Top of the Month experience.

Seven of the most magical of Italy's islands and seven breathtakingly beautiful beaches, all more than worth the effort often required to reach them. A voyage from the Tuscan archipelago to the Pontine, Egadi and Aeolian islands, discovering the precious jewels of the Mediterranean.

Cala Rossa, Capraia
Guarded by an ancient tower of Genoan origin, Cala Rossa is arguably the most beautiful bay on the island of Capraia, one of the seven islands of the Tuscan archipelago. Cala Rossa is a spectacular place to swim, its incredibly clear waters lapping the fiery red volcanic rocks after which the narrow inlet was named. Located on the southernmost shores of the island, close to the Zenobito promontory, Cala Rossa can only be accessed from the sea.

Cala delle Caldane, Giglio
On island of Giglio, another of the islands which make up the Tuscan Archipelago, those eager to avoid the crowds and keen to enjoy a relaxing vacation in direct contact with nature will love the small Caldane beach, accessible only on foot or by boat. A place of rare beauty, with a fine pebble beach and calm, clear waters, the Caldane beach is at least as beautiful as the more famous Cannelle beach, only much less crowded - and without even the hint of a bar or restaurant. The Poseidonia-rich seabed is a paradise for snorkelers. It is a 40 minute overland trek to Cala delle Caldane from Cala delle Cannelle. The path hugs the cliffs, until eventually reaching the little bay, surrounded by the heady scents of the Mediterranean scrub.

Cala del Porto, Palmarola
136 hectares of unspoilt, wild nature only 6 sea miles from the island of Ponza: mostly uninhabited, Palmarola is the second largest and most westerly of the Pontine islands. Sea stacks, caves and cliffs including the so-called "Cathedral" characterize the island's craggy coastline, which is washed by a wonderfully clear green-blue sea abundant in fish and underwater flora. Visitors easily reach the island by dinghy or aboard one of the boats which head to the island from Ponza. The island's one, natural, port, Cala del Porto is dominated by the San Silverio sea stack. A magical place painted with the varying shades of the sand and pebbles and skirted by ancient caverns dug into the volcanic tuff, the beach has two small restaurants, at the water's edge, where, in the summer months, fish is served just moments after it has been plucked out of the sea.

Cala Faraglioni, Favignana
On the shores of butterfly shaped Favignana, the "Queen of the Egadi Islands", the Cala Faraglioni beach is certainly not the easiest place to reach. Visitors will need to head to the far north of the island and follow a tortuous, and often precarious path, before arriving at this semicircular beach, where the sea is a piercing shade of blue. Having made the effort to get here, holidaymakers can quite happily spend the whole day on the beach: ample shade being guaranteed by the high natural wall of rock which surrounds the bay. In the waters to the right of the cove, swimmers can venture into Favignana's stunning sea caves.

Pollara, Salina
Salina is by far the greenest of Sicily's volcanic Aeolian islands, covered with a thick coat of grape vines and capers. Those who have seen Micheal Radford's award-winning The Postman (1994) will recognize the spectacular seascapes of Salina, where many of the scenes of the movie were filmed. The tiny town of Pollara, in the "commune" of Malfa, nestles in a volcanic crater part of which has crumbled into the sea. From the narrow beach at Pollara, via a flight of steps carved out of the rock, visitors, reach, enclosed within a natural stone amphitheater, the little village of Le Balate, where fishermen once built rudimentary shelters for their boats. It is here that the House of the Postman and the natural arch, known as the perciato are to be found. The sunset is amongst the most beautiful in the world.

Capo Graziano, Filicudi
Another of the Aeolian Islands' paradisiacal beaches awaits discovery on the southern most shores of Filicudi, where the spiky tongue of Capo Graziano stretches out into the sea. Considered by many to be the most beautiful beach on the island, Capo Graziano is dominated by a small mound, once the site of a Bronze Age settlement. In 2008, the Capo Graziano Underwater Archeological Museum was opened. Expert divers are allowed access to the seabed, which is the burial ground for a total of nine ancient Greek, Byzantine and Roman boats. Visits are available only in the company of one of the Aeolian island's authorized diving guides.

Laghetto delle Ondine, Pantelleria
Pantelleria more than deserves its reputation as the "Black Pearl of the Mediterranean". This island of dark basalt rock, dotted with "dammusi" (the curious almost windowless dwellings once used by the islanders) is one of the most dramatically beautiful of Sicily's satellite islands. Laghetto delle Ondine is a basin of lava stone which the waves fill with water the color of emeralds. Visitors can reach the bay by way of a path leading to the Punta Spadillo lighthouse from the small port of Gadir, which is famous for its incredibly hot thermal waters.