Tuscan Archipelago
Isle of Elba
The Isola of Elba is the largest land remnant of the ancient connection between the Italian peninsula and Corsica, followed by the other islands of the Tuscan Archipelago.
Situated between the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea, about 10 kilometer from the coast, Elba is the largest island in the Tuscan Archipelago, and the third largest in Italy. Elba, along with the other islands of the archipelago (Pianosa, Capraia, Gorgona, Montecristo, Giglio and Giannutri) forms part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park.
The main characteristics of the Isle of Elba are its indented coasts, small beaches and crystal waters, making it a favorite for summer seaside vacations.
While mainly visited by Italians living in nearby regions, Lazio, Tuscany, and Liguria, Elba is also a destination for a discriminating international public that appreciates its tranquility and incredibly beautiful landscape.
Not an outstanding luxury destination, Elba does, however, possess a series of particularly prestigious luxury hotels and the possibility of mooring super-yachts in the roads that are more and more visited by yacht lovers looking for places off the beaten track.
Its nearness to Tuscany, Corsica, the French Riviera and Sardinia make the Isle of Elba an exceptional place for lovers of the sea and sea trips.
Rich in iron ore, the Isle of Elba made possible the rise of the Etruscan civilization and subsequent military success of Rome, whose soldiers made use of the iron-pointed javelin, a weapon possible only with much availability of metal.
Napoleon Bonaparte also lived there and fell in love with the splendid island; testimony are some villas and historic residences.
Luxury hotels and yacht charters can make a vacation on the Isle of Elba an unforgettable experience.
Isola del Giglio
An exceptional island, with limpid waters, white sandy beaches, small bays hiding little bits of paradise, tiny fishing villages, fabulous mooring roads, historic village centers, a pirate legacy….all these, and much more, make up Isola del Giglio.
For lovers of special islands out of the ordinary, Isola del Giglio is the ideal place to stay and enjoy the infinite vistas that this pearl of the Tuscan Archipelago can offer.
Isle of Montecristo
This is the most isolated and wildest Tuscan island. It was first settled by the Etruscans, but the history of Montecristo really started with the foundation of the monastery of San Mamiliano and a hermitage erected above a marine grotto.
Various times “visited” by the Saracens, who destroyed the monastery that never recovered, the island was purchased from the Italian government in 1869 by an Englishman who then decided to dispose of it as being easy prey to marauders from the coast. Following various changes of ownership, the island became a natural preserve in 1971.
The island was the home of several important parts of the celebrated novel (and source of many films) The Count of Montecristo, in particular with the protagonist finding the legendary treasure of the Spada family, using it to effect his formidable vendetta. The treasure figuring in the novel was a preexisting legend linked to a hypothetical treasure that the monks had hidden before the destruction of the monastery by the Saracens.
Capraia / Pianosa / Gorgona / Giannutri are the other islands making up the Tuscan Archipelago, each with its own attributes that are worth discovering, including historical monuments or views that merit, where possible, a detailed visit.
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