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Island of Elba Tuscan Archipelago
The Tuscan Archipelago is an area of great natural and environmental importance and that is why it is protected since 1996 by the homonymous park, both on land and sea. Many factors that have favored endemism and unique habitat are today protected by UNESCO, such as the isolation of the islands over the centuries, the peculiar geographical location, the geological conformation, representing a rare heritage for Italy.
The Tuscan Archipelago, is lapped by four seas: Ligurian Sea at North, Tyrrhenian Sea down South, Corsica Channel to the West and Piombino Channel at East, where the two natural channels work as a link between the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Sea.
Located in front of the Tuscan coast, The Tuscan Archipelago includes seven main islands, which are the island of Elba, the widest one followed by the 6 smaller islands: Montecristo, Pianosa, Capraia, Giglio, Giannutri and Gorgona.
The Tuscan Archipelago has an extension of 56,766 hectares of sea and 17,887 hectares of land, and it consists of 12 islands, with 7 main ones. The archipelago includes also some smaller islets and rocks as Formiche della Zanca, Ogliera out of Pomonte, Scoglio della Triglia off Marina di Campo Gulf, Corbella Island, Gemini Islands, Ortano Isle, Topi Isle and Portoferraio’s Scoglietto off the Ghiaie beach; the islets Cappa in Giglio; La Scarpa and La Scola in Pianosa; La Peraiola in Capraia; Lo Scoglio d’Africa in Montecristo; Palmaiola and Cerboli in the channel of Piombino.
As the legend tells, this seven main islands, are like seven emerged pearls, lost from the necklace of Venus, when she was swimming in the clear Mediterranean Sea. About 80 miles (150 km) separate the island of Gorgona, the northernmost and the smallest one, from the southernmost Giannutri. In between there are Capraia, Elba, Pianosa, Montecristo and Giglio.
The shape and landscape of each island, influenced by ancient geological history, are different from each other and unique, rich of lithological and mineralogical peculiarities. Climate and geological factors have determined the presence of endemic fauna and flora, grown only in the Park and few other areas in the World.
The main aspect among the seven major islands is the sea which is today a channel for many pleasure boats, ferries, fishing boats and cruise ships. The sea is still the same, with its calm and its sudden storms, capricious and unpredictable as only the Mediterranean can be, but also warm and peaceful, old and always new, by every wave, in every undertow lapping onto one of the countless beaches. The sea is the eighth jewel of the Tuscan Archipelago hiding in its depth unsuspected treasures: the ones created by nature and those stolen from careless sailors who challenged its power. To protect these waters is a duty of every citizen and tourist who sails, swims or visits the sea of the Tuscan Archipelago.
Nowadays the Archipelago allows an extraordinary cultural approach between man and nature thanks to the preservation of natural landscapes and rare ecosystems. This protection has been favored by their geographical isolation, by the difficulty of trades among the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago and the mainland, as well as by the historical events of their inhabitants.
The distances in nautical miles between the islands of the
| Isola d'Elba | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38,7 | Gorgona | |||||
| 18,1 | 21,1 | Capraia | ||||
| 7,4 | 48,6 | 25,9 | Pianosa | |||
| 21,8 | 66,4 | 44,7 | 15,9 | Montecristo | ||
| 27,8 | 75,3 | 59,9 | 36,1 | 23,8 | Giglio | |
| 40,1 | 87,4 | 72,3 | 48,1 | 34,1 | 8,5 | Giannutri |
Pianosa Island
Pianosa can be visited only with environmental and hiking guides who organize day trips from Elba.
Montecristo Island
Montecristo belongs to the Islands of the Tuscan Archipelago and can be visited by guided tour reserved well in advance.
Capraia Island
Capraia is the third largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago and it has an economy based solely on tourism.
Giannutri
The smallest island of the Tuscan Archipelago with a fully protected area of 2.6 km².
Gorgona Island
The smallest island of the Tuscan Archipelago is closed to tourism because of the presence of the prison penitentiary.
Giglio Island
The island is a tourist destination inhabited by 2000 people and it is connected to the port of Santo Stefano
Elbaworld suggests
What to visit
Discover places and attractions nearby.
Recommended excursions
Discover incredibly beautiful excursions on Elba Island.
