The Gems of the Archipelago
Holiday homes and villas on Elba Island
Three family homes in Marina di Campo — an apartment in the village and two villas — all a few minutes' walk from the sea. We look after them personally, and you book directly with us.
Looking for a holiday home on Elba Island? We have three, and we know them room by room: an apartment in the heart of the village and two villas with private outdoor space, all in Marina di Campo on the island's southern side. We are not an agency — we are a family that chose to look after a few homes, properly.
We call them the three Gems. Each has its own character — the four-guest apartment in the historic centre, the garden villa for families, the panoramic one a minute from the sand — but they share the same idea of a holiday: the sea on foot, the village below, no hurry.
On this page you'll find the three homes compared, starting prices, how to choose between a villa and the apartment, and answers to the questions we hear most often. If a doubt remains, write to us: Giovanni replies, and he lives on Elba all year round.
The three Gems, compared
Real distances, measured on foot. Weekly prices with final cleaning included.
Apartment in the village
Gemma I — Scalinate
In the historic centre of Marina di Campo, on the second floor of a period building: two bedrooms, windows over the village and the gulf. The most flexible: check-in any day, from three nights.
- Guests
- 4 · 53 m²
- Beach
- 2 min · 150 m
- Min. stay
- 3 nights
- From
- €700/week
Villa with garden
Gemma II — Fornaci
162 m² indoors, a private garden and terraces, with a garage. The right home for families who want room to breathe, breakfast outside and the beach five minutes away on foot.
- Guests
- 6 · 162 m²
- Beach
- 5 min · 350 m
- Min. stay
- 7 nights
- From
- €1,200/week
Panoramic villa
Gemma III — Montecristo
The closest to the sea: one minute on foot from the sand. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, air conditioning in every room and a view over the gulf that keeps you company at dinner.
- Guests
- 6 · 137 m²
- Beach
- 1 min · 80 m
- Min. stay
- 7 nights
- From
- €1,800/week
Why book directly
An honest price
The same homes cost around 20% more on the booking platforms: book here and there is no commission. Final cleaning is always included.
A person, not a call centre
Before, during and after your stay you talk to Giovanni, who lives on Elba all year — on WhatsApp, by email or by phone.
Homes we truly know
Real photos, honest descriptions, sincere advice. If a home isn't right for you, we'll tell you before you book.
Everything above board
Each home has its Italian national registration code (CIN), a written confirmation by email and clear payment instructions. No surprises on arrival.
Why Elba Island
Elba is the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, about an hour by ferry from Piombino, with frequent sailings in season. In a week you can alternate beaches, villages and trails without ever driving far.
There is the clear water of the coves, there are the fishing villages, there is history — from Napoleon to the iron mines. And the season is long: our homes open in late April and close in mid-November.
Where to stay on Elba: the areas in brief
Portoferraio is the capital and arrival port, convenient but town-like; Capoliveri and Porto Azzurro animate the eastern side, the one of the mines; Marciana and the west are the realm of Monte Capanne and coves like Sant'Andrea and Fetovaia. The south, finally, is the bay of Marina di Campo: the island's longest beach, a fishing village, Corsica on the horizon.
Our homes are only there, and not by chance: from the south you reach everything — Portoferraio in twenty minutes, the western coves in a few minutes by car — yet in the evening you come back to a real village, where the day is lived on foot. If you want a single base to explore the whole island, it's the area we would recommend to a friend.
Marina di Campo, the village our homes belong to
Marina di Campo has been a fishing port for centuries — the only one on the island's south side, the one facing Corsica. The late-16th-century tower closing the bay once watched for corsair raids; today it watches over a 1.3-kilometre beach, Elba's longest, with pale sand and shallow water.
The village is lived on foot: the promenade along the beach, the harbour with the boats coming home, the restaurants, the shops, the weekly market. It's a place where the car is for exploring the island, not for daily life — and none of the three homes needs one to reach the sea.
We don't cover the whole island: we cover this village well. It's the only place we have homes, and the place we know well enough to tell you where the fish is good and what time the beach empties out.
