Isola del Giglio - Campese
Campese, located on a large bay on the western side of the island, cannot be seen as the visitor arrives with the ferry from Porto Santo Stefano. It is only possible to find it halfway from the nine-kilometre road from Giglio Porto. Campese bay can be admired straight after the junction for Giglio Castello, as the road begin to descend following a series of bends. The visitor will immediately notice a golden strand facing the islands of Montecristo, Elba and Corsica. The beach is framed on one side by a tower built by the Medici Family at the end of the 17th century to defend the island from Barbary corsairs, and on the other by a majestic sea stack. Giglio Campese - the most recent village on the island - developed at first as a centre for the exploitation of ancient iron mines, and subsequently became a resort area for the booming tourist industry.
Just before entering the village, one kilometre to be precise, the visitor will drive beside the island’s only camping site, which is perched over the tranquil Sparavieri bay. The visitor who chooses Campese for his holiday on the island will have made a very practical decision. The small village is virtually on the beach with its crystal-clear water. Hotels, restaurants, bars, diving centres and shops are just on the edge of the beach. In Campese, village life is beach life. The day in Campese lasts until nine o’clock in the evening, when finally the sun goes down in a spectacular sunset.
Campese is by far the most tourist friendly place on the island, with the highest tourist capacity, with an open-air cinema and a playground. The oldest part of the village is located around the tower, and on the opposite side, the sites relating to the abandoned iron mines can be seen. Parking spaces can be found in and around the local football team’s (Aegilium) ground.
The locals are friendly and approachable. To befriend locals (Gigliesi) is the best way to know the island, its history and to access the endless opportunities to explore the island. (Translated by Gianluca Fanciulli)
