By bike or on foot, the paths of Elba on your smartphone

PORTOFERRAIO - Sea and beaches, but also trails, 360-degree sports and lots of nature, combined with the infinite possibilities offered by technology. Elba, not now, has caught up with the times: three years ago - declared the first experiment of its kind, wanted by the Associated Tourism Management of the Island of Elba - with the Elba Smart Exploring project ( https://elbasmartexploring.com/) had already started a systematic digital mapping of the network of tracks on the island, using cameras certified by Google and accessible for free via smartphone, GPS and the Google Maps app. A project that has now achieved another piece: the tracks have also been optimized for cycling routes (including pedal assistance), as well as for those on foot:from the most suitable tracks for cyclists who want to visit the island on two wheels to those most suitable for professionals looking for demanding challenges (it is no coincidence that the island has been chosen as the site of the UCI MTB Marathon world championships to be held in October) .

To finally say goodbye to paper maps. Elba - heart of the Tuscan Archipelago, MAB reserve and recently included in the ranking of the most important parks in the world -, with its 147 km of coastline, over 200 beaches (half of which cannot be reached by car), an area of 223 square km (which make it the third largest island in Italy) and 400 km of trails, it has a natural vocation for outdoor activities, a sort of open-air gym for everyone. The site dedicated to the project contains suggested routes, divided between walking and biking, according to interests or moods, the best moments of the day, to be downloaded with a click on your phone.

And then you can choose - among the many paths proposed for walking and trekking - the easy Via della Vecchia Ferrovia that goes to the rediscovery of the island's mining tradition (9 km along the route that connected the open-air construction site of the Vallone to the boarding point near the Innamorata beach, right in front of the Gemini Islands) or the short but challenging climb to Monte Capanne which offers a breathtaking view to the top or the almost 9 km of the spectacular Via dell'Ovest, which climbs into the mountains to then return to the sea. By bike you can opt for the first stretch of the World Cup 2021 from Capoliveri to Innamorata or the second stretch from Innamorata to Bivio Sardina or Portoferraio and its white beaches. An intertwining of tracks accessible to all.

"Elba Smart Exploring is a free service that we offer with the aim of making known the different faces of the island, of living it by practicing sports, meeting nature, the sea, culture, history and traditions - explains Niccolò Censi, coordinator of the Associated Tourism Management on Elba - You can choose the routes independently, building a detailed itinerary from home, knowing in advance the distances and the difficulty level of the routes, to be explored on foot or on horseback, by bike or by mountain biking, the points of interest, those from which to better admire the Elban sunset. With the app you can select beaches and coves that can be seen from above with drones, admiring them in a 3d version, inserted in a context of nature largely untouched ".The images were taken by Federico Debetto, Google Street View certified photographer, who worked on the mapping with an Insta360 camera mounted on a backpack, walking step by step along the marked paths.

With a system of drones, bird's eye images were taken of the 200 beaches and coves, 100 of which were wild. It will therefore be sufficient to choose the itinerary that best suits your needs from your mobile phone, customize it, download the map and follow it. Telephone at sight, familiarity with digital maps and a good spare battery will be enough to go to the discovery of the territory. Knowing in advance what will be the difficulties that will be encountered, the travel times, the points of interest and those from where to better admire the Elban sunset. And whoever wants to can also admire the beaches filmed by drones from the sofa at home.