Giglio Island, wild nature and beautiful beaches

The island of Giglio is the second largest island in the Tuscan Archipelago. Its natural beauty makes it a true paradise. Its Greek name, aegilion, means island of goats and probably comes from its steep, granite cliffs, well suited to mountain goats. The entire coastline is made of jagged palisades, broken only by the Arenella, Porto and Cannelle coves along the east coast, and by the larger beach of Campese to the northeast. Its mild climate offers visitors a wonderful stay in any season.

The emerald green waterand varied seabedteeming with fish offer visitors and scuba divers the chance to enjoy the uncontaminated waters. The island is rich in flora and fauna and the thick Mediterranean scrub is broken by terraces with olive groves, and vineyards that producean excellent white wine, called Ansonica.

 

The original settlement was probably Etruscan. In the 3rd century BC, it fell under Roman domination and became the property of the noble family Domizi Enobardi. In 805, the islands of Giglio and Giannutri were given to the Abbey of the Tre Fontane in Rome by Charlemagne. In 1269, the island passed to the Aldobrandeschi family, and then to the powerful Republic of Pisa to which it owes the Giglio Castle. It became the property of the Medici and at the beginning of the 15th century suffered terrible raids. The worst of these was lead by the Algerian pirate Redbeard, causing the exodus of the entire population. The Medici undertook the task of repopulating the island and protecting it by fortifying the Giglio Castle.

 

The period of greater safety that followed stimulated an increase in population and economic improvement.

 

Today, the population is concentrated at Giglio Porto, Giglio Castello and Campese. Giglio Porto is a delightful village lying along a cove closed between two piers and backed by a terraced hill planted in vineyards. From here, a narrow, winding road leads up to Giglio Castle, the town hall that has jurisdiction over Giannutri island as well. The town has kept its look of a fortified village, surrounded by high medieval walls and watchtowers. It is a maze of tiny streets covered by arches, dark underground passages, steep steps carved in rock, and old houses crowded on top of one another with the Castle looming above.  Campese is situated on the island’s western coast. It is in the center of a bay bordered by a wide, sandy beach, embellished by the presence of an imposing tower built at the time of Ferdinand I.

Both Giglio and the tiny, wild island of Giannutri are part of the Parco Nationale dell’Archipelago Toscano. This small island is striking for its sheer cliffs dropping off to the crystal-clear sea, the sharp scent of its aromatic herbs and the remains of an ancient patrician Roman villa.