Situated on an isolated high plain about one kilometer from Porto Azzurro on Elba Island, the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Monserrato was built in 1606 by the Spanish governor Pons y Léon for the cult of the Black Madonna, which in Spain was verated in the Sanctuary of Montserrat.

Upon the death of Pons y Léon, the monastery was left to the monks from the Convent of Sant’Agostino in Piombino, who never abandoned it despite historical episodes on the island over the centuries; indeed, even in the late 19th century, the sanctuary was still being used as a hermitage.

Porto Azzurro celebrates the Virgin Mary on September 8, in one of the most beloved events of the year, perhaps even more than the festival for the town’s patron saint St. James on July 25. Fireworks are set off during the festivities, lighting up the bay in spectacular fashion.