Yacht Charter in Tuscany: Tuscan Archipelago – a hidden gem
Yacht Charter in Tuscany, in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park: the largest marine park in Europe and includes 7 main islands of the Tuscan Archipelago. The starting point usually is Argentario area, with a choice of two wonderful ports, Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole, both offer all services required to welcome yachts and their guests. These two famous fishing ports have now turned out to be great resort ports. The area consist of Island of Elba, Giglio, Capraia, Montecristo, Pianosa, Giannutri and Gorgona and some smaller islets and rocks. Each island is different from the other, it preserves the traces of its history, each island is unique, original, with only one trait in common: the beauty of its nature.
ELBA: Elba is, for those who sail, a privileged cruise destination, easy to access, able to offer an incomparable choice of anchorages within very varied landscapes, all with weather conditions almost always mild. The tour of Elba (about 50 miles) can be done in one day, but this is of no interest. To fully appreciate its charm you will have to have time to wander from anchorage to anchor or marinas, without giving up the pleasure of an excursion inland. One of the most fascinating bays in the area is undoubtedly Marina di Campo where there is the largest beach on the island of Elba by extension, with its 1850 meters of white sand of granite origin. More details: Elba luxury yacht charter – click here
GIGLIO Island: The island of Giglio lies in the Southern corner of the Tuscan Archipelago, South of Elba Mostly inhabited, it is known for its untouched natural beauty, the crystal clear, emerald colored waters, sandy beaches and beautiful coves. Island’s many caves and ancient wrecks, makes it one of the best scuba diving spots in Italy. The breathtaking underwater world has a great diversity of species: one often encounters lunar or tuna swarms (especially in spring by the influence of the currents). You will find octopus, conga, barracudas, toothed bream, moray eels, monk fish, giant spider crabs (with a body diameter of more than 30 cm) and crawfish. With a little luck you can also see seahorses.
CAPRAIA: the only volcanic island of the Tuscan Archipelago, it is among the most maritime island realities, being 54 km from the continental coast. The Capraiesi seabed is often a destination for snorkelling and diving enthusiasts, where among the rich prairies of poseidonia it is possible to observe groupers, snappers and sea bream. Finally, it is important to point out that in this area of the Mediterranean Sea, there is a massive presence of cetaceans and for this reason the “Pelagos International Marine Mammal Sanctuary“, the largest marine protected area in Europe between the French, Monegasque and Italian territories, where you have the opportunity to see fin whales.
PIANOSA: The territory of the island is totally inserted in the protection zone 1 and within the perimeter of the Park there are also the islets of La Scarpa and La Scola. Even at sea the territory is protected up to a mile from the coast. The seabed around the island is certainly among the richest and most pristine.
GIANNUTRI: a limestone island characterized by cavernous limestone, ancient sedimentary rocks and a very jagged and rocky coast rich in numerous caves. The marine environment is very rich, the exceptional transparency of the water and the presence of wrecks, make the depths of Giannutri unique.
The wreck of the Anna Bianca lies inside the northern part of Cala Ischiaiola, it is a deep dive, but the visibility is so good that you can see the shape of the wreck even in apnea.
Visiting the spectacular wreck of the Nasim is a bit more challenging due to the depth, but the white color of the seabed makes the diving an unforgettable experience.
GORGONA: It is the smallest, greenest, and wildest of the islands in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park. Gorgona is the last penal colony in Europe, before it was visited only by reservation and under strict control by the Penitentiary Administration. From spring 2016 access for tourist and naturalistic purposes is again allowed. The island seems to have a woman’s profile from the Tuscan coast and, like a siren, beckons sailors and dreamers. It appears lush and soft, perfect for exploring and falling in love with.
