Tuscan Archipelago Attractions Arcipélago Toscano
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SituationThe Arcipélago Toscano consists of seven islands lying off the coast of Tuscany in the Tyrrhenian Sea, which is bounded by the Italian mainland in the east and the French island of Corsica in the west.
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Giglio
SituationThe island of Giglio (island of the Lily) lies 15km/9mi west of Monte Argentario in the Tyrrhenian Sea.AccessCar ferry service from Porto Santo Stéfano.The islandThe hilly island of Giglio is the largest in the Arcipélago Toscano (Tuscan Archipelago) after Elba. Its highest point is the Poggio della Pagana (494m/1,634ft). The coasts are mainly steep and rocky, inaccessible from the landward side; only in the east and northwest are there a few sandy beaches. There are three villages on the island, which is mainly agricultural (vines, olives): Giglio Porto (with the ferry harbor), Giglio Castello (the administrative center) and Giglio Campese.
Giglio Porto
Giglio Porto lies in a bay on the east coast. Higher up, the holiday village of La Ginestra has been developed. To the south are the beaches of Cala delle Canelle and Cala degli Álberi.
Giglio Castello
The chief place of the island, Giglio Castello, lies inland at a height of some 400m/1,300ft. It has largely preserved its picturesque old-world aspect, with its circuit of walls and winding lanes. Over it looms a medieval castle, the Rocca.
Giglio Campese
Giglio Campese, on the northwest coast of Giglio, looks out on to a beautiful bay with the longest sandy beach on the island. It has some facilities for visitors (holiday village, camping site).
Capraia (Isola di Capraia)
SituationThe island of Capraia, in the Arcipélago Toscano (Tuscan Archipelago), lies some 50km/30mi west of Populonia in the Tyrrhenian Sea.AccessThere are boat services from Livorno and from Elba (Portoferraio); the crossing takes from two to three hours. Cars are not carried.The islandCapraia, known to the Romans as Capraria (Goat Island), is of volcanic origin. Its highest point is Monte Castello (447m/1,467ft). Capraia was already populated in ancient times, and during the Middle Ages its possession was contested by Saracens, the Pisans and the Genoese. The most notable building on the island is a Genoese stronghold, the Fortezza di San Giorgio (15th century). The coasts are predominantly rocky, with a number of sea-caves, offering great attractions for subaqua enthusiasts. A motor-boat trip round the island of about 30km/20mi is a very rewarding experience.
Montecristo, Italy
SituationThe little island of Montecristo lies in the Tyrrhenian Sea 40km/25mi south of Elba and 45km/28mi west of Giglio.AccessMotor boat from Porto Santo Stefano or from Piombino. The island Montecristo, one of the islands in the Arcipélago Toscano, is almost exactly circular in form, rising to its highest point in Monte Fortezza (645m/2116ft). Surrounded by a jagged rocky coast, this granite island is almost inaccessible. The only settlement is La Villa, on the west coast. The island is a nature reserve, and can be visited only with a permit from the authorities. 10km/6mi west of Montecristo lies the rocky islet known as the Fórmica di Montecristo, with a lighthouse.
Giannutri
SituationThe island of Giannutri lies 10km/6mi south of Monte Argentario in the Tyrrhenian Sea.AccessBoat services from Porto Santo Stéfano.The islandGiannutri is the most southerly island in the Arcipélago Toscano (Tuscan Archipelago). It reaches its highest point in Capel Rosso (88m/289ft). The coast is mainly rocky, with short stretches of sandy beach only in the northwest and northeast; it will appeal more, therefore, to skin-divers than to bathers. There are remains of a Roman villa of the first century A.D. on the island.
Pianosa
SituationThe little island of Pianosa lies in the Tyrrhenian Sea some 15km/9 mi southwest of Elba and 70km/43 mi west of the coast of Tuscany.AccessBoat services from Livorno and Elba.The islandAs its name implies, Pianosa is relatively flat, nowhere rising more than 27m/89ft above sea- level. The island is built up from Muschelkalk formations and Quaternary deposits; much of it is devoted to agriculture (corn). There is a penal establishment on the island, which can be visited only with a special permit from the Ministry of the Interior.
Gorgona
SituationThe little island of Gorgona lies in the Ligurian Sea 35km/22mi from the port of Livorno in northern TuscanyAccessBoat service from Livorno and from Elba.The islandThe sparsely populated island of Gorgona is the most northerly in the Arcipélago Toscano (Tuscan Archipelago). There is a penal establishment on the island, and it can, therefore, be visited only with the permission of the Italian Ministry of Justice.
