PARCOURS DE VTT AUTOUR DU MONTE CALAMITA

Saddle up! The south-eastern peninsula of the island of Elba offers a superb playground for mountain bikers, as well as a remarkable diversity of landscapes. Several unpaved and maintained trails lead from Capoliveri to Mount Calamita. Between splendid sea views and wooded passages, this promontory has many well-marked trails, with routes suitable for all levels.

The Mediterranean vegetation is slowly reclaiming this former mining area. In addition to the flora, you can also see partridges, hares, but above all many gulls, whose name has inspired part of the southern coast, the "Costa dei Gabbiani".

Route A: Calamita. This complete tour of the Calamita promontory offers an exceptional contrast between the blue sea and the red rock. Departure from Piazza del Cavatore, in Capoliveri, then take the old road leading to the mines.

Length: 19 km - Difficulty: easy - Difference in height: 800 m - Maximum slope: 25%.

Route B: Mines. An immersion in the old mining area, with extraordinary views of Punta Calamita, the island of Montecristo and Corsica

Length: 17 km - Difficulty: medium - Difference in height: 851 m - Maximum slope: 25 %.

Route C: East coast. This route runs along the eastern slope of Mount Calamita, with a view of the Tuscan coast of the Maremma and the Argentario promontory. In the spring, a real enchantment of colours invades the landscape; the intense yellow of the wild mimosas mixes with the blues of the sky and the sea

Length: 17 km - Difficulty: medium - Difference in height: 899 m - Maximum slope: 26%.

Course D: World Cup. For thrill-seekers, the more sporty or experienced mountain bikers, this course was created for the Mountain Bike World Cup which took place on the island of Elba in 1994. The legendary mountain bike champion, Ned Overend, ranked this route among the three most fascinating races of his career!

Length: 10 km - Difficulty: demanding - Difference in height: 611 m - Maximum slope: 35%.

Course E: Capoliveri Legend Cup. Born in 2010, this competition has allowed the island of Elba to impose itself at a high level in the sport discipline of mountain b iking. This itinerary covers a large part of the Calamita promontory and takes tricky or difficult sections. An extraordinary route!

Length: 41 km - Difficulty: extreme - Difference in height: 1,936 m - Maximum slope: 24%.