The Great Elba Crossing, the most popular itinerary in the Elba hiking network
The Grande Traversata Elbana (Great Elba Crossing), or GTE, is the most significant route in Elba’s hiking network. It’s a ridge that connects most of Elba’s trails, allowing you to observe the island’s incredible geological, vegetational, and morphological diversity.
GTE NORTH and GTE SOUTH
The trail, classified as level E (hiking), forks near Monte Capanne. Two routes are thus identified. Following the GTE trail first and then the GTE NORD, you can travel 55 km from Cavo to Patresi in just over 24 hours. If, after following the GTE, you take the GTE SUD, you reach Pomonte, covering 47 km in 19 hours and 30 minutes.
GTE route to be completed in 4 stages
Except for athletes, the route must be completed in stages. Four stages are recommended. In this case, approximately 8 km of connecting routes with towns, arrivals, and departures for the various stages must be added to the length of the GTE mentioned above. The first three stages are common to both versions of the GTE. Stage 4 differs based on the final destination: Stage 4A uses the GTE NORTH trail and leads to Patresi, while Stage 4B passes through the GTE SOUTH and arrives in Pomonte.
Great Elba Crossing from Cavo to Porto Azzurro
Stage 1: Cavo – Porto Azzurro | Length: 17.75 km | Average travel time: 8 hours and 5 minutes
The trail begins at Cavo from the Faleria ring road. After about 700 meters, you reach the crossroads where the short road to the Tonietti Mausoleum and trail no. 260 begin. The trail then slowly climbs to the 344-meter peak of scenic Monte Grosso, where a traffic light station was built during World War II, now used as a residential building.
The Volterraio Castle watches over Portoferraio
From here, the descent continues until it reaches provincial road no. 33 of Parata. The road runs along the Fosso del Vignolo with a pleasant, shaded up and down, and further on crosses the road to Nisporto at the Aia di Cacio saddle, where paths no. 201 and 202 originate. With a short detour from the itinerary, you can take the asphalt road towards Rio Elba to visit the Orto dei Semplici Elbano, which can be accessed via path no. 203. After crossing the road, the GTE continues steeply, the walking surface becomes stony, passes by Monte Strega (426 m) and Monte Capannello (405 m), until it reaches Le Panche (326 m) where the view extends over Western Elba with the Volterraio Castle and the Gulf of Portoferraio in the foreground.
At Le Panche, the trail crosses provincial road no. 32 of Volterraio, climbing up the ridge to Cima del Monte (515 m). This section offers panoramic views, with views of both coastlines on either side of the watershed. Shortly after, the path intersects trail no. 205, rated EE (expert hikers), which leads to the evocative Sanctuary of the Madonna di Monserrato. From here, after about 1200 m, trail no. 210, winding through the vineyards, reaches Porto Azzurro in 30 minutes.
Great Elba Crossing from Porto Azzurro to Procchio
Stage 2: Porto Azzurro – Procchio | Length: 20.56 km | Average travel time: 6 hours 55 minutes
The second stage features a wide surface with less challenging elevation changes than the other stages. The route traverses the central hinterland, and the direction of travel changes from the previous stage, heading west.
After traveling just over 3 km from the junction with trail no. 210, cross provincial road no. 26 and then climb near Monte Orello (376 m), a panoramic point reachable with a short detour. The path then skirts the Colle Reciso quarry, joins a paved road for 200 m, where it junctions with trail no. 266, which continues towards Portoferraio, and joins a wide former military road immersed in lush Mediterranean scrub. We suggest taking a short 50m detour to visit what remains of the old San Martino Windmill (if you’re not careful you might graze it without noticing) and the beautiful view over the Gulf of Lacona.
The route, remaining at the same altitude, then intersects trail no. 221 to the Napoleonic Villa of San Martino and, 1,500 meters away, the two ends of the short trail no. 214. The second intersection with trail no. 214 coincides with a crossroads. From here, the trail descends and overlaps trail no. 248 for about 500 meters, until it reaches the junction with trail no. 244, which runs parallel to it and, like the GTE, reaches Colle di Procchio, located in the immediate vicinity of the village of the same name.
