It will not be difficult for you to notice the proverbial lushness of Elba's marine flora and fauna. It will surprise you, every time you dive into the turquoise water of our beaches or when you venture into the enchanting seabed of the island. Little is needed in this magical place to feel in full contact with nature.

Staying close to the shore. All you have to do is simply stick your feet in the water: sharply, beyond the transparency of the sea, you can already see the first small fish. Slip on your mask and enjoy the spectacle: you can see prairies of posidonia, yellow and orange sponges, umbrella seaweed, rock mullet and shoals of castanets (small fish) as far as the eye can see. And octopuses, wiggling sinuously from their burrows, seahorses and turbot, hiding in the sand. And that's only at first glance.

Push out to sea, and dive into the blue. Dive into waters a little deeper, even just a few dozen meters from shore, and you will be greeted by large shoals of bream and bream-eye, snapper and croaker, moving sinuously around you. With any luck, you will cross paths with large groupers just as they come out of their crevices (the burrows) and schools of barracuda and amberjack, swimming sped right ahead of you. You will make the acquaintance of eagle rays, intent on riding the tides in formation, and sunfish, striding along with their classic looseness, while below you, the seabed is alive with the colors of gorgonians, lobsters and scorpionfish.

Surround yourself by the silence of a sailboat. Move away from the shores, where the water gets darker, and rapid dorsal fin silhouettes will emerge from the waves: you may spot bottlenose dolphins, stenellas or even the great whales. The lucky ones, will have the opportunity to glimpse the tail of a sperm whale, a priceless thrill. You will be astounded by the leaps of the swordfish in love and the speed of the turtles, and, paying close attention, you will admire the Mediterranean manta ray swimming in all its grace and elegance.

Among the seven islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, 60,000 hectares of marine territory have fallen under the protection of the National Park since 1996. Since '91, the waters between lower Tuscany, Liguria, Corsica and the Principality of Monaco have constituted the Pelagos, known as the "Cetacean Sanctuary," a testament to the priceless natural heritage that lives beneath the rippling surface of this great stretch of sea.

To find out more, contact your nearest Diving Center: guides organize from meetings on marine biology, to workshops for the little ones, to actual courses in recognition and research. Elba's experienced operators will be able to direct you to the most suitable sites for snorkeling and diving.