Isola del Giglio and Giannutri
Tuscan Archipelago National Park: one island protected on land and one protected at sea too, a few kilometres apart.
- Authorities
- Ente Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Toscano
- Marine protection
- Giannutri: sea inside the Park. Giglio: Park on land only (about half of the island).
- Pelagos Sanctuary
- inside
- Diving partner
- International Diving
The Park
The Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Toscano (Tuscan Archipelago National Park), established by Presidential Decree of 22 July 1996, includes the seven main islands of the archipelago (Elba, Giglio, Capraia, Montecristo, Pianosa, Giannutri and Gorgona), covering about 177 km² on land and 615 km² at sea. It is one of the largest marine parks in Europe, lies entirely within the Pelagos Sanctuary, is part of the UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve "Isole di Toscana" (Islands of Tuscany) and has been on the IUCN Green List since 2021. For information on the Park: islepark.it.
Giglio
The second island of the archipelago, at 23.8 km², it lies 15 km west of Argentario. Granitic, with walls, caves and shoals underwater, it is among the best-known diving destinations in Italy. The Park protects about half of its land area; at sea Giglio has no Park protection zone and falls within the Pelagos Sanctuary (to be confirmed with the Park Authority).
Giannutri
The southernmost of the Tuscan islands (2.6 km², 11 km of rocky coastline) is instead entirely within the Park, including the sea off its shores. The Giglio–Giannutri pair offers a valuable comparison: same region, same sea, different protection at sea.
Local partner and opportunities
At Giglio the project can count on International Diving, a diving centre in Giglio Porto, together with a Park diving guide. The Park already runs summer marine biology workshops for children at Campese and guided outings on Giglio: common ground for programmes with schools. The Park's 2026–2030 Strategy foresees the possible identification of marine protection areas, to which the project's data can contribute.
Stations
Six stations around Giglio, at level L4, and two reference stations at Giannutri, at level L2, accessible only to operators authorised by the Park. They can be seen on the map; positions and levels are a proposal to be validated with the Park Authority.
Authorisations
A preliminary survey, not a legal opinion: each body has its own regulations, updated periodically.
- Clearance (nulla osta) from the Park Authority for research.
- For Giannutri, where the sea lies within the Park, specific authorisation for the reference stations.
- Everywhere: no collecting or handling of protected species.
Stations
The same stations are listed in the table below. Positions are indicative, to be checked at sea and with the authorities.
| Code | Station | Type | Protection level | Status | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GIA-01 | Giannutri, Cala Maestra | Reference | L2 · strong protection | Proposed, to be validated with the authority | 42.25745, 11.09610 |
| GIA-02 | Giannutri, Cala Spalmatoio | Reference | L2 · strong protection | Proposed, to be validated with the authority | 42.25254, 11.11148 |
| GIG-01 | Punta del Fenaio | Dive | L4 · no marine protection | Proposed, to be validated with the authority | 42.39158, 10.88436 |
| GIG-02 | Baia del Campese | Snorkelling | L4 · no marine protection | Proposed, to be validated with the authority | 42.36767, 10.87538 |
| GIG-03 | Arenella | Snorkelling | L4 · no marine protection | Proposed, to be validated with the authority | 42.36971, 10.91860 |
| GIG-04 | Le Scole | Dive | L4 · no marine protection | Proposed, to be validated with the authority | 42.35368, 10.93013 |
| GIG-05 | Cala delle Cannelle | Snorkelling | L4 · no marine protection | Proposed, to be validated with the authority | 42.34590, 10.92534 |
| GIG-06 | Punta Capel Rosso | Dive | L4 · no marine protection | Proposed, to be validated with the authority | 42.31761, 10.91756 |
Training calendar
The calendar of courses, briefings and lessons for this area is being prepared with the diving partner.