Exiled to Elba: Only Four Days

When each and every bicycle trip comes to an end, my sentiments are bittersweet. 

At that point in time, I am feeling strong and at one with my bike, the hills all seem feasible and I am confident enough to experience the thrill of the downhill speeds without sitting on my brakes. In short, I am enjoying myself, I am feeling athletic and I don’t want it all to end. On the other hand, I am tired of wearing the same clothes day after day, of being sweaty and disheveled most of the time and I am badly in need of a haircut, a pedicure and some “girlie pampering”.

Luckily, that is what we plan for the last few days of a trip: a fancy resort, preferably with a beach, where we can relax and be lazy. No biking, no sight-seeing, no work of any kind. We come to a complete stop and just enjoy.

We finished this trip on the island of Elba at the wonderful five star resort, The Hermitage, which is in the infinitesimally small community of Biodola. We were only there for four wonderful days and we could have stayed much longer.

Our arrival day was an easy 50 kilometres, downhill from the hilltop town of Massa Marittima, across the valley to the sea-side and along the coast to Piombino, where we caught the ferry. We left our lodgings at 6:30 in the morning so that we could make a morning ferry which we did easily.  We arrived in Elba by 11:00 am, just in time for a wander around the ancient port town of Portoferraio, a coffee at the harbor and a little later, lunch in the pedestrian square. 

 

Then it was time for the last effort of our bike trip; six kilometres up a curvy, busy road to the ridge and then straight down a steep, tiny road to the Bay of Biodola. 

The long entrance to our hotel was lined with lush flowers, affording peek-a-boo views of the many tennis courts with matches in session. We rode our bikes up to a grand loggia where we were greeted warmly, as if we had just emerged from the Rolls: coiffed, dressed and fresh, rather than as two rather tatty visitors on bikes.











The view from our balcony overlooked the beach and the bay and was a constant source of delight, no matter what the time of day. We had chosen the right place.
There was so much to enjoy.

The food was wonderful and we soon established our own little routine with a substantial buffet breakfast on the large front deck, a little beach time on the lounge chairs lined up on the white sand beach, a little swimming in the marvelously salty sea water, a light lunch on our balcony, a rest time, more beach time followed by a walk. We enjoyed dressing for dinner, although my choices were limited. We started with our ritual Prosecco and nibblies on the deck before going in for dinner at our window table with a view.

   

I love the routines of these grand European hotels. It is always the same table for dinner, the same deck chairs at the beach, the waiter who remembers what you want, and the impeccable service at every turn.

  Unfortunately, we never found time for the pools, the swim up bar, the tennis or the luncheon buffet; but I did fit in a haircut at the salon and a pedicure at the spa, both of which made me feel a whole lot better about being around the gorgeous and well-dressed female clientele at the hotel.

So, yes, Napolean was exiled to Elba for less than a year, but it was no great hardship for him.

 On one cloudy morning we took the bus in to Portoferraio and did a bit of a tour of the fort, the tiny cobbled streets running up the hill and the villa where Napolean stayed. Right on the cliff, he had an unobstructed view of the sea and walled battlements up to the light house where he could walk, a garden to sit in and plenty of rooms to entertain his guests, write his thoughts and plan his next strategy. It was an interesting morning but we were anxious to get back to our lovely resort, especially as the sun had now come out.

The Hotel Hermitage Elba is truly a place to linger and to enjoy. It was a fitting celebratory end to a lovely Italian bike trip.