Capoliveri is one of Italy’s many beauties. It dominates the stretch of Tyrrhenian Sea where from Elba you can behold Pianosa, Montecristo and, further beyond, Corsica. It is the perfect destination for those who love nestled beaches, deep contact with nature and the feeling of a true seaside village. Up until 1981, Elba –and especially Capoliveri– boasted a strong mining tradition that revolved around the extraction of magnetite.
A past that disseminated Monte Calamita with paths that were often quite rugged. Today, those abandoned tracks have become one of Italy’s most challenging trails as well as the most coveted for mountain bike and cross-country enthusiasts.
The dirt that covers the mine paths of Monte Calamita is red. Red like the trails where mountain biking has become a legendary tourist attraction: the canyons that surround Moab in Utah and Sedona in Arizona.
However, contrary to the American South-West, what makes the trailsof Monte Calamita more appealing is the constant and visible presence of the Tyrrhenian Sea. A view that is a sort of natural shock absorber for the impact produced by the harshness of the course, and a boost for the extra effort required to effectively face the most strenuous tracts of the mine paths.
It’s tough to imagine a better place to have fun on a mountain bike and to test the reliability of a new two-wheeler designed for cross country, because the scenarios of Monte Calamita naturally push ridersto dare reach the absolute limit.
Therefore Elba and Capoliveri can be seen as an inviting opportunity for those planning a seaside holiday with a side of some serious physical activity that will allow you to enjoy views that only the use of a highly reliable mountain bike makes possible.
Also, from the red paths of Monte Calamita, with almost dizzying speed, you can easily be led down dirt roads that take you to the beaches of Immacolata, Punta Pareti or Morcone, letting you once again test your bike as well as your abilities. There you can immortalise rider, mountain bike and the sea that caresses the shores of Elba with just one picturesque click.
An image that somehow takes you back to where mountain bikes were invented: amidst the California hills that hang over the Pacific.