Giglio Island Escapade: Weekly Charter San Vincenzo, Italy

Experience the unparalleled beauty of the Tuscan Archipelago with our one-week charter starting from San Vincenzo. Sail through turquoise waters, explore volcanic islands, and relax on pristine beaches. This journey offers a perfect blend of natural wonders, historical sites, and charming coastal towns, making it an ideal choice for a memorable and relaxing vacation.

In the morning, we set sail for Capraia, where we have the choice of mooring in the harbour, in the buoy field or at anchor in the bay in front of the harbour entrance. After Elba Island and Giglio Island, Capraia is the largest island in the Tuscan Archipelago. It is a volcanic island and at its centre is a small lake fed by rainfall, the only natural pond in the archipelago. The coastline is about 30 km long. The widest coves are ‘Cala del Porto’, ‘Porto Vecchio’ and ‘La Mortola’, the latter of which can only be reached by boat and is a favourite destination for tourists, as it is a wonderful bay with a sandy bottom and which, in favourable wind and sea conditions, creates a small beach, the only one on the entire island.

The next day, we set sail for Fetovaia, one of the most famous and frequented coves on the island of Elba. The crystal-clear water and white sand of the beach framed by the Mediterranean maquis make up a picture postcard landscape of contrasting colours. It offers the opportunity to enjoy both the marine and terrestrial beauty of the Island of Elba. It is possible to spot numerous schools of fish with a simple dive from the boat, while more experienced divers can dive to see groupers, lobsters and an underwater cave on the east side of the promontory.

From Fetovaia we then move on to Giglio Island, with a stop at Giglio Campese, located on the west side of the island in the middle of a charming bay framed by the Faraglione (a monolithic rock rising some 20 metres) on the left and Punta del Fenaio (the northern tip of the island with a lighthouse of the same name) on the right. The southerly winds, which blow in behind, make the bay of Campese an ideal training ground for surfers and sailors, while its western exposure makes it the scene of stupendous sunsets.

From Giglio Campese we set course for Giannutri, with anchor at Cala Spalmatoio, a beautiful inlet on the island. Historically used as a place for storing and repairing boats, today it is famous as a harbour for mooring boats wishing to discover yet another natural glimpse of the area. The harbour boasts a concrete quay that allows mooring and grants entry to boats wishing to enjoy the wonderful sea that washes the coast. This area used by pleasure boats is located on the northern side of the roadstead and is still subject to navigation and mooring regulations.

Cala delle Caldane, also known as Caldane Beach, is located on the south-eastern side of Giglio Island. It is a very private roadstead with a small portion of fine, light-coloured, coarse-grained sand that can only be reached by sea or through a walk of almost 40 minutes along an adventurous and uneven path through the vegetation overlooking the sea. Around the roadstead, lovers of solitude will enjoy a succession of coves and bays with rocks sloping down to the sea. This is a cove with wild, very private and often uncrowded features, dominated by a spectacular sea in shades of turquoise and emerald, crystal clear and transparent, with a sloping sandy seabed rich in posidonia, ideal for swimming and snorkelling.

For the night, we head to Giglio Porto, located on the eastern side of the island, of which it is the only port. The first visible settlement for ferries from Porto Santo Stefano, in Roman times Giglio Porto was the first civil settlement on the island. Small and picturesque, with multicoloured houses and a sea of an unthinkable clarity for a port, it manages to reconcile commercial and tourist needs. The very lively atmosphere during the day, with ferries arriving and departing and with its many shops of all kinds, changes completely in the evening with the departure of the last ferry: the pier and the narrow streets with their small shops and craft workshops invite one to stroll around and stop at one of the restaurants, some built on stilts, in a truly enchanting atmosphere. Under normal conditions, Giglio Porto is generally well protected from almost all winds; the predominant ones blow from the north, north-east and south-east. Since Giglio Porto is predominantly considered a transit point, there is little support for pleasure boating within the harbour.

From Giglio we go back to Elba, heading for Porto Azzurro, located on the central-eastern side of the island. The imposing fortress of San Giacomo, built in the early 17th century on the top of the promontory dominating the town at the behest of the Spanish, who were interested in controlling and defending the surrounding area, immediately springs to mind. From the end of the 19th century, the fort became a civil penitentiary, which is why in 1947, at the dawn of tourism in Elba, it was decided to change the name of the village from Porto Longone to the more evocative name of Porto Azzurro. In this way, the tourist town wanted to create a new image for itself, not exclusively linked to the presence of the prison.

At the foot of the fortress, the charming seaside village developed. From the central Piazza Matteotti, overlooking the sea and recently renovated, we can admire the tourist harbour, which in summer hosts majestic yachts and in winter is enlivened mainly by the presence of fishing boats and small boats. On the seafront there are exclusive and picturesque restaurants built on stilts, while wandering through the numerous narrow streets, full of shops, you can admire the parish church dedicated to Madonna del Carmine and the Oratory of the Sacred Heart of Mary, both dating back to the 18th century.

We set sail early in the morning en route to Marina di San Vincenzo, stopping in the Gulf of Baratti to enjoy a last swim in the splendid scenery of the sea, gulf, cliffs and the beautiful adjacent coves, such as Buca delle Fate or Cala Buia, and with a bit of luck, in the periods with fewer tourists, to see whales and dolphins playing with the prow of our boat.

Join us for this unforgettable journey through some of the most beautiful locations in the Tuscan Archipelago. Discover hidden coves, pristine beaches, and charming coastal towns as you sail through crystal-clear waters. Whether you're an experienced sailor or a first-time cruiser, this charter promises an extraordinary adventure filled with breathtaking sights and memorable experiences.