Everywhere in Italy seems to be getting more crowded, but one little island — just 3 hours north of Rome — still feels refreshingly removed from the chaos. Giglio, an understated island in the Tuscan archipelago, is small, local and wonderfully low-key. Known for its crystal-clear sea and small villages, it is covered in pine forests, Mediterranean scrub and steep vineyards cascading into the sea.
A place that’s popular for hiking and sailing, the atmosphere here is more about slowing down than ticking off sights. I’ve been to many islands in Italy, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I found felt surprisingly different from the islands I knew further south.
