Legend has it that the origins of the Tuscan Archipelago date back to the time when Venus, the goddess of love, dropped her necklace in the sea. Apparently, the seven islands that form the group are the pearls she never recovered. Sandwiched between Corsica and the mesmerizing province of Tuscany, in the north of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Tuscan Archipelago welcomes thousands of sun-seeking visitors every year. Although a largely protected region, as part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, it still promises an outdoorsy vacation among natural wonders and ancient marvels.

Ferryscanner makes the process of finding ferry tickets to the Tuscan Archipelago a very simple affair. Book a boat from Piombino and it will take 15 – 60 minutes to reach Cavo, Rio Marina, or Portoferraio, which are the three ports on Elba. As the third-largest island in Italy with close proximity to the mainland, there are plenty of excursions, Elba is popular with weekend travelers. It’s known for being the island where Napoleon was sent to exile in 1814, so visiting the emperor’s residences, Villa dei Mulini and Villas San Martino, is a must. Beach life on Elba is lively, and there is no shortage of pebble and sandy strips along its coastline. Fetovaia is a lovely cove to spend a day with the family, while Piemonte offers divers a chance to explore the Elviscott shipwreck lying 15 meters below the water’s surface.

Isola del Giglio, very much like Elba, is a thriving tourist destination. The colorful port, Medici Towers, and fortified hilltop town Giglio Castello are among the island’s top attractions. Exploring its jagged coastline by boat, however, is a treasure-filled adventure that is not to be missed. Unlike Elba, Giglio, and the volcanic island of Capraia, ferries to the Tuscan Archipelago do not sail to Pianosa or Montecristo. Travelers can only take guided boat tours to Pianosa, which was previously a prison island and now has one restaurant and a flat surface that makes it ideal for long bike rides. Montecristo remains an untouched, nearly uninhabited, off-limits utopia, permitting limited visitors twice a year through private trips booked months in advance.