The sea - Tuscany Arcipelago

Comprised of seven islands: Elba, Capraia, Gorgona, Pianosa, Montecristo, Giglio and Giannutri. These are islands of differing geological formation: Capraia is volcanic, Giglio and Elba are mainly granite.
There is a wide variety of geological phenomena which determine the shape and landscape of each island. The age old presence of man, as evidenced by archaeological findings and the long tradition of working of minerals, has produced profound changes in the original vegetation, and larch forests remain only on parts of Elba, while Mediterranean scrub is now the dominant vegetation.

The Tuscan Archipelago has been an important refuge and connection between Sardinia and Corsica and the mainland. This has determined the presence of very localised species of animals and plants, formed during the formation of the islands, together with species only found in Corsica and Sardinia.

There are colonies of seabirds, shearwaters and gulls, among them the rare Corsican gull, a species unique to the Mediterranean and only found in very few parts of Italy. Monk seals are occasionally sighted, and it is possible to see Cetacea.