Great Elba Crossing from Procchio to Poggio
Stage 3: Procchio – Poggio | Length: 11.84 km | Average travel time: 5 hours
The trail climbs from Provincial Road no. 25 to Monte Castello (226 m), where you can admire the view of the Gulf of Campo, the ruins of an important Etruscan fortress hidden among the vegetation, and a military post from the Second World War. Before joining a dirt road, the path passes through an area where the vegetation grows above the path, forming a “tunnel.” A short distance away is the intersection with path no. 180 for Poggio and, after about 500 m, with path no. 121 for Sant’Ilario.
The islands of Capraia, Montecristo, and Giglio along the GTE – Eastern Elba
From here the GTE leaves the dirt road and climbs up to Monte Perone (630 m) where the path for the blind n. 122 is located, after having crossed paths n. 117 and 169. It is about 1700 m of ascent with a difference in altitude of about 400 m. After crossing the provincial road n. 37 of Perone the route joins the Butterfly Sanctuary, with which it coincides for about 2 km. In this section there is the junction with path n. 107 for San Piero and with path n. 100, of EEA level (expert equipped hikers), as well as the panoramic point of Monte Maolo (749 m), where the gaze can wander to the north-western coast of Elba and the island of Capraia to the north, to the south to the Gulf of Campo and the islands of Montecristo and Giglio to the east over eastern Elba.
About 1,500 meters from Monte Maolo, the GTE reaches the foothills of Monte Capanne (the highest peak on Elba Island), where it forks into two branches: one leads to Patresi, the other to Pomonte. To reach the destination of the third stage, follow the Patresi branch for about 1,300 meters until you reach path no. 105, which descends steeply to Poggio. In total, excluding the connecting paths to Porto Azzurro, Procchio, and Poggio, the GTE is about 42 km long and takes about 16 hours to complete.
Great Elba Crossing from Poggio to Patresi
Stage 4 A: Poggio – Patresi | Length: 16.28 km | Average travel time: 8 hours 10 minutes
You must retrace your steps to the junction between the GTE NORD and trail no. 105. From here, Patresi is 16 km away, which takes about 8 hours. The trail heads west, maintaining an altitude of around 600–700 m, until it intersects with trail no. 110, where it turns left into a steep climb, scaling the western slopes of Monte Capanne. At the end of the climb, which features several hairpin bends called “zete” at the end, you reach an altitude of 921 m, at the junction with trail no. 100, the only trail on the island classified as EEA (for expert hikers with equipment).
The trail descends to the locality of La Terra (582 m), where some believe the medieval village of Pedemonte was located. From here, after about 1,500 m, in the upper part of the Chiessi Valley, after passing the turnoff for the ruins of the Romanesque church of San Frediano, you reach the junction with trail no. 125. The trail then heads back towards the northern slope of the Monte Capanne massif, following a nearly circular path, until Serra Ventosa, where it begins the descent to Patresi.
Great Elba Crossing from Poggio to Pomonte
Stage 4 B: Poggio – Pomonte | Length: 9.26 km | Average travel time: 4 hours 40 minutes
You’ll need to retrace your steps along trail no. 105 and, for a short stretch, the GTE NORD, then continue along the GTE SUD for about 7 km, which takes about 3 hours to complete. The trail heads southwest, following the spectacular ridge that divides the wide Pomonte Valley from Vallebuia, where mouflons are often encountered.
The panoramic location was exploited by ancient peoples. Relics from Bronze Age settlements have been found in the area. Near Colle della Grottaccia (645 m) and Monte Orlano (549 m), there are also some goat huts, evidence of more recent human settlements dedicated to pastoralism. Among the hills that characterize the ups and downs of the route are Le Mure (629 m) and Monte Cenno (589 m). Near Colle della Grotta, trail no. 109 begins, which heads into the valley, trail no. 130 towards San Piero, and trail no. 108, which descends into the Vallebuia to the coast at Seccheto.
At Monte Cenno you cross the short path no. 135 A which connects the GTE SUD to path no. 135. Our route, after passing the goat farm located a short distance from Monte Orlano, takes a narrow path between magnificent terraces that quickly leads to a second intersection with path no. 109. From here, in a few minutes’ walk through beautiful vineyards you reach Pomonte.