☰Torre del Campo

The round watchtower at the western end of the harbour is the oldest structure in town. The Pisans built it in the sixteenth century as part of the island's coastal defence system against Barbary pirate raids — a network of signal towers that stretched around Elba so that smoke fires could carry warnings faster than ships could travel. The tower is not open inside but is worth a look from the harbour as you arrive; its compact, solid profile says a great deal about how seriously the islanders once took the threat from the sea.