Isola Del Giglio: Holiday Apartment between Coast, Nature and Culture

Isola Del Giglio reveals its character through an unusual combination of mountainous landscapes, bays, island history and living traditions. Between the sea and granite, nature observations, historical traces, festivals and culinary specialities are closely intertwined.

Nature and Coast

A mountain range stretches across the island from northwest to southeast. Its highest point is Poggio della Pagana, at 496 metres above sea level. The southwestern part of Isola del Giglio lies within the Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Toscano. Overall, the island is predominantly mountainous; its beaches are located in its bays. It consists almost entirely of granite. A small geological exception is the Promontorio del Franco, which is made up of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.

Mediterranean maquis is increasingly spreading across the terraces that were formerly cultivated as vineyards. Isola del Giglio is home to more than 700 species of plants and flowers. The island is also important for birdlife: migratory birds use it as a resting and feeding place during their long journeys, while the rare Audouin's gull is one of the resident bird species and the symbol of the park.

Campese is the largest beach on Isola del Giglio and stands out for its reddish sand. The beach is bordered by a striking rocky tower to the south and a Medici tower to the north. Campese can be reached by bus and water taxis.

Culture and History

The Museo della Mineralogia e della Geologia features exhibition areas on the formation of the island, its geological and mineralogical composition, and the extraction of iron and granite. At the Caletta del Saraceno, the walls of the Cetaria, used for moray eel farming, and parts of the Roman villa of the Domitii Enobarbi from the 1st to 2nd century AD can be seen.

Giglio Castello is a medieval village on the island surrounded by walls. The Rocca Pisana forms the highest point of Giglio Castello; from inside it, there is a 360-degree view of the sea and the Tyrrhenian coast. The Chiesa di San Pietro Apostolo houses, among other things, reliquaries of Popes Urban I and Urban VIII, sacred furnishings belonging to Pope Innocent XIII, an ivory crucifix from the 16th century attributed to Giambologna, as well as other historic works of art.

The Torre del Saraceno was built in 1596 at the instigation of Ferdinand I of Tuscany to encourage fishing families to return to the island. The MusicalGiglio festival, a festival of classical chamber music, has been held for more than ten years. Performances take place, among other locations, at the Rocca Pisana in Giglio Castello. The Museo Mineralogico is currently not open to visitors because it is being established at its permanent location in the Rocca Pisana in the village of Giglio Castello.

The island's patronal festivals include San Lorenzo in Giglio Castello on 10 August, San Rocco in Giglio Porto on 16 August and San Mamiliano in Campese on 15 September. These festivals include celebrations, processions, festivities and fireworks.

Experiences Above and Below Water

The clear waters and species-rich seabeds of Isola del Giglio are suitable for snorkelling and offer opportunities for diving. Beneath the water, there are Posidonia seagrass meadows, red and yellow gorgonians, blue sponges and rare seahorses, among other things.

On land, the island has a dense network of old paths extending for more than 60 kilometres. These paths are used for walking, trekking and cycling, with views of the sea. When crossing the island, Sentiero 1 is used; it formerly served as a link between the two villages.

Flavours and Festivals

Ansonaco is the native grape variety of Isola del Giglio. According to the traditional wine heritage handed down over the generations, its origins date back to Greek and Roman times. Ansonaco grapes are suitable for drying in the sun on granite rocks and are made into a sweet Passito wine. Traditional specialities also include Panficato, a dessert made from figs, pine nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, grape jam, orange peel, cinnamon and chocolate.

The Festa dell’Uva dell’Isola del Giglio usually takes place in September during the grape harvest. At the festival, wine and regional dishes are sampled in small, old cellars in the village.

Island Villages and Getting There

Daily ferry services operate between Porto Santo Stefano on the Argentario and Giglio Porto. The ferry crossing to Giglio Porto takes a little over an hour. For a closer look at individual island villages, Giglio Porto and Cala Spalmatoio are also available.

To the higher-level travel overview: Grosseto.

Further Destinations

Further places within the same destination:

Roccalbegna, Arcidosso, Castel Del Piano, Magliano In Toscana, Castell'azzara, Le Rocchette.