Sansone Beach Elba Island

The white pebble beach of Portoferraio’s coast

One of the most evocative beaches in Elba island, is Sansone Beach. It is the wildest and the most loved amongst the northern coast beaches of the Island.

Sansone is a little corner of paradise on the outskirts of Portoferraio, it can be reached by driving along the road to Enfola beach, just before the Viticcio’s junction. The white pebbles of its littoral and the whiteness of its sheer cliffs enhance the teal highlights of its crystal-clear waters - this stunning combination of colours give Sansone a unique charm.

The site is located next to a steep stretch of coast which starts from Capo Bianco and stretches up to Capo Enfola. Nestled as a white pearl, Sansone shines at its best during the scirocco days, when the warm south wind let us see through the water a seabed full of fish and marine flora, reminding a natural aquarium that can be admired from just above water a few meters from the shore - something that snorkelers will truly appreciate.

It is possible to reach many of the caves and ravines by either swimming, renting a kayak or a paddle boat. Young people and intrepid plungers often use the hidden ravines as natural trampolines. On the right hand-side, there is a rock formation that separates Sansone from its twin beach “La Sorgente”. Meanwhile, the left side is characterised by the undisputed protagonist of acrobatic plunges: a solitary sea stack that also serves as a popular background for selfies and romantic sunsets that will be difficult to forget.

Sansone beach is equipped with a small cafe and a bathing establishment = with lifeguard that in addition to a sunbeds and parasols rental service, also offers a paddleboat and canoe rental service.

Close to La Sorgente, there is a campsite that offers food service and in most recent years the option to take showers before heading your way back, has been added.

How to reach Sansone

The best things in life are the hardest to reach, so is the case for this corner of paradise - which until a few years ago had never been particularly crowded, not even during peak season. The advent of social medial and the opportunity to share pictures with friends has significantly increased the overall visits to Sansone, therefore in order to find a free spot it is necessary to arrive quite early.

You will also need to follow a 15 minutes dirt track, downhill as you arrive and uphill when you leave.

Driving from Portoferraio, take the main road (Strada Provinciale) that leads up to Enfola and look up for the road signs that indicate the Viticcio’s junction.

You have two options for where to leave your vehicle: you can either leave it at the parking place and paying a parking fee, or you can park it along the side of the main road – if you decide to do so, please avoid the red parking zones

You have two options as for where to leave your vehicle: you can either leave it at the carpark by paying a parking fee, or you can park it along the side of the main road – if you decide to do so, please avoid the non-parking zones; we encourage you to hire a scooter during peak season!

Once you managed to park, you will then have to take the dirt track and follow the signs that lead you to La Sorgente (it is advised to wear comfortable shoes).

After passing by La Sorgente and its camping, make your way uphill. Once you reach the peak, take a moment to enjoy the jaw-dropping landscape that you will have in front of you. After this, follow the downhill and finally arrive to Sansone.

A 360-degrees view of Sansone on google maps

Sansone beach map

Thanks for the translation Claudia Sardi