[5] The city remained attached to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany until the late 18th century, when, due to its strategic position, it came into contention with France, Great Britain, and Austria.

Here brigand Carmine Crocco was imprisoned until his death for his revolution against the reign of Victor Emmanuel II and the anarchist Giovanni Passannante who attempted to kill King Umberto I.

In late June 1944, an Allied force composed mainly of Free French troops liberated the island in a fight that lasted two days.

Portoferraio's economy suffered from the end of mining activities starting from the 1970s, but in the following decades, it gained status as an internationally renowned seaside destination.

The first Jews arrived in Portoferraio at the beginning of the 17th century following the publication of the edict of 1556 in which Cosimo I de' Medici granted special privileges to all those who settled in Cosmopoli.

In 1593, Ferdinando I de' Medici issued letters patent, called La Livornina, by which more privileges were granted to foreign merchants, Jews in particular, who were willing to settle in the new free ports on Elba and in Leghorn.

Alfonso Preziosi, in his book, cited above, wrote “generally, the Jews found the island of Elba to be an oasis of peace thanks to the privileges granted by the Medici and the Lorraine which allowed them to develop their trade with Eastern ports.” [11] On January 27, 2023, the mayor of Portoferraio attended on the occasion of Remembrance Day the installation of two historical-informative panels on the surrounding wall of the cemetery and in via Elbano Gasperi where the Ghetto was located in memory of the presence of the Jews.

Main points of interest include: The lighthouse stands on the northern rampart of Forte Stella built in 1548 by Cosimo I de' Medici.

The lighthouse is fully automated, operated by Marina Militare and identified by the code number 2072 E.F.; the lantern is 63 metres above sea level and emits a group of three white lightning strikes in a 14-second period visible up to 16 nautical miles (roughly 30 km).