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Giannutri Island ☀️ Tuscan Archipelago
- Category What to visit in Maremma
Giannutri: what to see and do in the beautiful and unspoiled island of the Tuscan Archipelago.
Number of views: 4734Agriturismo - Where to stay overnight
- Giannutri Island, a rare pearl with a crystalline sea in the Tuscan Archipelago
- What to see in Giannutri
- History of Giannutri and Archaeological Sites
- The Roman villa of Giannutri
- Diving in Giannutri
- How to get to Giannutri
Giannutri Island, a rare pearl with a crystalline sea in the Tuscan Archipelago
In front of Monte Argentario , lies the southernmost island of the Tuscan Archipelago : the island of Giannutri , always recognizable, thanks to its crescent shape. As previously mentioned, it is the southernmost island of the Tuscan Archipelago, located approximately 8 miles southeast of the Giglio Island and 6 miles southwest of Monte Argentario . The crescent, spread over an area of 260 hectares and a coastline of 11 km, about 3 km long and just over 500 m wide. Its coast is rugged and rocky, with a beach located in Cala Maestra . The highest point on the island is Poggio Capel Rosso, with a height of 88 m.
Giannutri is a small paradise, with no roads and therefore no cars and there are not many accommodation facilities. This oasis of peace is largely private property, and despite the villas that peek out between the Cala dello Spalmatoio and Cala Maestra , it manages to give wonderful scents and sensations . In the north-west of the island, there is the archaeological site that preserves the remains of the Roman Villa , commissioned by the Domizi Enobarbi family (lineage to which Nero also belonged) between the 1st and 2nd century AD
What to see in Giannutri
History of Giannutri and Archaeological Sites
As evidenced by the numerous finds of weapons and tools, the island of Giannutri was certainly occupied by Etruscans and Romans. On the seabed there are still some wrecks of ancient merchant ships, silent messengers of ancient maritime trade.
The Romans also bequeathed to the island the remains of an ancient port at Cala dello Spalmatoio and a breathtaking villa.
The Roman villa of Giannutri
The Villa Domizia , occupied an area of about 5 hectares of land and had a huge terrace, accessible via a staircase, directly from the sea. Following the excavations, the remains of the villa's flooring have emerged, adorned with precious marble and black and white mosaics.
The structure included the accommodations of the imperial family, where three halls were most likely equipped with a heating system, quarters for slaves, spas, outbuildings. Rainwater, or that imported from the mainland, was collected in cisterns and through a system of pipes still visible today, it was distributed throughout the island.
The building was erected between 90 and 100 AD, by order of the imperial house, into which the properties of the Domizi Enobarbi, Nero's family, had converged. The remains of the many structures occupy the central-western area of the island, over a large area of the coast between Punta Scaletta (residential nucleus) and Cala Maestra, with the main landing place. A second landing was in Cala Spalmatoio, on the opposite side of the island.
Diving in Giannutri
For those who love snorkeling or scuba diving , Giannutri is a true paradise: uncontaminated seabed they extend along the coast, rich not only in fish, but also in corals. You can also find ancient wrecks, and spectacular Posidonia meadows.
At Punta Scaletta there are the remains of an intact Roman boat, as in the bay of Spalmatoio, where the remains of Roman and Etruscan shipwrecks are found.
How to get to Giannutri
Ferries to Giannutri
The island of Giannutri can be reached in an hour of navigation, starting from Porto Santo Stefano, through a ride on the Maregiglio navigation line. The rides are reduced during the winter and more frequent in the summer season, with departures and returns possible within the day:
Ferry timetables:
- from 01/01 to 19/03 Wednesday and Saturday: departure at 10.00 and return at 16.00
- from 20/03 to 31/12 Wednesday Saturday and Sunday: departure at 10.00 and return at 16.00. Friday: departure at 15.00 and return at 16.15.
Mini-cruise
During the summer, day trips and mini-cruises to the islands of Giannutri and Giglio are offered. The mini-cruises depart from Porto Santo Stefano, Castiglione della Pescaia or Elba and include stops of about 3 hours on the two islands.
In Giannutri disembarkation generally takes place at Cala dello Spalmatoio, sometimes, depending on the wind, the ship can dock at Cala Maestra. In Cala Maestra there is the only beach on the island where it is possible to swim, the rest of the coast is rocky and difficult to access the sea.
