Travel Guide Monte Calamita

Covered with scrub, cork oaks and pines, the Calamita peninsula, on the south-eastern slope, is the oldest territory of the island. Mount Calamita stands at 413 metres in the heart of a green nature reserve. This region is extremely rich in magnetite (from the Greek word magnès, magnet) and has been the source of many popular legends for centuries. The metal parts of ships were inexorably attracted by the ore, causing countless shipwrecks against the cliffs of Punta Calamita. What is certain is that magnetite greatly disturbs the compass needle. Try it out!In addition to its important mining history (a visit to the mines is a must), this peninsula offers an exceptional seabed, attracting dolphins in particular. Faced with such a setting, it is easy to understand why Jacques Mayol, the freediver who inspired the Big Blue, fell in love with this remote corner of Elba Island and settled here in 1973.