Travel
When should I arrive?
We suggest arriving at least 3-5 days before the wedding (if possible) for two reasons. First, we're encouraging everyone to treat this trip as a vacation with one requirement: showing up for the wedding. The rest of your itinerary is up to your imagination. Second, you should give yourself a few days to let jet-lag subside.
Where should I stay?
We've agreed to a buyout of the Hotel Villa Ottone with fixed pricing for rooms (€ 164/ night). While we can't force you to stay anywhere, our goal is to have all international travelers in one place. Please see the Hotel section of our website for further details.
How do I get to Elba?
Getting to the Island of Elba requires taking a ferry from Piombino to Portoferraio. If you rent a car on the mainland you can drive the car onto the ferry and bring it with you to Elba. If instead you take the train to Piombino, you can walk onto the ferry at a reduced rate. Car & vespa rentals are available at the port when you arrive in Portoferraio. Taxis are also available for transportation to the hotel.
Ferry to & from Elba
The address shared above will get you to the port of Piombino. Click on "View" below to view ferry departure times and purchase tickets. To get to Elba, search for ferry tickets from Piombino to Portoferraio. For the return trip, search from Portoferraio to Piombino. Keep in mind, you do not need to purchase your tickets ahead of time, you can always purchase them at the port if you arrive ahead of time. If you are not bringing a car on board the ferry, you can purchase a ticket on board the ferry in a pinch. Moby, Toremar and BluNavy are all ferry companies that make the 1hr trip to Elba. The Toremar Aliscafo is a faster ferry that takes 35min to get to Portoferraio. You can't take your car onto the Aliscafo. This ferry makes one additional stop about 15min into the journey. Don't get off until you get to Portoferraio. This option should only be considered if there are no waves.
Train - Trenitalia
For those not renting a car, taking the train is the most cost effective route to Elba. For convenience, you may also download the Trenitalia app on ios & android. Below are the train stations you'll likely be inserting into your search when it's time to buy tickets. Rome Departing Stations: Fiumicino Aeroporto (Airport) Roma Termini (City Center) Trastevere (Roma Trastevere) Arriving Station: Piombino Marittima (Mainland Port) Florence Departing Station: Firenze S. M. Novella (City Center) Arriving Station: Piombino Marittima (Mainland Port) Pisa: Departing Station: Pisa Aeroporto (Airport) Arriving Station: Piombino Marittima (Mainland Port)
Train - Italo
Italo is Italy's high-speed rail system. It will get you to/from the largest cities in Italy in the shortest amount of time, but won't get you to Elba. Consider this time-effective train option for exploring Italy the days prior to or after the wedding. For convenience, you may also download the Italo app on ios & android.
Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
This is the largest international airport in Italy and you'll typically find lower rates compared to Pisa and Florence when flying in from the US. Direct flights are available from SFO, LAX and a handful of airports on the East coast. However, breaking up the flight with a layover in either northern Europe or the East coast would be recommended for those who might want to tackle the journey in two legs.
Florence Airport - Amerigo Vespucci (FLR)
The smallest of the three suggested airports. If you're keen on seeing Tuscany prior to the wedding, flying directly into Florence could be a good option.
Pisa Airport (PSA)
Pisa is a hub for European travel and is the closest airport to Elba - only about a 2hr 30min train ride from the airport to the ferry in Piombino. Only a 1hr 15min train to Florence. We recommend checking out flights into Pisa airport if you're interested in bouncing around Tuscany before heading to Elba.
Rental Car
If you have kids, want the freedom to get around on your own or like traveling with lots of luggage, renting a car might be for you. The majority of cars in Europe have manual transmissions. Make sure to select a car with an automatic transmission if you can't drive stick. Car & vespa rentals are available at all airports and also on Elba. Your standard license permits you to drive cars, small vans & vespas under 125cc. Bringing a car onto the ferry is common and very easy, but does cost extra. On highways, the left lane is for hauling ass & passing cars that are slower than you in the right lane. Don't go slow in the fast lane & don't pass cars on the right. You can't turn right on red lights. When entering roundabouts, look left and yield to cars already turning. When exiting roundabouts, move to the furthest right lane & use your blinker. Limited Traffic Zones (ZTL) are located in city centers of most cities. These areas are for local residents, taxis and commercial vehicles only.