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| Ultimate Italy / Islands / Giglio |
| Giglio Island |
 Situated
in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the island of Giglio with its
mild climate attracts hoards of tourists all through the year. The
sea is a beautifully emerald green with an equally beautiful marine
life making it wonderful for snorkeling and diving. The granite stone
island is just as beautiful, with ninety per cent of it still a forest.
There is also a mountain range here, with Poggio della Pagana (496m)
being the tallest. On a clear day you can enjoy a spectacular panoramic
view of the surrounding from these mountains. But the biggest attraction
on the island is the 28 km stretch of the coastline. Here again visitors
are spoilt for choice with granite cliffs coves, bays and sandy beaches.
The locals are very friendly as well. This is therefore the perfect
holiday for a nature lover seeking for a break from the fast paced
life. |
| The island of Giglio was created around 4.5-5 million years ago.
It was a military outpost during the Etruscan days. It enjoyed a lot
of attention during the Roman rule when Domizi Enobarbi built a monumental
aristocratic villa in the Castellari area. From this time on Giglio
became an important port for traders, seafarers and explorers.
In 1241, Frederick II’s fleet destroyed a Genoese convoy on route to Rome for a meeting summoned by the Pope and the King. The island became part of Pisa in 1264 and had shifted hands many times before the Medici Family owned it. Under them, the island enjoyed a lot of prosperity but at the same time was the target for several attacks by pirates. The worst being the raid by Khair ad-Din or Barbarossa. November 18th 1799 goes down in history as the first Gigliese victory over the seafaring thugs. In the 19th century the island was rejuvenated and enjoyed economic stability thanks to the rise in agricultural output and the numerous stone quarries that supplied granite to regions all over Italy. But these granite mines were shut down in 1962 and this led to the rise in importance of the tourism industry. |
Send an e-mail to info@isoladelgiglio.biz for all tourism related queries. |
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