The island is part of the province of Livorno and the entire territory constitutes the municipality of Capraia. Since 1996 it is part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago. Tourism today represents the main resource of Capraia and develops above all in the summer period. Very suggestive scenarios offer the opportunity to visit the island and discover it in all its natural beauty. The main center is gathered not far from the port.
A pearl in the middle of the sea
Of the seven islands main that form the Tuscan Archipelago, Capraia is the largest by extension and population after theElba and the Lily. Located between Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ligurian Sea, among the Tuscan islands it is the farthest from the Italian coasts and the closest to the French territory. From volcanic, has high and rocky coasts. It is characterized by a landscape that in the innermost area reaches and exceeds 400 meters of altitude with the Monte Castle.
Along the coast, coves, inlets and promontories alternate. Despite being small and sparsely populated, it is a true paradise. In the western part, over 300 meters high, there is also a small lake called Stagnone of Capraia; it feeds on the rains so in the autumn and winter months it reaches its maximum extent. Although it becomes a tourist destination especially in spring and summer, Capraia is beautiful all year round.
From the 'Port' to the 'Country'
The island can be reached by ferry that leaves from Livorno. The port is located in a small inlet, protected by a sheer spur on which the Fort of San Giorgio. There you find the church di Santa Maria Assunta, dating back to the XNUMXth century, around which the ancient town of the port developed.
From here starts the road that in a very short time reaches 'Capraia Isola', the small town that gives its name to the entire Tuscan municipality: the least populated in Italy among those that have an outlet to the sea. The heart of the town is the church parish church dedicated to San Nicola. It consists of three naves along which there are numerous chapels and various works. Important sacred buildings are also the church and the Convent of St. Anthony, built in the second half of the XNUMXth century. Very old is the church of Santo Stefano which is located in the center ofisola in the locality of 'Il Piano'.
The circumnavigation of the island between towers and fortresses
If the natural landscape offers enchanting and suggestive scenarios, the architectural emergencies do not fail to amaze and testify to the past of the island. On a hill not far from the port, there is the castle, wanted by the Genoese. The Fort of San Giorgio represents one of the main historical monuments of the island. The presence of an ancient monastery gave its name to Torre of the Zenòbito one of the four coastal towers located on the island. As seen today, it was built by the Genoese and was part of the defensive system of Capraia.
On the side facing Corsica, on the other hand, there is the Barbici Tower also called Tower of the Regina. The closest to the sea is the Bathroom Tower while near the seaport there is the 'Torre del Porto', built in the first half of the XNUMXth century. Taken together, they evoke the history that characterized this small treasure chest of the Tuscan archipelago ...
