At Sieme, we aren’t just about beautiful Italian handcrafted accessories, we also LIVE for the Tuscan lifestyle. That is why we are introducing our #LaVitaSieme series. Every few weeks, we want to take you on a virtual trip to some of the places we find most inspiring in our own backyard. While it’s tough to take your dream vacation to Italy right now, we hope to show you some of the more locals only hidden treasures that have become our la bella vita. It is our hope that you will save these wonderful places for your next visit or share them with those you love.

Now without further ado…. Our first #LaVitaSieme stop is the Island of Gorgona

Gorgona is an isolated Tuscan island about a one-hour boat ride off the coast of Livorno, a large port city 70 kilometers west from Florence. Famed for its stunningly intact coastal views and wildlife that is native only to this island, Gorgona was discovered by the Romans in 417 B.C. and became a popular vacation destination for Roman noble families. The remnants of some of these stone villas are still visible today. Gorgona continued to operate as various monasteries for hundreds of years, passing through different sects including the Pisans and the Carthusians until it was acquired by the Grand Duke of Tuscany in the 1400’s.

During the unification of Italy in the mid 1850’s, Gorgona was declared property of the state of Italy. Only a few families lived on the island permanently as modern infrastructure including schools and shops had never been established. These families were granted special permission to continue inhabiting the island and also bestowed with “honorary residence in perpetuity” should they choose to leave for the more populous Livorno, which most of them did. In 1869, Gorgona became the first experimental restorative penal colony in Europe and has remained as one ever since!

The remains of an old lookout tower - estimated to be at least 500 years old

So, what is a restorative penal colony? To view and understand the colony of Gorgona is to completely reimagine what criminal justice can look like. Every day, approximately 100 prisoners work the land cultivating wine, olive oils, fruits and vegetables. A special white wine affectionately called Gorgona is made in collaboration with the Frescobaldi Estate. The most famed winemaking family in Italy, the Frescobaldi family has been making wine for over 1000 years. Yes, you read that right. Their head vintner is currently the 30th generation winemaker!

But, back to the wine… which you can find at a few gourmet restaurants around Florence. All of the profits from this wine are reinvested back into the preservation of the Island of Gorgona and the rehabilitation of the prisoners.

At the top of the island (about 260 meters above sea level) there is an expansive farm and barn housing cows, goats and sheep. Prisoners learn veterinary skills and also how to create meats and cheeses. However, the animals are free to roam around large parts of the island. The cheeses are created only during the spring when animals are naturally lactating, and meat is cultivated only when they die of natural causes. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are also tended as food for the prisons.

Two security complexes inhabit the island, and prisoners must serve two thirds of their term before they are even granted permission to transfer to Gorgona. A high security prison houses those who have committed more serious offenses. Prisoners residing there are escorted to their work posts and must return directly to the prison upon completion each day. The second prison is for low level offenses and resembles small apartments where prisoners are responsible for their own cleaning, cooking and washing. Here, upon completion of their work for the day, prisoners are granted permission to enjoy and wander the island as they like and must return to their quarters at curfew each night.

This system has also fostered a local gym, bakery and commissary store that prisoners are responsible for operating daily, including learning inventory management, purchasing and financial planning. The goal of the Gorgona Prison colony is to see prisoners first as people and work to rehabilitate them through valuable work experiences that creates tangible skills. As the island is many kilometers from the nearest Italian coast, no one has ever successfully escaped.

As Sieme was founded on the ideals of restorative production, we found so much inspiration in learning about restorative justice practices right in our own backyard! We had to see it for ourselves! As it turns out… the Island is also a Park (due to its unique flora and fauna). 1-2 days per week, you can take a strictly guided group day tour of the island and trek around the perimeter to marvel at those pristine coast lines. For approximately 50 euro, a small ferry will charter your group of about 20 from the Port at Livorno to the Island. Be warned, most tours are conducted in Italian and you must bring your own lunch as there is only one small cafe on the entire island.

We embarked around 8:30 am on a Monday morning and arrived at the Island just before 10:00. After wandering the trails, touring the vineyards and visiting the remains of Roman villas and towers, we picnicked under the trees overlooking the coastline. I mean, just look at our lunch view overlooking the vineyards! In the late afternoon once our tour was over, we spent a few hours on a small pebbled beach until the ferry returned around 6:00 pm. A few vacation homes flank this beach (remember when I said a few families were granted “honorary residence” … we met a lovely family of 4 taking the ferry to their vacation home for the weekend.) While we saw the low security prison apartments and waved to a few prisoners, the high security facility remains heavily guarded and tucked away on the far side of the island, visible only from a distance during our hike.

So, the verdict? If you are searching for a truly off the beaten path “unplugged” experience, add Gorgona to your list. Phones are not permitted on the island, so you must leave them locked on the boat for the entire day. Same goes for cameras, meaning you are forced to spend the day fully immersed in the island’s beauty and treasure those experiences in your mind and your mind alone. We found it incredibly calming and… well… restorative. The island of Gorgona exists as a unique representation of what it can mean to radically rethink tired systems and work to restore ourselves, the land and the world together. And it is in this spirit of togetherness for which we are endlessly inspired.

All the Creative Vibes…

The Sieme Team

#LaVitaSieme

If you are interested in the Gorgona trekking tour you can visit Toscan Mini Crociere to learn more! (this is the tour we took)

#LAVITASIEME A Day on Isola Gorgona

#LAVITASIEME Cosimo Maria Masini

What is Restorative Production?