The Legend of Innamorata
“In 1534, the coasts of Elba were sacked by Barbarossa and his Saracen pirates, but little did it matter to Lorenzo e Maria. Lorenzo arrived early on the beach in the afternoon of July, 14. From the top of the path that led to the beach, Maria’s eyes roamed in search of her lover, but she saw only a gang of men coming ashore in a boat... She watched helplessly the desperate fight that ensued; Lorenzo fought with honor, but, finally exhausted, was captured and taken prisoner. Maria ran towards the beach just in time to see the corsair sail off after having flung a moribund body into the sea. Realizing that it was the body of her lover, Maria threw herself into the sea, in a last desperate surge of love”.
It is to this ancient fishermen’s tale that the “INNAMORATA” beach owes its name. Every year, in the evening of July, 14, Maria’s love for Lorenzo is commemorated by the “Granducato Innamorata” Association in collaboration with our Villaggio.
As night begins to fall, the beach is illuminated by a thousand torch lights; the four districts of Capoliveri, Baluardo, Fortezza, Fosso and Torre parade through the streets of the village, led by nobles, headed by Count Domingo Cardenas and his wife Isabel Martorèl. The procession then moves on to the Innamorata beach, where Maria throws herself off the rocks into the waves in search of Lorenzo. Legend has it that it was here that Maria’s shawl got caught up on a rock.
To this very day the rock is called the Scoglio della Ciarpa (the Schawl Rock); and this has given rise to a challenge! The four districts compete with each other in a rowing race: the team that succeeds in seizing the Ciarpa wins, and will be allowed to choose the girl who is going to be “Maria dell’Innamorata” the following year.
When the rowing race is over and the new “Innamorata” has been elected, the festival moves to the arena of the restaurant "Lo Scialà", where music and merry-making will continue all night long.