Walks on warm late spring or summer days, when the air is heavy with the scent of blooms and your surroundings are abuzz with the movement of bugs and bees busy going about their day, are often when one might be lucky enough to spy a butterfly floating past. These beautiful creatures are a wonder to behold and if you’re particularly interested in them and how they add to the ambiance and loveliness of a place then you should probably head to an area known to be rich in them or to an actual butterfly sanctuary. These are the best places to be sure to spot colourful and impossibly delicate little wings gliding and bobbing past. So, if you’re out to go for a stroll with some butterflies likely included in the process and you are looking for a villa on the Tuscan Coast this summer, then we highly recommend a visit to the Santuario delle Farfalle "Ornella Casnati", or Ornella Casnati Butterfly Sanctuary on Elba Island. There are plenty of reasons to plan a day trip to Elba while enjoying a vacation rental on the Tuscan Coast or a Tuscany villa as it is but an idyllic wander through this especially charming and scenic part of the island is another great attraction.
Located in the Archipelago Toscano National Park, this lovely natural oasis can be found along a 2km trail that starts at the popular picnic area of Monte Perone and ends at the slopes of Monte Capanne. It is divided into three areas. The first of these is inside a pine forest that combines artificial plants and natural blooms that attract butterflies with their bright shades and sheer numbers. Furthermore, the cool shade offered by the trees act as a perfect refuge from the heat on summer days when butterflies come here for a respite. The main species found in this part of the Butterfly Sanctuary include the Zerinzia, the Pieride of Mann, and the Pironia. The next area can be found where the forest leads up and opens out onto some small fields at the ridge. Covered in plants such as helichrysum and junipers, this area appeals to the Elban butterflies as these are the sort of plants that they particularly love. The final area follows another small bit of the path to a point where it splits and the left goes up to La Calanche hill while the right leads through an area of Mediterranean scrub. This area is generally less densely populated by butterflies but is home to a strawberry tree that sustains larvae of the especially pretty Giasone butterfly. All along the trail through this area you will find around 50 different signs that inform visitors about almost all of the similar number of different butterflies that live in the sanctuary. These signs also explain the main environmental and biogeographical characteristics of this part of the world and of Tuscany that make it so important for these animals.
Dedicated to the memory of Ornella Casnati (one of the founding members of the sanctuary), the Butterfly Sanctuary was inaugurated on May 1st 2009, and was funded by a joint project of ENEL and Legambiente. Designed and built by Leonardo Dapporto, Ornella Casnati, Angelino Carta, Umberto Mazzintini in close collaboration with the Tuscan Archipelago National Park and, in particular, with the Director Franca Zanichelli, it is a remarkable space that allows for the preservation and study of these wonderful creatures. Those wishing to experience it for themselves can head along the trail while hiking on Elba during a holiday on the Tuscan Coast or they can keep an eye on the sanctuary’s Facebook page and potentially join one of the guided walks through the area. If you’re interested in butterflies, you have found a villa in Tuscany, and you’re exploring this part of the region then be sure to come see the stunning Elba Butterfly Sanctuary for yourself!
