The Elba Smart Exploring is the first systematic mapping of an area, commissioned by Visit Elba – Associated Management for Tourism of the Island of Elba, to allow anyone with a smartphone to explore the outdoor routes of the island in freedom and independence. Over 200 beaches and 350 km of trails will be mapped and filmed through the innovative Camera certified by Google Ista360 and a drone system.
This will allow FOR THE ENTIRE TERRITORY to experience two profound novelties for those who love outdoors, on foot or by mountain bike:
first of all to navigate the interweaving of paths by choosing your own personalized route and being guided with simplicity using Google Maps as if to search for the tobacconist in the city.
In addition, all the outdoor offer of the Island of Elba can be explored virtually with the Street View application, in order to plan your excursions by choosing and building your own personalized routes after seeing them almost from life, comfortably seated on the sofa at home.
A new site dedicated to the project, then will contain the suggested paths according to interests or moods, to be downloaded with a clik on your phone. These suggestions will be updated continuously to meet the requests and take advantage at all times of the seasonal opportunities that the territory presents, such as the seasonal paths dedicated to blooms (those of the 16 orchids allows for example to find all 16 species of wild orchids present in the territory) or those dedicated to wild herbs, prince ingredients to give the “flavor of the island” to the traditional dishes of the territory.
The realization of the images is made by Federico Debetto, Google Street View Trusted Photographer. To this is also added that, through drones, in the first part of the project over 50 beaches of the Island of Elba were filmed and the videos will always be visible through Google Maps and Street View, for an increasingly immersive experience.
Elba’s outdoor offer is driving the development of the territory; from 2013 to 2017 the tourist arrivals on Elba have in fact increased by 18%, and most of the increase is not linked to the classic seaside tourism for which Elba is already famous, but to trekking or mountain bike enthusiasts who choose the island for the variety of routes and views, to which the sea and the coves are the unrepeatable setting. The great growth of the spread of pedal-assisted mountain biking allows even those who do not have an athlete’s physical shape to enjoy spectacular landscapes until recently reserved for a few.
And the island wants to go beyond the results achieved. “Thenovelty of the project – explains Claudio Della Lucia, head of the Associated Management for tourism on the Island of Elba – is to have used existing tools and within everyone’s reach to bring the outdoor tourist experience to a new level, experiencing exploration in freedom and independence. The territory of Elba, not surprisingly largely NATIONAL PARK has so many ideas to offer for nature lovers that it is useful a technological help to choose according to your preferences and enjoy your holiday to the fullest “. Google Maps is in fact a free application and is already used by millions of users. After the experience it is easy to share and revive your experience to others
The project is in line with a “strategy”, that of Elba Active started a few years ago, which sees the island increasingly projected towards an integrated idea of outdoor activities, healthy food and uncontaminated nature to re-find their psychophysical well-being. In the small, large island everyone can in fact create their own “style” of vacation, discover the right dimension of their active personal well-being. For the season the Island of Elba will increasingly be the open-air gym dedicated to those who are looking for a place to get in shape and get closer to physical activity, in short, find the balance between body and mind.
Elba Active is a holistic vision in an Elban key, where well-being is declined at 360 degrees. The proposal ranges from trekking at a donkey’s pace on the granite streets, to walks on the paths of orchids, essences or butterflies, to a kajak ride in search of hidden coves. You can climb to the top of Monte Capanne to enjoy from above the whole archipelago, as well as go to discover the traces of Napoleon in his residences. And again the opportunity to live an experience of Odaka Yoga on the beach inspired by the motion of the ocean and its waves.
Elba Active also means living an all-round food experience, thanks to natural products and a simple, healthy and full of flavors cuisine. In the affiliated premises will be offered 3 thematic menus that combine the classic cuisine and elban ingredients with the food needs of those who have to get in shape or the pure sportsman. The menus (remise en forme, taste without fault and energy) have been studied by the Elban chef Michele Nardi with the supervision of the nutritionist biologist Francesca Moncini.