In the southern part of the Tuscan Archipelago, in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Italian coast, stands the island of Giannutri, small (only 2.8 km long and a few hundred meters wide) and with an unusual crescent shape. The presence of an impressive Roman villa at Punta Scaletta shows how the island was known and inhabited already in Roman times; the villa owned by the powerful Domitii Ahenobarbi family, in which Nero was born before being adopted by Emperor Claudius, was built on large terraces overlooking the sea and can be visited by appointment only if accompanied by an authorized guide. Relevant ruins of the villa are visible in Cala Maestra where you can find the remains of a cryptoporticus, the dock, warehouses, tanks for fish farming, a large winch for unloading and loading of goods and large tanks for collecting rainwater; in the area of ​​Cala Spalmatoio the remodeling of the cliff had to serve to give hospitality to passing boats and fishing boats. The small tourist village and the few villas scattered inland built in the 1960s do not interfere with naturalistic biodiversity; the large prairies of Posidonia oceanica and the crystalline water have helped to maintain an ideal ecosystem for the great variety of multicultural fish that live on the seabed; the Mediterranean scrub that covers the territory is home to several species of birds and wild rabbits, on the small hill of Monte Mario are visible the ruins of an ancient octagonal signaling lighthouse.

Since 1996, visitors of the island have to respect the strict rules imposed by the Tuscan Archipelago National Park; they can walk along the paths only if accompanied by a guide of the Park, with the exception of the long path that connects Cala Spalmatoio to Cala Maestra, the only two beaches on the island; some areas of the coast are forbidden to navigation and bathing not to interfere with the fragile equilibrium of the marine ecosystem. The Tuscan Archipelago National Park dispenses property owners, their guests and tenants from adhering to strict regulations as long as they do not damage the plants and do not disturb the animals. There is no hotel reception, tourists who want to spend a holiday in Giannutri can contact the owners of the homes on rent; basic necessities are provided by the bar and the tourist village market. A scheduled ferry service covers the Porto Santo Stefano – Giannutri route at any time of the year with an increase of rides during the summer season, navigation takes one hour and private motor vehicles can not be landed without authorization.