The Hermitage of Santa Caterina stands along the road between Rio nell’Elba and Nisporto, surrounded by fragrant Mediterranean vegetation. The current building dates back to the 17th century, though it was likely erected over an earlier sacred site. Its simple façade with a broken pediment, the single nave, and the small pyramidal bell tower reflect the humble charm of the place.
The hermitage is deeply connected to local devotion and seafaring traditions. Every Easter Monday, the community of Rio celebrates the Festa della Sportella, an ancient lovers’ pastry symbolizing spring and renewal, rooted in pre-Christian customs.
After its abandonment in the 19th century, the site fell into decay and was the target of several thefts. In the 1980s, writer and photographer Hans Georg Berger revived the hermitage, turning it into an active centre for artistic and scientific creation. Since the 1990s, it has also hosted the Orto dei Semplici Elbano, a botanical garden dedicated to the plants of the Tuscan Archipelago and their ethnobotanical traditions.
Today, Santa Caterina is a place where spirituality, nature and culture come together, preserving the memory, legends and identity of eastern Elba.
Dove si trova: L’Eremo di Santa Caterina si trova lungo la strada che collega Rio nell’Elba a Nisporto.
