shade on hot days.
3ª tappa
Capoliveri
Already known in Roman times as Caput Liberum, Capoliveri is today a quiet village with an ancient history, which offers unique views of the sea, the coast of Elba and the other islands of the Tuscan Archipelago.
