Towns
Giglio Island’s 21 sq.km. area and 28 km of coastline are home to three small villages on the sea or perched high on its cliffs.
Giglio Castello
The biggest of these in terms of population is Giglio Castello. This medieval village is set on the rocks of the ridge in the island’s center by its highest peak: the Pagana (498 meters). In the village, surrounded by boundary walls, there are intricate winding narrow streets with a succession of wineries where wine is made and the end of grape harvesting is celebrated, as well as small artisan shops, food shops, and local bars and restaurants. The Aldobrandesca Fortress stands in the heart of Castello. This very early fortress dates to the 10th century and was built as a refuge for the people during sieges and held within a henhouse, vegetable garden, chapel and some houses. Today the Fortress hosts theatrical performances during the summer and municipal councils throughout the year. Civil weddings are celebrated here, and it is occasionally an exhibition space for art shows. Not far from the Fortress, also in the center of Giglio Castello, is the Church of San Pietro Apostolo, a veritable 15th-century jewel, decked in 19th-century decor. The church has within Giambologna’s ivory crucifix, and, in a silver reliquary, the relic of the arm of Saint Mamilian, the island’s patron saint. Both pieces are from the private chapel of Pope Innocent II along with a Corinthian capital from the Roman Villa of Giglio Porto. Many trails start from Castello including hiking routes on the old mule tracks that criss-cross the island and were once used by farmers to reach their lands on donkey back (and sometimes still are). On September 15, one of the island’s most important festivals, St. Mamilian, is celebrated here. Festivities in honor of St. Mamilian last three days with a roster of live music concerts, and a traditional local dance, the quadrille. The Palio degli Asini is run (a traditional donkey race) and sandwiches with sausage and game rabbit are sold at stands to enjoy while watching fireworks from Piazza Gloriosa. On the last weekend of September, we celebrate the end of the grape harvest and the new wine that will come in a few months, with the Grape Festival and Open Wineries, three days of tastings of wine and food from the island tradition in town, along with small groups playing live folk music with the islanders’ defining joie de vivre.
The seat of the Municipality of Giglio Island and the Carabinieri police headquarters are both in Castello.
Other important events in Castello include:
• Musica Al Giglio music festival
• Il Giglio è Lirica, opera festival
• Il Teatro dell’Isola, theatre company
Giglio Porto
Giglio Porto, as its name suggests, is the island’s only little port. It’s a marine and commercial port, where ferries from the mainland dock. With its colorful small houses, the town stretches near the Lazzaretto promontory, named for the tower built there in 1624 and used as a hospital. On the other side of the port is the Torre del Saraceno, a tower built by Ferdinand I in 1596 to defend the island from pirate attacks. It was when the pirate raids ended that the town started to flourish demographically and commercially, as happened to many coastal towns, and it was repopulated by fishermen and traders from the south and Liguria. In the port town there are still last names typical of southern Italy, like Mattera, Ferraro, Fanciulli, and Ligurian ones like Solari, Ansaldo, Schiaffino. In the center of town, just behind the row of colored houses on the seafront promenade, is the Church of San Lorenzo, the patron saint of the town, whose saint day is on August 10. In the 2nd AD, the Romans were the first to arrive in Giglio Porto, specifically the Domitius Ahenobarbus family who built a luxurious villa right above the Caletta del Saraceno, complete with fishponds where fish were bred, known as the “Cetarea.” Its remains can still be seen in front of the Saraceno beach. It was the Romans who built the first port, which was later incorporated into the Grand Ducal Pier of 1796, now the Molo Rosso or Levante pier. In the 16th century, the Castellare del Giglio was built, a no longer existing fortification that stood dominating the hill that closes the bay of Giglio Porto to the south and overlooks the Torre del Saraceno.
- On the side of the Molo Verde, or the Pontente wharf, is a lovely little beach, “Lo Scalettino” by reefs of the same name. The completely free beach is the favorite of many local children.
- Interesting fact: one day an old sailor told me that the port’s houses each have a different color so that sailors can recognize their home from afar on their ships as they come through the channel.
– Marina
- Giglio Island’s marina can hold up to 196 vessels with 20 spots for transit. The length allowed to use a berth is no longer than 25 meters. Of course, in the summer the availability is limited.
There are several prohibitions, including against anchoring, parking, swimming and fishing any species.
The Giglio Island port is usually protected from strong winds so there should be no problems during docking; prevailing winds are those from the northeast and southeast. - SERVICES PROVIDED
Waste collection, managed by the Municipality of Giglio Island
Gas stations, usually located inside the wharf
Water supply, depending on the availability of spots
Private slides and cranes
- WHO TO CONTACT TO MOOR IN THE MARINA
- Catenary/mooring service
- +39 3388191555
- Local Maritime Office
- Telephone: 0564809480
Fax : 0564808846
e-mail : lcgiglio@guardiacostiera.gov.it
Sosta qui vuol dire lasciare una barca a lungo?
Source: Vi sono, inoltre alcuni divieti, come ad esempio il divieto di ancoraggio, quelli relativi alla sosta, alla balneazione e alla pesca di qualunque specie.
Giglio Campese
Il Campese è il centro abitato a maggior vocazione turistica. La sua spiaggia spaziosa, dal caratteristico colore rosso si dipana lungo tutto il litorale del paese come fosse un lungo tappeto sul quale sdraiarsi a prendere il sole, fare un passeggiata, bere un aperitivo, ballare la notte durante uno schiuma party. Da una parte la Torre del Campese, dall’altra lo scoglio del Faraglione stanno di guardia all’ampia baia del Campese, al cui interno sono ancora visibili i tralicci della vecchia miniera di Pirite, scavata all’interno del promontorio del Franco. Al Campese si sta bene e ad un portolano quando è al Campese non sembra neanche di essere al Giglio. Camminando lungo la spiaggia verso il faraglione fino alla marina, si arriva all’inizio del sentiero che porta verso le spiaggette del Pertuso, Pozzarelli e poi prosegue fino al Faraglione. Sotto la Torre invece si possono trovare gli scogli, lisci sui quali sdraiarsi. Al Campese, oltre ai ristoranti, bar, hotel e appartamenti si possono trovare alcuni centri per immersioni e il Laboratorio di Biologia Marina che da 30 anni svolge attività di educazione ambientale per turisti e studenti italiani e tedeschi. L’associazione San Rocco durante tutte l’estate organizza diverse sagre e piccoli concerti, mentre in occasione di San Rocco che si celebra il 16 agosto, si può assistere allo spettacolo pirotecnico all’interno della baia ed a tre serate di musica dal vivo compreso uno schiuma party sulla spiaggia.
Tra gli eventi da ricordare :
- Il Giglio è Lirica
