Italy's 'Absolutely Magical' Island Is A Hidden Paradise Offering Pristine Beaches And Hiking Trails

Giglio is a magical Tuscan island, filled with stunning beaches and view-laden hiking trails. It's one of the seven islands that make up the Tuscan Archipelago, and according to legend, one of seven precious stones that fell from Venus's tiara when she emerged from the sea. While the most popular of the archipelago is the beautiful Elba, Giglio is resplendent with sights, from a hilltop castle with deliriously pretty views to terraced vineyards growing Ansonica and Sangiovese and making wines by hand. A highlight is the stunning beaches, long wispy stretches of white sands punctuated by vibrant beach umbrellas forever lapped at by the seductive turquoise waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

While you might need to make a bit of extra effort to reach Giglio, one of the most beautiful Italian islands we believe doesn't get quite enough attention, the effort is more than rewarded on arrival. Regardless of where you're traveling from in Italy, you'll need to reach Porto Santo Stefano to take the ferry. But if you're traveling from Florence, the best route is by a duo of buses from Florence Bus Station to Oberdan, and then from Oberdan to Porto Santo Stefano, a route that takes a little over four hours. You can also take a less direct train in around four hours, but with limited connections, and with a change to a bus from Albina. From Porto Santo Stefano, you'll take the ferry to Giglio, which takes a bit over one hour.

With so many beaches, Giglio invites vacations full of beach-hopping. And as the island is only a little over 17 miles long (28 kilometers), hiring a boat directly from the ferry pier in Giglio Porto, many of which can be hired and driven without a license, is a perfect way to get around. For sandy beaches, head to the Spiagga del Campese on the west coast, or gorgeous beaches like Le Cannelle and Le Caldane on the east coast, just a short sail away from Giglio Porto's marina. The sandy red Campese beach is the island's largest and the most practical if you're looking for more amenities, but Canelle beach is a bit prettier, with pale sands and a lush setting between forested hills and naturally formed rocky outcrops.

The beautiful hilltop town, Giglio Castello, with its 12th-century fortress, has more than enough appeal to pull you away from the beaches, and its attractive red-roofed topography looks stunning viewed from above. The town's narrow cobbled streets invite unplanned exploration, discovering antique trattorias, historic churches, and viewpoints with sea-set vistas of Elba and France's underrated Corsica Island.

Hiking on Giglio is astounding, with leafy trails leading through lovely Italian villages and over hilltops lush with Mediterranean scrub and olive trees. A popular route takes travelers from the iconic colorful shades of Giglio Porto to the picturesque Punta Faraglioni rock formations via Campese bay and beaches like Pertuso and Pozzarelli. There are plenty of shorter hikes, too, with old mule tracks connecting villages and relatively short mountain hikes, such as to the peak Poggi Delle Pagana, the highest mountain on Giglio.

Vineyards have been a mainstay on Giglio for generations, and, while there was a bit of a pause in the 20th century when tourism took centre stage, today they sweep across hilltops in beautiful verdant terraces overlooking the coast. The trade in vine juice was reinvigorated by the Altura winery, which in 1999 began growing the almost forgotten Ansonica grape. Now there's a modest collection of vineyards to visit (and drink from), almost all of which grow a mix of Ansonica and other grapes to create small batch wines using mostly traditional pesticide-free cultivation techniques.

The food on Giglio is refreshingly simple, with traditional seafood the most popular. You'll find things like scaveccio (fried and marinated eel), salt-preserved tuna fillets served with salads of tomatoes, onions, and olive oil, and traditional panificato, a dessert unique to Giglio made with a delicious mix of figs, pine nuts, and dark chocolate.

Giglio Porto is the obvious choice for restaurants on Giglio, with stilted terraces providing romantic views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Try La Grotta del Pescatore, whose excellent seafood is served amongst the unique ambience of a whitewashed cave with delightful sea views. Meanwhile, the medieval streets of Giglio Castello may not have the same straight-from-a-postcard view as those in Giglio Porto, but the antique ambience of destinations such as Bar Balocchi di Bibi Graetz, a wine bar serving local wines and laidback small bites, more than makes up for it.