Archive for 'Tuscan Coast'

Off the coast of Tuscany, there are a sprinkling of beautiful little islands that each have something special to offer. The island of Giglio boasts exceptional beaches and the most spectacularly blue and crystal clear waters of the Tyrrhenian sea that might make you get confused for a moment and have you thinking that you’re somewhere much further away, much more exclusive, and decidedly more tropical. All of which goes to show that you really don’t need to go further away or head to the tropics to experience perfect beaches, just find a vacation rental on the Tuscan Coast and head to Giglio Island, where you will find quite a wealth of choice and an array of beaches to choose from.

While there are lots of beaches and hidden treasures to be discovered on Giglio Island, there are, however, four main beaches that are the biggest and considered among the best. These are the beaches of Campese, Cannelle, Arenella and Caldane. All of the aforementioned beaches are pretty readily accessible from Giglio Porto, the main harbour of the island and likely the point at which you will arrive when taking a ferry to Giglio Island. Campese, Cannelle, and Arenella can be reached by car or taxi and Caldane is only accessible on foot or by boat but is just a kilometre away.

While there are plenty of regular beaches, Italy has a particular tradition of paid beaches wherein you pay a fee to access a stretch of coast outfitted with lots of facilities and extras, such as showers, sun beds, umbrellas, restaurants, bars, and more. You can, of course, go to free beaches open to the general public all over the country, but you will often have to do without showers or shade, bring your own loungers or towels to lay out on, deal with larger crowds, and bring or head elsewhere for various supplies like snacks and water. In the famous Tuscan seaside town of Viareggio there is one must-see paid beach that customers rave about on a regular basis: Bagno Maurizio. If you have found a holiday rental with a private pool in Viareggio and are planning on some beach days, spend at least one on this private stretch of the strand and you’ll have nothing to worry about and perfect, stress-free fun on the beach!

The exceptionally lovely Elba is an island located off the coast of Tuscany that is most famous as the place in which Napoleon lived out his exile. It is a great beauty with diverse and lush flora, plenty of interesting fauna, incredible views, and some excellent beaches. As such, it makes for a wonderful place to spend a day if you have found a vacation rental on the Tuscan Coast. If you are interested in hiking, it is an especially good day-trip location as it is home to the Grande Traversata Elbana, or Great Elba Crossing. This is a long circuit of routes and trails around the island that make it an absolute dream for hikers! To get active while you explore Tuscany, come and see it for yourself and try out some of, or the entirety of the route, and feel yourself get refreshed by the majestic beauty of the island!

All this week, we are putting together a holiday gift guide of sorts: a literal holiday gift guide, a guide of amazing luxury villas in Tuscany that would make for the perfect place to create memories and spend quality time together. If you don't want to just buy someone a thing this festive season but, instead, give them a real gift of a lifetime, just check out this amazing properties and get planning a wonderful surprise for someone you love.

Here are more of our picks of some of our best new beauties...

Giannutri, a crescent-moon-shaped island off the coast of Tuscany, in the Tuscan Archipelago, is a small but incredible gem that is well-preserved and protected and boasts a remarkable amount of things to see and do. If you have found a luxury villa in Tuscany, it is a great place for a day out. As we said in the last post, you can explore the ruins of a Roman Villa, discover Roman shipwrecks, go snorkelling or scuba diving, or go swimming but there are even more things to see and do so take note of the following, as well...