The Island of Capraia, located in the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea, is one of the seven islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, in particular, after Gorgona, it is the island more at north of this group of islands. Located at 43°2' North latitude and 9°50' East longitude to Greenwich. It is located between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ligurian Sea and is 64 km from Livorno, 55 km from the promontory of Piombino, 42 km from Portoferraio and therefore from the island of Elba, 37 km from Gorgona and 31 km from Capo Corso, therefore, from Corsica.

About 50.000 years ago, the Island of Capraia, as the other islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, was connected to the mainland until the melting of ice raised the sea level. The Greeks were the first to visit it during their maritime traffics and named it Aegylon (the island of goats).

The Phoenicians, Etruscans and Romans appeared on the island in the following periods creating the first human settlements. Many historic objects of these settlements are collected in the Tower of the port of Capraia. It became part of the Roman Empire in 174 BC, when Serrano Attilio subdued Corsica to Rome.

However, for several years, Capraia, together with all the Tuscan Archipelago, was not a safe harbour for the Roman fleet and the true masters were the pirates. This occurred until 67 BC, the year in which Gnaeus Pompeius won the battle against the pirates and the entire Tuscan Archipelago became Roman. Since then it became an important stop on the trade and military routes. In fact, houses and villages were built in the area where the port is today, while in the more inner areas of islands military and commercial stations were built.

Docking on the island was located in the bay that today is called "Porto Vecchio". The Romans established it close to "Il Piano", where today the town rises.