The islands of the National Park
The National Park Tuscan Archipelago includes seven islands, Unique for the climate, geology, flora, fauna, history and legends. They are characterized by the diversity of natural environments, created by a rather complex geodynamic evolution. The vegetation is mainly Mediterranean and the flora is rich in endemisms, or species that are present exclusively in these places following their island feature. The fauna is also extraordinarily biodiverse both on the ground and at sea, with particular regard to the Avifauna: the archipelago is in fact a parking and nesting point for many migratory birds.
The geology of the islands
The geodicetrity of the islands is then exceptional, where all the main geological processes are well represented and observable and the mineralogical variety is surprising. The protected area extends for about 177 sq km to the ground and embraces a large stretch of sea (about 615 sq km) including all the islands of the archipelago. In particular, half of the surface of the Elba and Giglio is protected, in Capraia, only the reduced extension of the town is excluded from the park area. Montecristo, Pianosa and Gorgona are rigorously protected as access is regulated according to sustainability criteria. Finally
Access is free to Giannutri despite being necessary to be accompanied by guides most of the island.
Information, bookshop and reservations on all the islands of the Tuscan archipelago:
Telephone: 0565.908231
Email: info@parcoarcipelago.info
Web: www.parcoarcipelago.info
The seven protected islands of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park
The island of Elba
Elba is the third Italian island by extension (224 sq km), with maximum est-west development
of 27 km; north-south of 18 km. It is 10 km from the Tuscan coast. It is divided into seven Municipalities:
Campo Nelba, Capoliveri, Marciana, Marciana Marina, Porto Azzurro, Portoferraio, Rio.
The territory is mainly mountainous and hilly: the western granite massif
It culminates in Monte Capanne (1,019 m), higher summit of the archipelago. The island, which has always known
for the iron mineral deposits, is characterized by an exceptional variety of rocks and
minerals, testimony of a series of complex geological events that led to the
his training.
The island of the Giglio
The lily is the second in order of magnitude in the Tuscan archipelago (23.8 sq km). It is located at
15 km west of the Argentario. Traveled by a chain of reliefs that culminates with the Poggio
of the pagan (496 m) is mainly granitic, but presents on the western side
a fragment of ancient sedimentary and metamorphic rocks with strands of ferriferous minerals
exploited until the 1960s with the mines located in the village of Campese.
The island of Capraia
Capraia, with an area of 19.3 sq km, is the third island of the Tuscan archipelago. It is
at 54 km west of the continental coast and 28 km from Corsica. Island of volcanic origin,
is mainly mountainous, with a ridge of reliefs that crries it all by
with Monte Castello (445 m).
Montecristo
Montecristo is the fourth island per size (10.4 sq km) and the farthest from the continental coast (about 63 km). Already attended in Roman times, he welcomed San
Mamilian in the fifth century who founded a monastic community active on the island until the 16th century. It has been reserve
Natural full state of state since 1971 and bigenic natural reserve since 1988. The only
landing is located in Cala Maestra where the Royal Villa stands.
Pianosa
Pianosa with its 10.2 sq km is by extension the fifth island of the Tuscan archipelago. It is
located 14 km south-west from the coasts of the island of Elba, about 27 km south-south east
from Montecristo and about 40 km east of Corsica. Attended by prehistoric man and
by the oldest navigators presents testimonies of the Neolithic, Enelitian and the age of the
Bronze. The seat of residential maritime structures of the Roman era, in the imperial period VI
was exiled Agrippa, grandson of Augustus. Until 1998 he remained closed to tourism because it is located
of a penitentiary.
Giannutri
Giannutri (2.6 sq km), with 11 kilometers of the rocky coast, is the southernmost of the islands
Tuscan. The only points of landing, Cala Spalmatoio and Cala Maestra, present small
Beaches of gravel. All around splendid seabeds rich in marine biodiversity. The
archaeological site of the Roman villa of Domizi can be visited accompanied by specialized guides.
Gorgona
Gorgona is the smallest (2.2 sq km) and the northernmost island of the Tuscan archipelago. It is 36 km from the coast, it is home to an agricultural criminal colony and has a coastal development of
just over 5 km. The mountainous territory, on the western side, culminates with tip
Gorgona (225 m). The eastern side is furrowed by three small valleys, the northernmost
of which it goes down to the sea at the small beach and the village of Cala
of the airport.