The Island of Cerboli

Cerboli is a tiny, calcareous island in the strait of Piombino, about 8 kilometres from Elba and 6,6 from Piombino.

The island once belonged to the writer Carlo Cassola; when he died it was passed on to his heirs, and then sold in the year 2000. Today it is part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, and is a Bioitaly ZPS protected environment. It covers an area of 0,04 square kilometres, and is completely covered in Mediterranean bush consisting of Cistus Monspeliensis, garrigue and lentisk.

Not all its fauna-botanic characteristics are known, but what we do know is that the island is home to plant and animal endemisms from the Archipelago, like the subspecies of the lizard that lives there only, the "Pordacis sicula cerbolensis". The only proof of past inhabitants is what is left of a small quarry and the odd country house in ruins.