Madonna del Monte Sanctuary

On the hills of Marciana, about 20 minutes from the Marina Garden Hotel, there are several historical buildings full of charm and mystery. The Madonna del Monte Sanctuary is one of these.
It is an ancient church, surrounded by nature, which offers a wonderful view of the sea. The place where the sanctuary is located is among the oldest places of worship on the island of Elba, but the present church was built only in the sixteenth century.
Both the interior and exterior are very bare, there are only some frescoes of the sixteenth century, including the one that gives the church its name, depicting the Madonna Assunta. What attracts tourists and hikers in this place is the particular peace that you breathe, the tranquility, the silence, the view and the fresh air of the hill.
To get to the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Monte on foot you have to take a suggestive path through the Mediterranean scrub. It is a simple and original excursion, suitable for the whole family. Along the way is organized the local Via Crucis so you meet several religious tabernacles ideal places to stop and appreciate the surrounding nature. The trail is also littered with particular rock blocks shaped by the wind in truly bizarre forms of humans and animals.
For example you can admire the “Eagle”, the “Crocodile”, the “Condor”, the “Horse”, the “Giant”.
The Madonna del Monte Sanctuary hosted among others St. Paul of the Cross, in 1735, and Napoleon. In 1814, during his exile on the island, Bonaparte used this discreet and quiet place to meet his lover Maria Walewska and his son Alexandre.