Giglio Island Retreat, 25-30 September, 2027
Join us for 5 nights, 6 days immersed in the food and wine of the Tuscan coast! We are bringing you to our very favourite island in Tuscany, Giglio. We lived on nearby Monte Argentario in 2015 when Marco was head sommelier of the dreamy Il Pellicano resort and I was writing my second cookbook, Acquacotta, which is all about the food traditions of the Maremma, this wild, southern coast of Tuscany. Ever since then, Giglio has been our special place where we would zip away for a quiet, restorative beach days whenever we could (here’s one of those trips). We have been dreaming of taking people there for years and here we finally are. It’s a very special place and because of space and wanting to keep it very intimate, we will be only taking a very small group.
We start in the tiny seaside village, Talamone, to go fishing with Paolo, fisherman and activist, who has been protecting the waters between Giglio island and the mainland for thirty years. Afterwards, we catch a ferry to the wild and beautiful Giglio island, which we call home for the next 4 nights at the beautiful La Guardia hotel.
About Giglio:
Giglio Island, a hop, skip and a jump (16 km or 10 miles and a breezy one hour ferry ride) from Monte Argentario in southernmost Tuscany, is a rugged, pint-sized granite island surrounded by crystalline waters. With the misfortune of being in a desirable position, it has an ancient and turbulent history, suffering centuries of pillaging by Ottoman pirates and changing hands of owners – from the Pisans to the Neopolitans, then to noble families like the Piccolomini from Siena, who sold the island to Eleonora di Toledo, the wife of Cosimo de' Medici I. Today it's a sleepy island for most of the year, until summer time, when beach-goers arrive, seeking the smooth sand and turquoise waters. September is a wonderful time to come here because the sunseekers are long gone, it’s just the locals, but the weekend we happen to be here the Castello will be alive with a wine festival.
There are three ‘neighbourhoods’ of Giglio: Porto (the port), Castello (the ‘castle’ or the main historical centre at the topmost part of the island, where the inhabitants of the island hid from invaders; although it is not a far drive from the port, is so high it can sometimes be shrouded in fog) and Campese (the red sand beach below Castello).
Highlights:
Fishing and lunch with a Maremma fisherman and activist
1 night in the seaside village of Talamone
4 nights accommodation with a wonderful buffet breakfast at La Guardia hotel on the island of Giglio
Visit to two island vineyards
Lesson on Italian seaside wines with sommelier Marco Lami
Cooking class with cookbook author Emiko Davies in an exclusive private location highlighting Gigliese cuisine
Time for an island hike or relaxing on the beach
Transport to and from Talamone to Giglio island
All breakfasts, lunches and dinners with wine are included
Organic farm visit and cheese tasting
The Itinerary:
Day 1: Meet in Talamone on the Tuscan coast
Make your way to Talamone, which is on the Tuscan coast between Florence and Rome. Marco can pick people up from the train station of Talamone or Grosseto (see info on getting here below) and take you to our hotel for the night. We will have an aperitivo at around 6:30pm and then head to local spot for a welcome dinner.
Day 2: A day out with Paolo the Fisherman
We meet Paolo the Fisherman at 8am for a day out fishing on the boat followed by a fresh seafood lunch. This is not just any fisherman, he is also an activist who plants sculptures on the bottom of the sea (above) to thwart trawlers and to ‘defend beauty with beauty’. Afterwards, we head to Porto Santo Stefano where we get the ferry to Giglio (1 hour trip) and get settled into island life at La Guardia hotel, our home away from home for the rest of the trip. Dinner on the terrace at the hotel.
Day 3: Island wine
Today we visit two small wineries on the island. We’ll stop for lunch at Campese beach, then head over to visit one of our favourite winemaker friends, Francesco Carfagna of Altura vineyard. His an ex-mathematics professor who rescued an abandoned vineyard on the island. Giglio is also known for its white wine, Ansonica, or Ansonaco as it is known in Tuscany (which is actually the same as the Sicilian grape Inzolia, which is used to make Marsala), a dry, slightly aromatic, golden-hued white wine with bright acidity. Here, at Francesco’s eccentric home and winery, we will enjoy tasting his newly-fermented wine with plenty of generous nibbles.
Day 4: Beach hike and wine lesson
This morning, we take you on a walk to a nearby beach, le Caldane, which is perfect for a relaxing swim or some sun bathing followed by lunch. In the afternoon, we will have a wine lesson on Italian seaside wines by sommelier Marco Lami, then we will head to the Castello neighbourhood — the highest point and oldest part of the island for dinner at one of our favourite restaurants, which is in a characteristic old building with 7 metre tall ceilings that once used to be used to make gunpowder. The floors are original tiles from the 1600s.
Day 5: Cooking from the island
This morning we have a seasonal cooking class in a beautiful property of the owner of La Guardia hotel, overlooking the sea. After lunch, there will be time to rest on the beach, pack or explore the port before our final dinner on the island at a Slow Food restaurant in the port.
Day 6: Organic cheese farm and goodbyes
We check out of our hotel and ferry back to the mainland. We will make a stop at a nearby organic farm to taste (and stock up on) some excellent cheese for an impromptu picnic before heading to the Orbetello or Grosseto train stations, where we say our goodbyes.
About our accommodation:
We will stay in Giglio at the beautiful, serene La Guardia hotel at Giglio porto. The rooms are furnished with natural materials and are a minimalist’s dream, the perfect base for a retreat. You also have direct access to the beach club, just steps from the water (don’t forget your bathers!) and it is just minutes walk from the port where we arrive, which means full access to all the restaurants, cafes, gelato and shops, all in walking distance.
The cost: The cost depends on the room choice and whether or not you will be sharing a room or would like it to yourself (all the rooms can be split into twins if needed). The price does not include flights, travel insurance or transport to/from our meeting and drop off place.
Shared premium garden view room: 3,860 Euro per person
Shared superior sea view room: 3,980 Euro per person
Single premium garden view room: 4,690 Euro per person
Single superior sea view room: 4,800 Euro per person
To book:
To confirm your spot, send us an email to vino@enotecamarilu.com with your interest, room preference, any dietary requirements and address. A non-refundable deposit of 1,000 Euro is required upon booking, which we will send you an invoice for (in the form of a payment link). The deposit is non-refundable, but we understand that plans can change, we can accept someone to take your place or honour it until the end of the following year. We reserve the right to cancel a workshop (with plenty of advance notice) and in this case deposits will be fully refunded.
Getting to Talamone:
Our meeting spot, Talamone, is on the Tuscan coast halfway between Florence and Rome. It is easily accessible from both cities by car or train (although there is usually just one train that goes direct). We can help organise a transfer for you from Rome or Florence and if enough people are coming from the same place, you could split the costs.
From Rome — if you are coming from Fiumicino airport, it is a 1 hour 45 minute drive. From Rome Termini station, it is a 2.5 hour drive or train ride (the 1:12pm one goes directly there).
From Florence, it is a 2.5 hour drive or 3 hour train ride (make sure you get the one at 3.28pm that goes directly to Talamone so you do not have to change).
Getting to/from Grosseto:
To/from Rome Termini, it’s just 1.5 hours on the Frecciabianca to Grosseto (13.57 from Rome - arrives in Grosseto at 15.38, for example).
Trip notes:
If you suffer from motion sickness, note that we do have a one hour ferry ride and transport around the island is quite windy (but short — the island is small!). The walk around the vineyard and the hike to the beach are both a gentle hike, closed shoes are a must. It’s fairly steep. If this is a problem, we can also catch a boat to the beach (5 minutes).
If you have any questions, please email us.