A journey in the history of the island: the Roman villa of Giannutri

Giglio Island has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Then came the Etruscans, who left several testimonies. And after that, Romans conquered the island, and they knew how to appreciate the several beauties of Giglio. Proof of this “ancient love” is one of the many archaeological treasures: the Roman villa of Giannutri.

Giannutri was a possession of the rich family of Domizi Enobarbi. They built this villa, and the mansion had a simply breathtaking view of Giglio Island sea. The facility was very large: it had a total surface of about five acres and had a terrace accessible by the sea.

The rest of the facility included accommodations for the family, the slave quarters, baths and other rooms for various usage. Three of the rooms, probably, were equipped with heating system.

Furthermore, archeologists discovered floors decorated with marble and black and white mosaics. You can still see some of the columns of the halls, the pipeline system and cisterns that distributed rainwater throughout the island.

The Roman villa of Giannutri is located on the west coast of the island. It was completed by two landings, the first is Cala Maestra, the second is Cala Spalmatoio (two of the beaches of Giannutri).

Image source: Flickr.com/photos/andrespozo