Skip to content

Pianosa island

An island with a unique environment and pristine seabed

Pianosa Island is characterized by the uniqueness of totally flat landscape, with a maximum elevation of only 29 meters above sea level. The closest island to Elba in the Tuscan Archipelago.

Known since ancient times as Planasia, it was already popular in Roman times, as testified by the underwater archaeological relics that confirm its presence along the trading routes of the classical Mediterranean. In the Middle Ages, Pianosa was contested by Pisa and Genoa until the late 14th century when it passed under Piombino rule, without ever managing to be permanently colonized.
From this point on, Pianosa became a penal colony, as instituted by the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in 1856.

What to see in Pianosa

The island was the seat of the penal colony, transformed in 1968 into a maximum security prison that was separated from the small town by a large reinforced concrete wall, until it was definitively closed in 2011. There are still some limitations to the use of Pianosa, however no longer for safety reasons, but due to environmental protection.
Since the closure of the penitentiary activities, the Municipality of Campo nell'Elba and the Tuscan Archipelago National Park have developed a project that combines the preservation of the environment with the possibility of discovering the unique Mediterranean island with its particular history.
Snorkeling in the surrounding sea is a memorable experience, allowing you to observe cuttlefish, lobsters, sea bream, snapper, moray eels and many other Mediterranean species in shallow water. The seabed is richly covered with Posidonia (seagrass) meadows, fortunately spared from anchoring and trawling. Since 2013, the park has also offered the possibility of scuba diving, by contacting accredited diving centers.

The coast of Pianosa alternates rocky stretches with splendid bays of sand, the best known of which is Cala San Giovanni (or Cala Giovanna), a charming white sand beach where it's also possible to admire the remains of a Roman villa.
Inside the island, walk in the shade of the characteristic dry stone walls, immersed in the Mediterranean scrub, where you can also discover the numerous traces left by the settlements present here since prehistoric times, including a necropolis from the Copper Age and the early Christian catacombs.

Once on the island, to receive information on the natural and historical architectural heritage, you can contact the Casa del Parco in Villa Literno.

The island was the seat of the penal colony, transformed in 1968 into a maximum security prison that was separated from the small town by a large reinforced concrete wall, until it was definitively closed in 2011. There are still some limitations to the use of Pianosa, however no longer for safety reasons, but due to environmental protection.
Since the closure of the penitentiary activities, the Municipality of Campo nell'Elba and the Tuscan Archipelago National Park have developed a project that combines the preservation of the environment with the possibility of discovering the unique Mediterranean island with its particular history.
Snorkeling in the surrounding sea is a memorable experience, allowing you to observe cuttlefish, lobsters, sea bream, snapper, moray eels and many other Mediterranean species in shallow water. The seabed is richly covered with Posidonia (seagrass) meadows, fortunately spared from anchoring and trawling. Since 2013, the park has also offered the possibility of scuba diving, by contacting accredited diving centers.

The coast of Pianosa alternates rocky stretches with splendid bays of sand, the best known of which is Cala San Giovanni (or Cala Giovanna), a charming white sand beach where it's also possible to admire the remains of a Roman villa.
Inside the island, walk in the shade of the characteristic dry stone walls, immersed in the Mediterranean scrub, where you can also discover the numerous traces left by the settlements present here since prehistoric times, including a necropolis from the Copper Age and the early Christian catacombs.

Once on the island, to receive information on the natural and historical architectural heritage, you can contact the Casa del Parco in Villa Literno.

Nearby

Pianosa is one of the Tuscan islands, gems that are rich in history, Mediterranean nature and sea beds, protected by the Tuscan Archipelago National Park.

You can reach Pianosa by starting from Marina di Campo or Rio Marina, on the island of Elba. It's necessary to inquire and book in time, as the number of visitors admitted daily is limited.

Pianosa is one of the Tuscan islands, gems that are rich in history, Mediterranean nature and sea beds, protected by the Tuscan Archipelago National Park.

You can reach Pianosa by starting from Marina di Campo or Rio Marina, on the island of Elba. It's necessary to inquire and book in time, as the number of visitors admitted daily is limited.

Events

To get to know the nature, history, traditions and gastronomy of Pianosa and beyond, the Archipelago Park organizes the Walking Festival every year, with a calendar full of events that takes place across the various islands.

To get to know the nature, history, traditions and gastronomy of Pianosa and beyond, the Archipelago Park organizes the Walking Festival every year, with a calendar full of events that takes place across the various islands.

Elba and Tuscan Islands