Swim in the deep blue of the seabed, practice yoga at sunset and stroll through the vineyards overlooking the sea. And again: wandering around on an e-bike, diving into the turquoise water and getting lost in the alleys of the medieval village. Here’s what there is to do on an island of just over 20 square kilometers.
L’Lily island is part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, a protected area also called “Sanctuary of the Cetaceans” due to the presence of dolphins, fin whales and sperm whales. September is the perfect time to fully enjoy one of the last weekends by the sea. A sea that has been recognized by Cinque Vele by Legambiente for 10 consecutive years.
ROOM WITH SEA VIEW
You sleep in The guard: a seafront design hotel, which takes its name from the former fortified structures placed at the entrance to the islands to monitor the sea and navigation. Built on what was once a granite quarry, it dominates the port of the island of Giglio with all its colorful houses.
Meta of jet set in the 1950s (Audrey Hepburn, Ornella Vanoni and Adriano Celentano passed through here), the hotel became an operational center in 2012, when the Concordia cruise ship was wrecked in front of it. The hotel was then abandoned and bought by the new owners who opened it to the public in 2019.
Reconnect with nature and follow the slow rhythms of the island. This was the desire of the owners, two former advertisers from Rome who decided to change their lives: “With La Guardia we not only had the desire to build a” Mediterranean buen retiro “, but to find a different rhythm of life, which is what it is possible to live on the island, “he says Flaminia Pérez del Castillo. Owner & General Manager of La Guardia Hotel.
The design also invites relaxation and merges with nature. Natural, authentic and imperfect materials, such as wood, stone and concrete. In the kitchen, the menu explores and re-proposes the gastronomic culture of the smaller islands of the Mediterranean Sea. The mission? Reduce the environmental impact with concrete actions, such as the abolition of single-use plastics, the use of only recycled paper and the obtaining of hot water from solar panels.
IN 48 HOURS OR LITTLE MORE
The weekend on Isola del Giglio starts with one typical dinner at the Vecchia Pergola where to taste seafood delicacies. The next morning one breakfast on the terrace of the La Guardia hotel overlooking the harbor. And then in e-bike up to white beach of Cannelle with its colors ranging from turquoise to indigo to blue. With a short stroll, or together with the boatmen of the port, you reach the le Caldane beach: small, wild and romantic. Relax and yoga at sunset with hatha yoga practices organized in front of the sea.
The next day a trekking until the Capel Rosso lighthouse (where some scenes of La Grande Bellezza di Sorrentino were shot), and then a dip from Arenella beach dominated by a rounded granite cliff. Or you book a boat trip of the island with the boatman Francesco Onida. For the more adventurous, we rent a rubber boat and go to the discovery of the smaller coves, such as Cala della Torricella and Cala del Corvo. In the evening we go at dinner at Maria’s, in the medieval village. And you can’t leave the Giglio Island without buying a bottle of wine Look Oh.
Events, appointments and information on how to reach the island of Giglio on www.visitgiglioisland.com
(Cover photo: Hotel La Guardia)
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