Villa or apartment? How to choose
It depends on how you travel. As a couple or a four, with dates that don't fit a full week, the Scalinate apartment is the answer: historic centre, three-night minimum, check-in on any day, all season long. It has air conditioning in the living room only and no dishwasher — we'd rather say so up front.
As a family or group of up to six with a week ahead, the villas offer a different measure: both sleep six, with air conditioning in every room and parking. They rent by the full week — arrival on Saturday for Fornaci, Sunday for Montecristo.
And between the two villas? We'll tell you the way we'd tell a friend. Fornaci if outdoor space is the priority: the private garden and terraces, the garage, a house that breathes even in August, with the beach five minutes away on flat ground. Montecristo if you want the sea below the house: one minute from the sand, three bedrooms instead of two, the gulf view from the terrace. It is our highest-tier home, and in the central weeks of summer you feel it.
Can't decide? Write to us with your dates and who is coming: we'll tell you honestly which makes more sense — even when it's the cheaper one.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a holiday home on Elba cost?
Our three homes range from €700 to €5,200 per week depending on the home and the season: the Scalinate apartment starts at €700, villa Fornaci at €1,200, villa Montecristo at €1,800. Direct prices include final cleaning; on the platforms the same homes cost around 20% more.
How much does it cost to rent a villa on Elba Island?
Villa Fornaci runs from €1,200 to €3,700 per week depending on the season; villa Montecristo from €1,800 to €5,200. Both sleep six and include final cleaning in the direct price.
How far are the homes from the beach?
Real distances, measured on foot: villa Montecristo 1 minute (about 80 metres), Scalinate apartment 2 minutes (about 150 metres), villa Fornaci 5 minutes (about 350 metres). None of the three needs a car to reach the sea.
Can I book for less than a week?
The villas, no: the full week is what keeps the homes cared for the way we want, with arrival on Saturday for Fornaci and Sunday for Montecristo. The Scalinate apartment does take bookings from three nights, with check-in on any day, all season long.
Which is the best area to stay on Elba?
It depends on your holiday: Portoferraio for town services, the east side for Capoliveri and the mining villages, the west for the coves and Monte Capanne. We chose the south, Marina di Campo: the island's longest beach, a lively village and short distances to every coast. For a one-base week it is hard to do better.
When is the best time to come, and when are the homes open?
The season runs from late April to mid-November. June and September offer warm sea and a lively village without the August crowds; July and August bring the long evenings and peak buzz. Our month-by-month guide 'When to go' has the details.
Do you need a car? Is there parking?
For daily life you don't need a car: beach, restaurants, shops and harbour are on foot from all three homes. It's recommended for exploring the rest of the island. Fornaci has a private garage and Montecristo a large private car park; Scalinate, in the historic centre, has no private parking — guests use the convenient public car park in Piazza Pertini, about five minutes' walk away.
Do the homes have air conditioning and Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi is in all three, at good speed. Air conditioning is in every room in the two villas, Fornaci and Montecristo; in the Scalinate apartment it is in the living room only, and there is no dishwasher. We'd rather say so before you book: the full list of amenities is on each home's page.
Are the homes suitable for children?
We welcome guests aged 12 and over in all three homes. For younger children, write to us on WhatsApp with their age: we assess together, case by case, before booking.
How do you get to Elba Island?
The ferry from Piombino to Portoferraio takes about an hour, with frequent departures in season (Blu Navy, Moby, Toremar); from there Marina di Campo is 12 km, roughly a twenty-minute drive. There is also Marina di Campo airport (EBA) with seasonal flights. Our guide 'Getting here' covers every option.
How does direct booking work?
Write to us via the contact form or on WhatsApp with your dates and number of guests: Giovanni replies with availability and a quote. Confirmation arrives by email, with payment instructions (bank transfer or card).
Worth reading before you choose
Tell us about your week on Elba
Send us dates and guests: we reply with availability, a quote and honest advice on which of the three Gems to choose.