Elba Island lies off the Tuscan coast of Italy and is regarded as part of Tuscany. We arrived into the port town of Portoferraio at around 7 am. Impressive lighthouse on the hill coming into the bay, where we anchored.

Apart from Komodo Island this is the first port we have had requiring water shuttles to get to the pier. The sea was quite calm and there were no dramas, just stepping from the ship across into the tender shuttle. Plenty of helpers getting in the way for us mobile individuals! Slobro had to time his step carefully.

We were doing time ashore from about 10.30 am (we let the rush get away before us) by ourselves with a wander around the town and lunch. Had to be back to the ship on the last tender at 4pm.

The little train was parked right where we came ashore, so we got on board this and headed off on a 20 minute panoramic trip around the town.

This was along the water front, checking out the old fort and then up and down some back streets. Interesting. It did give us the lie of the land and pointers as to where we would go for lunch. Some most impressive sail and motor boats in the crowded Marina.

Slobro was keen for a pizza. So we walked up and down the waterfront before settling on ‘Il Garibaldino dal 1895’. Now, Garibaldi was an Italian revolutionary leader who was instrumental in the mid 1800s in unifying the Italian states. A ‘Garibaldino’ was one of his followers or soldiers.

So this little restaurant is suggesting in its name that it is a revolutionary sort of spot and it’s been open since 1895! Believable. The pizza was salami and fungi. Very good.

After lunch we had some more time along the waterfront checking out the sail and motor boats in the crowded marina. A lot of money floating around!

Headed back to the ship on one of the last shuttles for the sail away from Italian waters. Headed for Marseille.