Isole di Cerboli e Palmaiola, Protected marine islands in Tuscan Archipelago, Italy.
These two small islands lie east of Elba in the Tuscan Archipelago, featuring steep rocky coastlines and Mediterranean plant life. The waters around them are clear and support varied marine life, making them an important protected zone.
The Republic of Pisa built a watchtower on the islands in 1108, which was later rebuilt by the Appiano family during their rule of Piombino. These structures marked the islands' importance for controlling the surrounding waters.
Dwarf palm trees on these islands were historically harvested by local communities to make knives, a craft tradition that remains part of the region's heritage. Visitors can see how the landscape itself shaped what people created here.
Access to both islands requires special permits to protect their natural environment. The clear waters around them offer good conditions for diving, though visitors must follow the protection rules in place.
Cerboli Island has a cave about 25 meters (82 feet) deep filled with stalactites and is home to a lizard species found nowhere else. This rare endemic species, Podarcis sicula cerbolensis, tells the story of how isolated these islands truly are.
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