Exploring the villages of the island of Giglio

The Island of Giglio, with its 21 sq. km of land area and 28km of coastal development, holds within it three charming villages, each with a unique character, overlooking the sea or perched among the rocks. 

If you have decided to spend a vacation period in Giglio, it is important to know the countries you can visit from the moment you arrive (don't forget to check hours e updated rates of our ferries, and of Prefer online ticket booking during peak tourist periods). 

Let's start right at Giglio Porto, the arrival point for all ferries and boats bound for Giglio, on the Porto Santo Stefano - Giglio Porto route.

Giglio Porto: historical background and attractions

Giglio Porto is the village on Giglio Island that best preserves its essence as a seafaring village. 

This small port, the only commercial and tourist port of call on the island, was initially built by the Romans who laid the foundations of what is now the Red Pier, or East Pier. At the same time, the Romans also erected a luxurious Villa In the present-day Saracen cove. 

Today this Villa is integrated among more modern houses, but it is still possible to see the remains of some mosaics inside the Saracen Hotel, and the remnants of Cetarea in the waters of the small cove, which was once a fish breeding pond.  The colorful houses of the Port, whose vibrant colors helped sailors recognize their home even from afar, are flanked by the Saracen Tower to the south and the Lazzaretto promontory to the north.

On the headland is the Lazaretto Tower, which together with the Saracen Tower was part of a system of defensive towers erected along the coast to protect the island from pirate invasions. It was at the end of these invasions that the Port began its commercial development, thanks to the settlement of fishing families who migrated from southern Italy and Liguria. On the Red Pier, in 2013, the statue of Our Lady Stella Maris and on the small beach of the Little Staircase, the "The man who saves the sea" statue By artist Giampaolo Talani.

Both statues are dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Costa Concordia, the ship that sank in the waters off Giglio Porto on Jan. 13, 2012.

What you will find in Giglio Porto

Once you disembark, you will be immediately surprised by the Water clarity within the marina, truly amazing, so much so that you forget you are in a port from which ships and ferries depart. 

Proceeding toward the center, one comes to the island's liveliest area, with a waterfront full of restaurants, small stores, bars, and rental outlets for boats and mopeds.  Giglio Porto offers a variety of services: the Post Office, two banks, the Harbor Master's Office, the Medical Guard, ferry ticket offices, various accommodations such as Hotels, Apartments, and Room Rentals. 

The bus stop is about 100 meters from the ferry landing, and this is also where the Taxi ncc minivans with driver the Taxi Boats depart from, which drive beautiful beaches giglies depart, however, from the side of the pier adjacent to the landing. Among the lily events most anticipated of the year there is the celebration of St. Lawrence on August 10, with three days of live concerts, children's games and the Palio Marinaro

The latter is the most important and heartfelt sporting event on the island and colors it with the colors of the three districts: Church, Moletto and Saracen

Closing the festivities is the traditional fireworks display on August 10. In early October, however, the Amberjack Cup, a three-day amberjack fishing competition. From Giglio Porto, 2 of the our mini-cruisesor guided excursions, organized every summer to allow you to discover the beauty of another of the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago: Giannutri

Our Mini-Cruises

GIANNUTRI - LILY

CASTIGLIONE - LILY

 CASTIGLIONE - ELBA

VISIT GIANNUTRI

LILY SNORKELING

TOUR OF THE ISLAND

LILY E-BIKE TOUR

E-BIKE TOUR SANTO STEFANO - LILY

Giglio Castello: the medieval heart of the island

Giglio Castello is the largest village in terms of population. This charming medieval village rises on the rocks that make up the island's ridge, right next to the highest peak, Pagana (498 mt). 

Within this hamlet, bordered by ancient walls, develop labyrinthine alleys where you can find wineries where local wine is produced, Small craft stores, grocery stores, and typical places to eat and drink

In the heart of Giglio Castello is the Rocca Aldobrandesca, a fortress dating back to the 10th century, which served as a shelter for the inhabitants in case of siege. Today, the Fortress hosts summer theater performances, city council meetings and civil weddings, and is sometimes transformed into a venue for art exhibitions

Not far from the fortress, in the center of Giglio Castello, stands the church of St. Peter the Apostle, a small jewel dating back to the 15th century that preserves Giambologna's ivory crucifix and the relic of the arm of St. Mamiliano, the island's patron saint, both from the private chapel of Pope Innocent II, as well as a Corinthian capital from the Roman Villa at Giglio Porto. Giglio Castello is also the starting point of many trails and trekking routes that cross the island, used in the past, and in some cases still today, by farmers to reach their vineyards by donkey.  On September 15, Giglio Castello celebrates St. Mamiliano, one of the island's most important holidays, with a three-day program that includes live music concerts, the traditional square dance, the Palio degli Asini, and the chance to enjoy local specialties such as sausage sandwiches and rabbit cacciatore.

At the end of September, the last weekend of the month, the village celebrates the end of the grape harvest with the Grape Festival and Open Cellars, a three-day event featuring wine tastings and traditional island food, accompanied by live folk music and the typical cheerfulness of the islanders.

Giglio Castello also houses the headquarters of the Municipality of Isola del Giglio and the Carabinieri Command.  Other events not to be missed in Giglio Castello are:

Exploring the villages of Giglio Island: Giglio Campese

Giglio Campese is the center of Giglio Island, which has a broad tourist vocation. Its expanse of beach, with its characteristic red color, unravels along the entire shoreline of the village, like an inviting carpet where you can lie in the sun, take a walk, enjoy an aperitif or dance the night away at a foam party.

The beach is guarded on one side by the Campese Tower, on the other by the Faraglione cliff. Both border the wide Campese Bay, within which the pylons of the old Pyrite mine, which is dug into the Franco promontory, are still visible.

At Campese it is fine, and to a portolano (that would then be a Gigliese who lives in Giglio Porto) when he is at Campese it doesn't even feel like he is at Giglio, it feels like he is vacationing on another island. 

Walking along the beach toward the Faraglione and then to the marina, you reach the beginning of the path that leads toward the small beaches of Pertuso and Pozzarelli, and then continues to the Faraglione.

Below the Tower, however, you can find rocks so smooth that you really want to lie down.

In Giglio Campese, in addition to restaurants, bars, hotels and apartments, there are some diving centers and the Marine Biology Laboratory, which has been carrying out environmental education activities for Italian and German tourists and students for 30 years. The San Rocco Association holds several festivals and small concerts throughout the summer, and for the celebration of St. Roch on August 16, you can enjoy a fireworks display inside the bay and three evenings of live music, including a foam party on the beach.

Among the events not to be missed in Giglio Campese is definitely "The Lily is Lyrical".

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