The port of Portoferraio is located on the northern coast of the island, inside the large Portoferraio bay, there are two distinct parts: the port itself and the bay.
Leaving the Medici harbour, built in the 16th century as a fortified port for the Grand Ducal fleet and now used as a harbour for pleasure craft, we find Calata Depositi (street) and the deep water quayside. The latter is connected by a road to Calata Italia street which runs to the southern most part of the port area. From the Calata Italia there are three piers: Massimo Pier, Pier N° 3 and Pier N° 1, these are used for the ferries that connect Elba with the port of Piombino.
The Portoferraio bay, 2000 meters wide, is well protected from bad weather, it is entered in the north between Falcone and Falconaia Point, there is safe anchorage for vessels of every size and draft. In the western part of the harbour, near the port area, there is an area called "the access channel", used for the passage of incoming and outgoing vessels, it is forbidden to stop or anchor here, all ships using this channel, contrary to general custom, must keep to the left instead of the right.
There is not a lot of parking space for cars leaving for Piombino meaning that on busy days (typically Saturdays in high season) there are often queues along the main roads that connect Portoferraio to the rest of Elba. We therefore recommend that you arrive in good time for embarkation for Elba Ferries.
