View of Capoliveri and the Coast

Capoliveri is one of the oldest settlements on the island of Elba, born in the Etruscan-Roman period with the function of a fortress, due to its strategic position on the sea and the surrounding area, useful for defense against pirate raids. In the course of its intense history, Capoliveri has passed through various dominations: from the Greeks to the Romans, from the Pisans to the Spaniards, from the Medici to Napoleon, separating from Porto Azzurro (at that time called Portolongone) in 1906 and thus becoming an independent municipality. Of its past, Capoliveri preserves important testimonies, such as the Pieve di San Michele and the medieval architecture of the historic center, the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria Assunta, patron saint of the town, the seventeenth-century Forte Focardo, of Spanish origin, or the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, near the homonymous beach. The name, Capoliveri, derives from Caput Liberum, from the Latin "Capo Libero", both because it is distanced from the other countries, and because of the proud and stubborn character of its inhabitants. Liberum, however, was also another name of the god Bacchus, referring to vineyards and viticulture, which in this area was well underway since the Romans.
In fact, Capoliveri is also the land of good wine: between the end of September and the beginning of October, the Elban autumn opens with the "Grape Festival", an event that attracts thousands of visitors every year.

To visit .. to get to the village you have to make a climb of a couple of miles not too difficult and from the town square you can enjoy a great view. From the beginning of the country a first paved road then gravel that leads to Monte Calamita and to the mines and on the paths where the MTB marathon takes place so if you have the mtb with you you cannot miss these paths

Known in Roman times as Caput Liberum, Capoliveri is today a quiet village with an ancient urban fabric, which from the top of the hill on which it stands offers unique views of the sea, the coast of Elba and the other islands of the Tuscan Archipelago. Capoliveri is a place for shopping and entertainment. Here delicious restaurants, trendy boutiques and different events every day together with the naturalistic context constitute an important attraction for Italian and foreign visitors who are increasingly fascinated by this timeless place.