3 Best Sights in Southern Tuscany, Tuscany

Rocky, hilly, unspoiled Capraia has only one sandy beach, Cala della Mortola, on its northern end. The rest of the coast is a succession of cliffs and deep green coves with pretty rock formations. The 2½-hour ferry trip departs from Livorno and docks at the town of Capraia Isola, dominated by the Fortezza di San Giorgio up above. Nearby, an archway leads to an area that was once a prison.

The three towns on the Island of the Lily—Giglio Porto, the charming harbor where the ferry arrives; Giglio Castello, a walled village at Giglio's highest point; and Giglio Campese, a modern west-side town—are connected by one long, meandering road. But to really explore Giglio you need a good pair of hiking boots. A network of rugged trails climbs the steep hills through clusters of wild rosemary and tiny daffodils, and, chances are, your only company will be the goats who thrive on Giglio's sun-baked hills.

The island's main attraction, however, is at sea level—a sparkling array of lush coves and tiny beaches, most accessible only on foot or by boat. With the exception of Giglio Campese, where the sandy beach is as popular in summer as any mainland resort, most of the coastline is untouched, leaving plenty of room for peaceful sunning if you're willing to go off the beaten path.

The most famous visitor to this island, about 50 km (30 miles) south of Elba, was fictional: Alexandre Dumas's legendary count. Today, the island is a well-protected nature preserve with wild Montecristo goats and vipers, peregrine falcons, and rare Corsican seagulls who make their home amid rosemary bushes and stunted pine trees. Scientific-research teams are given priority for permission to land on the island, and an annual quota of 1,000 visitors strictly limits even their number.