It’s too easy to say that Giglio Island is one of Tuscany’s treasures hidden in the Tyrrhenian sea, with wonderful beaches and crystal clear water! What is harder to understand is how peaceful and relaxing it is to spend a vacation there until you don’t step on the island.
The island of Giglio is almost “pollution free” thanks to its “no cars” policy. From August 1st to August 26th 2011 tourists’ cars ARE NOT allowed. You can bring your car only if:
- you can prove that you’re going to stay on the island for more than 5 days
- you have a camper/caravan/roulotte and you can prove that your’re going to stay at the island’s camping
- you are not Italian, so you’re a foreigner and you’ve travelled to the island of Giglio from far far away 
What to see and to do in the Isola del Giglio
The island of Giglio is 11 miles far from the Argentario cape, on the Tuscan coast, it’s 21 square kilometres, has a mild climate and a wonderful sea all around, a paradise for scuba divers and those who enjoy snorkeling or simply swimming.
The largest part of the island is wild and covered by woods, in which animals and rare species of plants live peacefully. It is one of the places in the Mediterranean sea in which the wildlife and beaches are best preserved.
You’ll get lost in a magnificent whirl of fragrances, unforgettable sunsets, colors, tasty dishes, small villages and stunning beaches!
The best scuba diving spots in Giglio Island are:
- secca i Pignocchi,
- i Tralicci,
- punta delle Secche,
- punta del Fenaio,
- cala Monella,
- Punta del Morto,
- secca della Croce,
- cala Cupa,
- le Scole,
- secca Zampa di Gatto,
- scoglio di Pietrabona,
- cala del Corvo,
- punta del Capel Rosso,
- cala dell’Allume (see Isola del Giglio’s contacts at the bottom of the article to ask for detailed information about how to reach these diving paradises!)
Giglio Porto:
Giglio Porto (Giglio’s harbour) is settled on the east side of the Island: you’ll arrive there with the ferry from Porto Santo Stefano. Its origins are ancient, since there are traces of the previous, old Roman port.
Nowadays the port of the Giglio isle is a small, coloured village facing the sea, with two lighthouses and the old Saracen tower (“Torre del Saraceno”). It’s the heart of the island, especially during the summer, when all shops, bars and restaurants are open untill late at night. In Giglio Porto you can find all the main services, such as banks, the post office, the pharmacy, motorcycles/cars/bikes or boat rental and a doctor.
From the island’s harbour, some of the Giglio’s best beaches are easily reachable: Cannelle, Caldane and Arenella.
Giglio Castello:
Giglio Castle is maybe the best Italian medieval “borgo”, a fascinating village with massive towering city walls upon which it’s possible to walk as the ancient soldiers did. Get lost through its narrow streets, enter the old churches’ doors and surprise yourself watching the view from the scenic overlooks: if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to see the islands of Giannutri, Elba and Corsica.
You can’t leave Giglio Castello without having tasted Panficato, a medieval sweet that you can find only on this isle!
Giglio campese:
Giglio Campese is 5 kilometers far from Giglio Castello. The town is settled on the west coast of the island and it faces the homonym small bay (Golfo di Campese), with its huge sea stack and the Campese Tower. This village isn’t as old as the harbour, but it’s quite new: it’s most ancient building (the sighting tower) dates back to the XVIII century (1700s).
Campese owns a lot of touristic accommodation, such as a residence, hotels and private houses to rent, moreover there’s an amazing beach with tiny pebbles and a sea that will leave you speechless. The sun sets just in front of Campese’s beach and the sight is amazing: try to imagine the sun going down the horizon behind the sea stack, WOW! 
How to get to Isola del Giglio:
There are two ferry companies that drive you from Porto Santo Stefano to Giglio Porto, here’s their contacts:
Toremar
Porto St. Stefano’s office tel.: +39 0564 810803
Giglio Porto’s office tel.: +39 0564 809349
Timetable: www.toremar.it
Maregiglio
Porto St. Stefano’s office tel.: +39 0564 812920
Giglio Porto’s office tel.: +39 0564 809309
Timetable: www.maregiglio.it
Contacts:
A
ssociazione Pro Loco Isola del Giglio e Giannutri
Responsible Person: Giovanni Bancalà
Where: Via Provinciale, 9 – 58012 Giglio Porto, Isola del Giglio (Grosseto) Italy
Tel.: +39 0564 809400
Fax: +39 0564 808721
When: from Monday to Sunday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m./3 p.m.-7 p.m.
E-mail info@isoladelgiglio.it
Website: http://www.isoladelgiglio.it/
