This
year, the Blue Guide of the Legambiente and the Italian Touring Club,
which annually ranks the sea and lake resorts for their natural
beauty, celebrates the Maremma coast. Seven of the eight coastal
towns in the province of Grosseto took the highest spots: four and
five sails. The exception was Capraia Island, located in the province
of Livorno, which was ranked in third place for the second
consecutive year, behind ‘superstars’ Capalbio and Castiglione
della Pescaia.
Among the criteria that
Legambiente and the Italian Touring Club use to measure the
protection and management of natural resources are water quality,
health of the underwater ecosystem, tourist accommodation and
services for the disabled, environmental sustainability, with a
commitment to responsible collection and waste disposal, energy
conservation and uses of renewable energy sources.
Capalbio received five
sails for its high level of protection of the coast. Other four-sail
recipients were Giglio Island, Scarlino, Marina di Grosseto, Magliano
in Toscana and Follonica. Receiving three sails were Campo nell’Elba,
Castagneto Carducci, Portoferraio, Rio nell’Elba, Orbetello,
Marciana, Marina di Pisa, Porto Azzurro, Marciana Marina and
Capoliveri. Overall, of the 15 Italian regions with coastlines,
Tuscany came in third place, behind Sardinia and Puglia.
(See
www.legambienteturismo.it for full list rankings).